Who sees genocide and who does not?
A recent Angus Reid survey reveals fascinating data about how Canadians see the ongoing atrocities in Gaza. Let's take a look.
Prince George, BC, August 25, 2025 - Several polls have been released recently that reveal a shift in opinions in the settler-colonial block (Canada, the USA, Western Europe, etc.) regarding the Israeli assault on Palestine. While such surveys bring clarity regarding public opinion, they often create more questions than they answer.
Nearly two-thirds of Canadians consider what Israel is doing in Gaza a “moral outrage”, according to a recent Angus Reid study. In addition, more than half of Canadians now believe Israel is committing genocide. This is a significant shift in public opinion, given that an April 2023 survey revealed that only 28% of Canadians had a negative opinion of Israel.
The Angus Reid study also draws into question the accusation that those who are pro-Palestine want to see the State of Israel eliminated and support Hamas. The vast majority of Canadians still support Israel’s right to exist (this number has not significantly changed in the last two years), and most believe that peace is not possible with Hamas in charge of the government in Gaza.
Mark Carney’s government has attempted to placate Canadians through symbolic gestures, promising to recognize the State of Palestine (with strict conditions), dropping food aid from airplanes (an expensive, ineffective and extremely dangerous way to bring aid into a region, especially when other options are available), and limiting arms shipments to Israel. These actions are proving unconvincing to many voters. Not only do 62% of Canadians believe that Israel’s military actions have been excessive, but 80% of respondents who voted Liberal in the last election hold this view, and 86% of Liberal voters see what is happening as a moral outrage.
Canadians are seeing endless images of desperate parents with starving children, and they are hearing testimonies of the cruel dehumanization of Palestinians by Israelis and their apologists. It is therefore puzzling that anyone would continue to support the actions of the State of Israel in perpetrating this suffering, let alone openly express support for these actions. The horror stories witnessed, filmed and documented by former American Green Beret officer Anthony Aguilar eliminate any ruse that there is a “humanitarian” element to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) - hired by the American government to bring food to starving Palestinians - nor the actions of the Israeli military. Human rights organizations document unprecedented numbers of children killed and injured, and more journalists killed than in any conflict in living memory.
As an Arab-Canadian, one aspect of Angus Reid study is particularly troubling. Of those who voted Conservative in the last Federal election, only 24% believe Israel is committing genocide, only 38% believe Israel is intentionally obstructing aid deliveries, 44% believe Israeli military actions are justified, only 36% believe what is happening in Gaza is a moral outrage, and only 30% believe Canada needs to stop sending lethal military equipment to Israel.
I live in a constituency that is a Conservative stronghold. My federal representative, Bob Zimmer, not only continually repeats, “We stand with Israel,” he has declined to even meet to discuss what is happening in Palestine, and members of his staff have been uncharacteristically rude to me. The owner of my community newspaper, where I volunteered an Arab-Canadian perspective for over a decade, told me in 2024, “In reviewing your columns over the last year, I do not feel they have a space in the (Prince George) Citizen’s new editorial approach going forward.”
Being dehumanized in this way is frustrating, but I cannot even begin to imagine the fear other Arab fathers experience hearing Israeli warplanes terrorize the Levant.
I understand the need for Jewish people to feel safe, especially after centuries of antisemitic terror in the countries of the settler-colonial block. I do all that I can to draw attention to the Shoah and make “never again” a reality. In fact, I have been recognized by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre for my efforts.
Why aren’t Palestinians offered the same compassion?
I am a conservative, and my observation is that your MP is extremely vulnerable to loosing the support of his base.
Why, because the values expressed by the State of Isreal are not conservative values. The hold that support for Isreal has on conservatives is due to a lifetime of propoganda, not a true alignment. When the truth is known, support evaporates.
Why?
Just consider what happened in Las Vegas last week where a Isreali Government Official was caught by a Child Sex Sting. Then somehow, he was allowed to get on a plane and fly back to Isreal. The people most upset about this are conservatives, not liberals, because conservatives do not like pedofiles, and there seems to be a connection between Israel & pedofilias. (MAGA is very upset about Epstein and his numerous links to Israel.)
I would also like you to consider south of the Boarder, where conservatives in the Alternate Media such as Tucker Calson, Judge Neopolitano, Redacted News, Thomas Massy, Candice Owens, etc are very upset about Israel’s actions. This is because Israel’s actions violate thier values.
Your MP is extremely vulnerable to being abandoned by is base. His base want him to be British Columbia First, not Israel First. Conservatives do not like their tax dollars supporting the State of Israel because they think their tax dollars should be spent at home.
It is very hard for people to let go of things they have accepted for thier entire lives, but many conservatives are questioning our contries relationship with Israel. The Pro-Israel propoganda is getting very loud because they are loosing control.