Mark Carney’s decisive victory exposes Canadian Muslims stand for Gaza
Alameen
3-26-2025
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Mark Carney was declared the winner of the Liberal Party’s leadership election on Sunday, March 9, 2025.
As the Israeli war in Gaza intensifies, Muslim voters must recognize that little has changed regarding the Liberal Party’s unwavering support for Israel. Mr. Carney, who met with Mr. Netanyahu during a 2012 visit to Israel, has balanced his support for Israel’s right to self-defense and the removal of Hamas with surface-level humanitarian concerns for Palestinians. Last month, he called Trump’s plan to relocate millions of Palestinians from Gaza "deeply disturbing" and suggested it would violate international law.
“I support the hard work of reaching a two-state solution, with a viable and free Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the state of Israel," Carney posted on social media last month.
His critics argue he has not been vocal enough. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) gave Mr. Carney a "D+" on Palestinian rights, citing his lack of public statements. Furthermore, Mr. Carney was among fifty leaders and clergy who signed an open letter urging the government to enforce the law at pro-Palestinian protests and strengthen awareness about what constitutes hate speech.
Carney’s position on Gaza and Palestinian rights remains ambiguous at best. His call for a two-state solution appears hollow when coupled with his endorsement of increased government scrutiny on pro-Palestinian protests—an effort many perceive as a means to silence Muslim voices under the guise of addressing hate speech.
Frank Baylis, the only candidate to receive a relatively positive "B-" rating from CJPME for his commitment to Palestinian human rights, garnered just 4,038 votes—only 2.67% of ballots cast. These numbers highlight a troubling reality for Canadian Muslims advocating for justice in Palestine. This is in stark contrast to the over 32,000 Muslims who supported Patrick Brown’s Conservative leadership bid in 2022.
This disparity reveals a profound disconnect between Muslim community leaders who continue to promote loyalty to the Liberal Party and the growing frustration of grassroots Muslim voters. The reality is clear: Canadian Muslims are no longer willing to blindly support a party that disregards the Palestinian cause.
This should serve as a wake-up call to Canadian Muslim voters who have long offered the Liberal Party their support as a blank cheque. The numbers speak for themselves—97 percent of Liberal membership, and by extension its leadership, show little regard for Palestinian human rights.
It is time for Canadian Muslims to reevaluate the political guidance they’ve received. For years, Muslim voters were urged by community leaders and political activists to support the Liberal Party. Yet, these leadership race results reflect an uncomfortable truth: the party’s loyalty does not extend to the Palestinian cause.
The data paints a damning picture. In the riding of Surrey Centre—a community with a significant Muslim presence—Frank Baylis received only five votes. In Surrey—Newton, home to the influential Surrey Jamea Masjid, only nine people cast their vote for Baylis. In Richmond East—Steveston, a mere four votes were recorded for the only candidate with a credible stance on Palestinian rights.
The data from ridings represented by Muslim MPs is equally disappointing. Across all 12 Muslim MPs, only 354 votes were cast for Frank Baylis. It appears that both these MPs and their constituents had other priorities that took precedence over the Palestinian cause.
If Muslim voters supported Mr. Carney despite his poor rating from CJPME, it is an outright betrayal of the Palestinian cause. After witnessing the immense suffering of Palestinians in recent history, continuing to support the Liberal Party without demanding accountability signals indifference to their plight.
These leadership race results do not lie, and the crisis of faith within the Liberal Party cannot be ignored. Muslim community leaders who continue to push the Liberal agenda must ask themselves whether their loyalty is reciprocated. For decades, Muslim Canadians have stood by the Liberals—even as the party’s stance on international human rights has drifted further from justice and equity. Yet, when the time came to advocate for Gaza, Muslim supporters either fell silent or actively endorsed a candidate with a lackluster record on Palestinian rights.
Muslim voters must abandon the passive acceptance of empty promises and instead demand concrete policies that reflect their values. The future of Muslim political engagement in Canada depends on the courage to break from the status quo and hold all parties accountable—starting with the Liberals’ failure to stand unequivocally for justice in Palestine. Anything less is a betrayal of the very principles that should define Muslim civic participation.
Geo-political issues such as tariffs, recession, the housing market, inflation, employment figures, and Trump’s annexation threats against Canada—these matters remain in the hands of Allah. However, on April 28th, our vote is a test of our faith and a profound demonstration of our solidarity with oppressed Muslims facing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and Palestine.
Any political party that has failed to speak out against these horrific war crimes and has refused to stand for the Palestinian cause—regardless of who leads the party—DOES NOT DESERVE OUR VOTE.
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