On the 24th of August, 2026, the city of Montreal (“Ville de Montréal”) is considering voting on a motion to end economic and diplomatic ties with Israel because of its “genocide” toward Gazans or the Palestinian people (https://tinyurl.com/4vknprw9).
Located 5,600 miles (about 9,000 km) away from Gaza, Montreal has its own social, economic, and safety-related issues. For instance, despite its charm, Montreal has issues like traffic, construction and street closing, old bridges’ decay, housing concerns, homelessness, drug abuse, a gang problem, etc.
Instead of strictly focusing on all of the above and on municipal politics, the city of Montreal wants to vote on a motion to boycott Israel and Israeli companies. How is this relevant to Montrealers? AND how is this going to help the Palestinians?
For those who do not know it, Montreal has an “Office of Government and International Relations and Protocol”, which is meant to “represent, promote, and position Montréal vis-à-vis governments, organizations, and institutions in Québec, Canada, and internationally” (https://tinyurl.com/3vsjh386). Clearly, this office does not seem to be meant for political postering or virtue signalling.
Although Bambi has always been compassionate toward the Palestinian people AND Israel has sadly re-occupied her birth country (in its war against the Hezbollah), she will ask again: if this motion is passed, how is it going to help the Palestinian people concretely? And do Montreal’s local politicians, including those pushing for the anti-Israel motion, truly care about Gazans?
Who knows, perhaps some genuinely care. However, as the MP for Mount Royal, Mr. Anthony Housefather said: “it wasn’t the city’s place to weigh in on international issues” and this motion would “trigger hate and make Jews feel uncomfortable in Montreal” (https://tinyurl.com/efp58h6v).
Bambi is not Jewish, and left Montreal 22 years ago, yet she agrees with Mr. Housefather on this one. Why is the “Ville de Montréal” taking this risk?
