Dear Editor,
I was shocked to read Sophie Kuijper Dickson’s editorial in the last issue (What do you stand for?, THE EQUITY, Sept. 17, 2025). The editorial pointed out that Canadian Members of Parliament, on the opening of Parliament Sept. 15, applauded the memory of an American right-wing internet zealot. A man who regularly stated that a raped under-aged girl must, by law, carry her child to birth; who preached that the Civil Rights Act was a “mistake” and that women’s rightful place is in the home having babies. Are these values one’s Canadians support? Quite rightly she asks, what do our MP’s stand for? What kind of message did the MP’s hope to accomplish with their garbled celebration of Charles Kirk? Why indeed, put Kirk on a pedestal?
Charles Kirk was gunned down in a violent act, a victim of the very hatred he so often espoused publicly. As an important supporter of the American president, he donned the mantle of family and faith to legitimize his provocative ideas.
The American president is trying very hard to make life difficult for Canadians – and that includes people living in the Pontiac. The message MP’s should have thought about and sent to Canadians is that they are there to support us, to uphold values that Canadians cherish. The Members of Parliament should have reminded the American public that they can keep their messengers of hate to themselves. While under attack by American policies we will keep our Elbows Up!
A member of the Conservative Party, a party that has a lot of sympathy for Trump, put this up for discussion. It was shameful that members of the Liberal party joined in the applause. The Conservative Party supports the barbaric war on the people of Gaza, and supports the American policy of selling guns and ammunition to Israel. Parliament should instead be condemning the wanton murder of doctors, teachers, nurses and journalists in Gaza. Members of Parliament should have spent time that same day speaking with the Canadians standing peacefully on Parliament Hill. We held a banner with the names of 18,500 children killed by Israeli Armed Forces. They could have brought the banner into Parliament and read the names of these many children.
It is good news that Canada recognizes Palestine. But a lot of work is left to be done. Canada has yet to declare Israeli actions as genocidal; the killing of innocent civilians – men, women and children – continues on a regular basis. Israel’s Netanyhu insists on destroying Palestine. Canada needs to step up as a peace loving country to denounce this behaviour.
I would like to see Sophie Chatel stand up in Parliament and support the private members bill by the NDP’s Jenny Kwan which aims to close all the loopholes used by Canada and Canadian companies selling weapons and ammunition to Israel. The international community has condemned Israel for its genocidal actions in Palestine; Canada should stop the sale of arms and weapons that make their way to the Israeli Defense Forces.
Carl Hager, Gatineau
