KINSELLA: Mark Carney's silence on Israel-Hamas war reflects morality

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With an uneasy ceasefire in place, and some hostages finally being released, it’s likely that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s brain trust figured they could keep doing what they had been doing on Israel.

Which is silence.

And, yes, Prime Minister Carney. On March 9, the Liberal Party will select a new leader. In less than three weeks, the Justin Trudeau era will (blessedly) come to an end, and Carney will become Prime Minister of All Of Canada. By all accounts, he’s far, far ahead in the Liberal leadership race. So he’s the one.

That’s how the system works. The party with the most seats in the House of Commons forms the government, and that party’s leader gets to be prime minister. Here, Carney.

He’s run a classic low-bridge campaign since he announced his candidacy on Jan. 16. He’s avoided media, he’s avoided specifics, and — in particular — he’s mostly avoided talking about Israel.

The folks who advise him are entirely comprised of Trudeau’s gang, so it’s no surprise that Carney’s been AWOL on the Israel-Hamas war. Apart from those occasions where schools for little Jewish kids got shot up in the city he represents, Trudeau usually did the same thing. Thoughts and prayers, enough is enough, this isn’t who we are, etc. etc. Rinse and repeat.

So, Carney has aped his mentor, and observed a total media blackout on — all sides would agree — an issue that has become an important litmus test for one’s morality. He has embraced silence when, as the saying goes, silence equals complicity.

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Given those who make up his circle of advisors, perhaps this is no surprise. Melanie Joly — who falsely accused Israel of killing hundreds of Gazans before the war really began, and who has said that Hamas deserves a seat at the table of nations because, you know, “the demographics.”

And it worked, for a while. For week after week, Carney indicated neither support for Israel (an ally) nor opposition to Hamas (a listed terrorist entity). Until the Carney team offered up this on International Holocaust Remembrance Day:

“Our memories of the horrors of the Holocaust should be as horrifying today as 80 years ago. That remembrance must lead to action to fight antisemitism everywhere and to ensure that every Canadian always feels safe in their schools, communities and places of worship.”

No use of the word “Israel,” “Jews” or “hostages,” there, however. Which is kind of like sharing one’s thoughts on Remembrance Day without making reference to soldiers, war or “remembrance.”

Joly must have been unhappy because, a few days later, Carney did a course correction. He issued a lengthier statement that expressed the view that “President Trump’s proposed forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza is deeply disturbing.”

To many, including Republicans, Trump’s plan is indeed ill-advised. Offering the thousands of remaining Hamas terrorists safe passage to the Arab nations that surround Israel? Accepting, implicitly, that Gaza has been reduced to “a demolition site” by Israel, to use Trump’s own words?

All that aside, the omission still glares: No mention by Carney of the 73 hostages who are still being held by Hamas. Zero.

And, so, after a Westmount synagogue was smeared with a swastika on the weekend, Carney issued a statement on social media. As before: No mention of hostages.

This writer sent along a note to Team Carney’s “media inquiries,” asking why he hasn’t said anything about that subject. Even Trudeau has done so, albeit misspelling a Canadian-Israeli woman’s name: “I am relieved to hear that three hostages have been returned to Israel under the ceasefire agreement. But this is not the end. Hamas must release every hostage — including the body of Judih [sic] Weinstein to her family. More is needed and the ceasefire must be upheld to the fullest extent.” Carney, nada.

It’s fair to say, at this point, that Mark Carney has made a choice: Offer up only the bare minimum about hostages, Israel and Hamas. Say something only when everyone else has gone first — and then, when you do, make it a bit formless.

That’s not what we expect of our leaders. We deserve clarity and conviction, don’t we? Particularly, you know, with prime ministers.

We also deserve a response to the single question mailed in to Carney’s “media inquiries” team, by the way. But, at press time, we still hadn’t received one.

We’ll let you know when, or if, that ever changes.