The party is defending Craig Sauve
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An election pamphlet being distributed right now features a Palestinian flag on the front, not a Canadian flag.
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On the back, the candidate in question promises to push for an immediate ceasefire and tells voters to “send a strong message to Ottawa to stop the genocide in Gaza.”
Again, this was a piece of literature handed out in Canada, during a Canadian election to elect a member of Canada’s Parliament.
No one is surprised that this flyer is being distributed by the NDP.
Craig Sauve is the NDP candidate seeking to win the Montreal-area riding of LaSalle-Émard-Verdun in the Sept. 16 byelection. It’s an odd move by the NDP candidate. According to Statistics Canada, the area doesn’t have a very large Muslim or Arab population, coming in at 5,735 Muslims out of a population of 107,564 in the last census — that works out to 5.3%.
The NDP is facing plenty of outrage online over the flyer, which is no surprise — you can find people online outraged that that sun rises in the morning.
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The party isn’t backing away from the flyer, in fact, they are defending it strongly and strangely.
“Craig Sauvé included a maple leaf on the leaflet in question, and frequently poses with the Canadian flag and Quebec flags — both of which he deeply loves and respects,” the party said in a statement sent Sunday.
“It’s ludicrous to suggest that when a politician is seen with another flag it’s unCanadian, whether that’s the Ukrainian flag, Israeli flag, Palestinian flag or other nations.”
A Maple Leaf next to the NDP logo superimposed over the Palestinian flag which is dominating the campaign literature doesn’t negate the fact that he’s campaigning for a seat in Canada’s Parliament with a foreign flag. It’s not just Sauve being seen with a foreign flag — he’s profiled under it, the foreign flag is at the top.
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Strangely, the NDP sent four photos to show that politicians are seen with foreign flags.
One is Stephen Harper from his 2007 visit to Australia where he addressed their Parliament. Canada’s then Conservative prime minister is standing in front of a podium with Australia’s coat of arms on it and Australian flags behind him.
In two others, Harper is featured in Hungary and the United States with their flags while visiting those countries after he left office.
In the one photo of current Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, he’s seen standing on Parliament Hill this past winter with two men taking part in a rally to support Israel who are holding an Israeli flag.
None of that is the same as campaigning for a seat in Canada’s Parliament under a foreign flag. The many Canadians of all political stripes who are offended by this are right to be so and to ask if the NDP will put Canada and Canadian interests first.
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“The NDP has been crystal clear on our position in support of a ceasefire and the release of all hostages because we believe in protecting both Israeli and Palestinian lives,” the party said in their statement defending the flyer.
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They went on to attack Poilievre and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We condemn Pierre Poilievre’s unconditional support for Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for war regardless of how many innocent Israeli and Palestinian people die. We condemn Justin Trudeau’s mealy-mouthed weak refusal to take action in support of a ceasefire and steps toward lasting peace.”
About the only good thing in the statement and the flyer is that the NDP is calling for the hostages to be released. To claim this is about “Netanyahu’s push for war” without acknowledging Hamas started the war or calling for them to surrender shows where the NDP priorities are.
Craig Sauve had a shot at winning this riding, taking a seat away from Trudeau’s Liberals. This move, campaigning under the Palestinian flag, could cost him that chance.
I hope it does.
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