Section: Editorial/Opinion 
Title: 'NEUTRAL' IS NOT AN OPTION 
Page: 18 
Outlet: The Toronto Sun

**EXCERPT**

It's sad, and a tad ironic. As Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay calmly and steadfastly defended Canada's policy on the fighting in the Middle East this week, Opposition MPs made increasingly hysterical demands that he be more "neutral."

By doing so, the NDP's Alexa McDonough et al. only reminded us how grateful we are that they aren't in charge.

McDonough trotted out two sadly familiar lines of attack Tuesday: One, accusing MacKay and PM Stephen Harper of being in "lockstep" with "only" U.S. President George Bush (even though MacKay made it clear that Canada supports the call by the European Union and other countries for a sustainable ceasefire and an international force to make it work). And two, whining that by taking a pro-Israel/anti-Hezbollah stand, the Harper government has somehow turned its back on Canadian traditions and the public's desire that we not take sides.

We'd like McDonough to explain just how a democracy like ours could not take a side here. As MacKay put it: "It's not a difficult choice between siding with a democratic state with an elected government ... or a group of cold-blooded killers.

"There is a marked difference between a democratic country (Israel) defending the lives of its citizens and a terrorist army (Hezbollah) intent on death and destruction." Exactly.

We're aware that a Globe/CTV poll this week showed 77% of those surveyed thought Canada should be "neutral" in this conflict (only 16% took Israel's side; 1% Hezbollah's). But that's a false choice. "Neutral" sounds nice, and the fact is it's unlikely Canada will take any action like sending troops. We're also sending humanitarian aid to Lebanon and will continue to do anything we can to make the killing stop. All good.

What MacKay had the courage to point out, however, is that we are not and cannot be neutral regarding Hezbollah -- designated a terrorist group by Canada since 2002. Nor can or should we downplay our ties to our democratic allies -- with whom we, under the Liberals, joined the war on terror -- the U.S., Britain and, yes, Israel (although we can criticize them).

"Simply calling for a ceasefire doesn't make it happen," MacKay pointed out. "There has to be more than words."

WWJD wrote:

'NEUTRAL' IS NOT AN OPTION

03 August 2006

Section: Editorial/Opinion 
Title: 'NEUTRAL' IS NOT AN OPTION 
Page: 18 
Outlet: The Toronto Sun

**EXCERPT**

It's sad, and a tad ironic.

We're aware that a Globe/CTV poll this week showed 77% of those surveyed thought Canada should be "neutral" in this conflict (only 16% took Israel's side; 1% Hezbollah's). ."

 

1 % took Hezbollah's side??

That is scary,,,real scary.

To support a murdering,lying,theiving,terrorist group...

shows us a lot about their values.

That one out of every one hundred Canadians.Fortunitly,it won't be too hard to narrow down which 1%.