SWING VOTE
human rights expert who was the national director of the League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada, as well as the CEO of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, lists the social justice issues that are associated with the Liberal Party as key issues for the next election: public health care, the social safety net, accountability, fiscal responsibil- ity, women’s issues, responsible immigration policies, and human rights. She says these are also issues Jews hold
close to their hearts. Jewish values are Lib- eral values, she believes. “When I say my Canada was built by the
Liberal Party, it is all those things that Jewish people have worked for and worked on,” says Mock. “Tings are being unraveled [under the Conservatives], like the value of democracy.” According to Mock, once again, just like
31 years ago, the community’s emotional and spiritual link to Israel is being exploited as a wedge issue to pry Jewish voters away from their traditional Liberal red resting place.
OTR 3.874X4.5 Ad V.1 3/2/11 11:34 AM Page 1
Back in the Day In the 1970s, the Jewish community was dis- tinctive for voting for the Trudeau Liberals
at a level 20 per cent higher than the rest of the country. At the close of that decade, it seemed like
they were shiſting their vote rightward, en- ticed by the PC position on Israel. Mock sees many parallels between Joe
Clark’s Progressive Conservatism and Harp- er’s Conservatism and their “unequivocal support for Israel.” “Find the issue that each community is
“People perceive Harper is good for Israel and that’s all they care about and they don’t even look at the social and economic issues.” Liz Martin- Landau
most passionate about and exploit it. Israel is an emotional issue,” says Mock, who labels the Conservative strategy all sound bites and no facts. She says it seems to have paid off. “It saddens me to see how our community is being played for domestic power, to hang on to domestic power, because actually on the world scene [it’s not helping Israel],” she says. Mock is determined to win the next elec-
tion through old-fashioned campaigning. She explains that charges against the Liberals of being anti-Israel and anti-Semitic in the Conservative ten-percenter flyers, mailed to at least five largely Jewish ridings in 2009, were all false or gross distortions of the facts. Mock reiterates over and over during our 45-minute conversation that she is proud
of the Liberal track record on Israel. She says she’ll take the necessary time at every porch, with every voter in the riding, to set the record straight on this track record. “Loyalty and support for the state of Is-
rael is unequivocal – and anyone that tries to make anyone believe otherwise is lying,” she states. On the flip side, Kent vehemently dis-
agrees with Mock’s assessment of his win and the community’s Tory shiſt in general. He credits his victory to “a tremen-
dous campaign team, a band of dedicated volunteers, and a party that – whether at home or abroad, whether popular or not – always stands by the Jewish people.” He says that the reason for the notice-
able shiſt in Jewish support towards the Conservatives can be specifically traced to Liberal complacency with their traditional voters – in other words, ignore the base at your own peril. “We must never make the mistake of
thinking the voters of today are ours tomor- row and forever,” he says. “Tat’s precisely what the Liberals did, and they ended up taking the community for granted.”
Sunday May 15, 2011
New Leadership’s 6th Annual Family Fitness Day 5KM Trail Run and Nature Walk
WHERE: Earl Bales Park WHEN: Sunday May 15, 2011 COST per family: $50 or FREE with $150 of donations REGISTER:
www.hospitalwithaheart.ca REGISTRATION: 9:00 am START: 9:30 am
EVENT INCLUDES: Trail Run and guided nature walk, Picnic of healthy snacks, Children’s music and activities, Massage, yoga, pilates, and stretching Fabulous prizes and much more…
Benefitting the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem
For registration information please call 416.781.3584 or visit
www.hospitalwithaheart.ca
Tax receipt will be issued in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines
www.cravingstoronto.ca 3393 Yonge St.
416-322-2200
opeN 7 Days a Week at NooN
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48