NDP's motion on Israel represents a profound shift in Canadian foreign policy, says academic

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly made it clear within minutes of the passage of the NDP's motion on the Gaza war and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that the government didn't regard it as just another non-binding opposition day motion that could be swiftly forgotten.

«This is clearly the intent of this government, to make sure that we follow what is written in this motion,» she said. «And that is why we've worked very hard to make sure that we could get to a text where we could abide by it.»

In fact, most of the original text in the motion was rewritten during last-minute talks between New Democrats and Liberals.

That extensive rewrite changed or toned down much of the substance of the original motion, and completely removed its most controversial clause — the one calling for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, a move already taken by 139 other countries.

Disappointment among those who had pushed for a stronger motion coloured initial reactions to it. New Democrats countered that they had still won important concessions that would do more to protect Palestinian civilians in the short term.

«We were able to force the government to move on things that they had not supported before,» said NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh. «Things that will provide immediate relief to people on the ground in Gaza.»

NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson, the driving force behind the motion, pointed to specific achievements.

«We can now hold the government accountable for a ceasefire, for access, for humanitarian care, to make sure Canadians in Gaza are able to come home, to make sure that arms are no longer being sent to Israel,» she said.

Neither one that night mentioned one of the few clauses in the deal that was not heavily