Election Update
The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, November 17, 1988-Page 5
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DAVID LAZARUS
MONTREAL —
Charting the cahipaign course vis-a-vis the Jewish community has been a relatively straightforward task for Multiculturalism Minister Geriy Weiner, the incumbent Conservative MP in the Do!lard riding (now Pierrefonds-Dpllard under a revamped iiiap).
Canada's only Jewish cabinet minister — and the first ever Conservative one — points to the governmi^nt's record and cites his own as proof that the Conservative agenda on such subjects as Israel, war criminals, and inter-ethnic harmony is one that dieseryes support by all the riding's constituents including its 6,200 Jews, who make up 6.2% of the population. ; Weiner's challengers — New Democratic Party newcomer Noureddine Pierre Razik and former He Bizard Mayor Dr. Bernard. Patry — are also hoping to garner Jewish support.
In interviews with the CJN. ail tj|ee candidates spoke supportively of Is-^ racl's iritegrity.
Razik, a sports adniinis--trator by profession,- said . that as a Canadian of ;Moroccan descent, . he eould heip,"contribute to a dialogue'- between the Canadian Arab and Jewish „ communities, who share a : "peaceful and harmonious" relationship in his native land. ;
But he added Canada should continue to act to encourage dialogue be-
Gerry Weiner
tween Israel and Palestinian repi'esentatives while maintaining "secure and recognized" borders for Israel.
Razik, who has been endorsed by some members of Quebec's Arab community, feels the "vicious circle" biptween Israel and the Palestinians has to be ended through mutual recognition, using United Nations Resolution 242 as a point of departure.
Weiner stated his government's support of Israel has been steadfast and would continue to be:
The former pharmacist and Dollard des Ormeaux mayor noted that under the Conservative government, landing rights for. El Al were awarded for the first time in Toronto and peacekeeping troops were sent to the Middle East for the first time in years.
In Weiner's view, Canada should support peace initiatives but should hot cross the line and advise Israel on what to do.
, ••We're about 9.000 miles away. It's not for us to determine what Israel should do. rnvnot living in the eye of the storm and they are," he said.
Patry said Canada should continue along with its traditional efforts of keeping peace in the area.
The Liberal candidate had praise for "the only real democracy" in the area and felt it should be left up to Israel whether to talk peace with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
But he added ii would help if the PLO renounced its charter which calls for the elimination of the Jewish state.
Razik said it was up to the Palestinians to decide their leadership, and violence has to be renounced "on both sides." •
The three candidates supported the "made-in-Cahada" policy to try suspected war criminal?; domestically, agreeing that Canadian rules of evidence should apply even when extended to possible evidence from East European sources.
Weiner said his government has been in the forefront on the issue of human rights and he cited his personal involvement on the issue of family reunification and "support of Soviet Jewry initiatives.
. Patry, however, said the government could conceiv--; ably be doing more in that . regard. Reunification tops Patry's list of huriian rights pi;ioriiies. ; '. Razik supported efforts
Noureddine Pierre Razik
in general that Canada be "a leader'' in human rights advocacy but added the principle should be applied equally to the Soviet Union and to South Africa.
The candidates diverged on refugee legislation, which Weiner as junior immigration minister has consistently supported as a means to safeguard against abuse of the system while streamlining it.
Razik and Patryalso advocated a more efficient system, bui)>elieve the proposed legislation could keep out legitimate refugees. Patry Was well acquainted with the writings of Rabbi Gunther Plaut, .who has written extensively on refugee and immigration issues.
Relations among the ethnic communities; in Pierrefonds-Dollard, a riding populated by many different cultures, was high on the priority list of all three Parliamentary hopefuls.
Weiner, of course, whose portfolio involves
preserving Canada's multicultural ■•mo.saic," points proudly to government in--itiatives undertaken in that regard, including the Multiculturalism Act passed while David Crombie held the portfolio.
Weiner .said the responsibility of preserving harmony between Canadians of ethnic and muiticul-tural'origin extends to his_ riding, where he has met with countless groups in the spirit of his government's policies.
Razik conceded that "ethnic minorities vote for Weiner, but they don't hear from him." The NDPer also wants to establish a cultural centre for ethriic communities in the riding.
Patry voiced support for a policy that could help bring more minorities into the public-sector.
All three candidates were in favor* of anti-hate laws and did not feel such legislation, contradicted principles of free speech.
They were less united on the issue of free trade, which split the candidates along party lines. ■
Weiner is in favor of the deal but Patry was fearful that Canadiian cultural and social policies would be threatened by the agreement. He said the Jewish community, a number of whose members are in ihe textile and chemical industries, could be "hit hard" by the ■ deal.
Razik called the deal "the election issue." The social programs the NDP " was in the forefront of initiating in Canada could be
Dr. Bernard Patry
"gone with the wind," he said. :
Patry, said the Liberal Party deserves Jewish community support because of its "policy and platforms" on issues ini-portant to the community and to all Canadians.
For Razik, Jewish com-
munity votes' would symr bolizc the potential for a "blossoming" . relationship. The cx)mmunity has distingui,shed itself by its "vitality ar>l organization" and for the contributions it has made in society at the social, political, cultural arid economic levels, he said. .
Weiner pointed to his own strong personal involvement in the Jewish community, and said that the Conservative government could pride itself on its "Jewish record of achievement . . . almost on any issue," including Israel, Soviet Jewry, and war crimes legislation.
When, it comes to the "Jewish agenda,'' Weiner concluded, no goviernment has "laid out a comparable path" on issues of relevance to the Jewish community.
The Name Game
There's a story in almost every Jewish surname and Toronto lawyer FRED M. GATZ-M AN has been researching their prigias over the past few years. Mr. Catzman reports on his research in The CJN.
... .■■ '* * • * ■■■ TORGOV
Morley Torgov, distinguished, author and lawyer, has enshrined his name in Canadian literature.
I leave it to my scholarly colleague to choose from one of the three following soiirces of his surname:
■ (1) TORGOWICA: a village in the Ukraine: ■
(2) TARGOWNIK •'market-place merchant" in Polish; ..; •
(3) TARGOWO, - TARGOWICA or TARt , GOWA GORKO - villages in different parts of Poland.
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