Speaker, I just want to take a moment to acknowledge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the words that they’ve said today. This is a difficult conversation to have and I am respectful of what you’re saying and I feel the emotion in the room and I’m concerned that I’ll be clumsy with what I say. And so, if I say something that doesn’t make sense, my default when I’m stressed is to make a joke, and there’s nothing to joke about here. But if I say something, it’s ignorance, not arrogance—it’s unfortunate.

For context of someone who is watching, we’re talking about a motion, “That this House condemn the ongoing and reprehensible attacks being carried out by the terrorist organization Hamas, including the slaughter, rape and kidnapping of innocent Israeli civilians, including babies, children and seniors, and recognize the inalienable right of the State of Israel to defend itself and its people against this horrific violence.” Quite frankly, Speaker, I can’t comprehend this level of violence.

Earlier today, there was a father with his two sons—I think sons; I just saw their eyes over the top of the balcony watching me—and I remembered going to a funeral of a co-worker about 15 years ago. What I remember is two children patting the door of the hearse and I remembered this rabbit one of his children had and realizing and just seeing that memory burned into my head that they have no idea what they’ve lost. They won’t figure this out for a long time and the hurt will come—the hurt we were all feeling at that funeral—is going to come and hit them hard later on when their father doesn’t come home and will continue for years to come. And that’s one family. I can’t wrap my head around what’s happening here.

Jack Layton said—and I’m not saying this because I’m a New Democrat, but I think it’s a good quote—“Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair.” We’re at a time right now where it is very easy to be angry. Sometimes, as political parties, it’s very easy to be angry at the other party. We have a team and you have a team and they have a team. And I’m not hearing that today—I’m not suggesting that here today, but I’m just saying that anger makes it easy to have enemies. Anger makes it easy to see everyone the same and to get hate-fuelled and to fight. But things are complex.

I don’t know why this popped into my head, but before I got married, I had to drive to Ottawa with my father-in-law, and I’m a talker and he’s not a talker. My father-in-law Phil learned on that drive that I can talk for five hours uninterrupted. But today, I have a hard time finding the words. Today, I realize that I’m standing in a field of rakes, that wherever I step, I could say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing because there’s so much pain, there’s so much anger, there’s so much despair and fear that people are looking for an enemy and a reason to be mad and we want to attack Hamas. I know my colleague just recently said that Israel is not far away. It’s too far for us. And what happens a lot is we fight with each other.

There’s a lot of pain in this room and there’s a lot of pain in our caucus, with our staff members and our co-workers. It’s all of it and I’m feeling it. I feel a lot of things. I’m not just left politically; I feel everything. This is a tough thing to do, but I’m reminded that I’m surrounded by friends and colleagues. I’m not talking about my party; I’m talking about around this room. There are people in this room who I trust.

When I think of war, I’ve had family members who have served, and I think of the member from Whitby and how important his Legion is to him and how passionately he talks about that. I know we’re not aligned on everything politically, but I know—when it comes to the importance of service and recognizing the people who serve—that we share a lot of the same values.

I trust, for example, the member from Eglinton–Lawrence who spoke elegantly just earlier today. I could feel the passion. I could hear the timbre in her voice when certain parts got to her and the courage it took to just keep going. But I remember—it’s a small example, Speaker—when I had said a word that I thought just meant “foolish.” And after we had left the chamber, in the hallway, she pulled me aside and told me it was a little more insulting than that and probably not parliamentary. There was no intent for me to say something hurtful, but the courage it took for her to say that—we’re on different teams; she doesn’t have to do that—but it was a caring thing to do.

Across from me, I see the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. I haven’t talked about this in the chamber, but my sister died two years ago. It was one of the days that my mom was in the gallery, I happened to run into the minister in the hallway, and he asked how things were going. He was one of the few people who knew that. He just knew me well enough. We have a decent relationship. He asked me what was wrong and I told him, and he asked if it was okay if he could comfort my mom.

So I trust my colleagues in this room. I know we’re in different parties, but I trust my colleagues to care for each other and take care of each other, to be courageous and show leadership. I do. And I feel for my colleagues who are carrying this heavier.

I’m privileged; the people I represent is a much smaller population of people who are from Palestine or Israel. Life is easier when you’re a straight, white male. It just is. I’m not trying to be political, but it is easier sometimes. This is complex, and there’s lots of anger. So as I started, I wanted to apologize if I’m clumsy with my words. I’m trying to be honest, I’m trying to be helpful. And I’m going to remind everyone that love is going to be better than anger, and hope is better than fear, optimism better than despair. I tried to craft my words so that I wouldn’t offend anybody, so I’m mainly going to read, Speaker.

As New Democrats, we are rightly concerned about the violence in Israel and Palestine, and the impact of violence and war on civilians. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the horrifying terrorist attacks by Hamas on innocent Israeli civilians and the escalation of violence that has taken the lives of so many people. Attacks on civilians are abhorrent and must never be justified.

The atrocities being committed are heartbreaking, and we grieve with the Ontarians and Canadians who are affected—those with connections to the region and those with loved ones in the region. We share in the concerns of Jewish Canadians and Palestinian Canadians who are terrified, who are devastated and who are worried for family and friends. We share that despair and the fear about what the days ahead may bring.

The grief in this House—by MPPs and staff alike, by our constituents, by those across the province—is palpable as we all come to terms with and witness the brutality, the kidnappings, the loss of young and innocent lives and the ongoing suffering. I’m sure I’m not the only one hearing from voices in my community just how distressed and shocked they are. In our deeply interconnected world, events abroad permeate our lives, and this horrific violence is taking its toll on so many of us in many different ways.

Innocent civilians in Israel and Gaza are experiencing intense violence. Hundreds of people who bear no responsibility have been killed. Thousands more have been injured or are living in fear, and the region is spiralling. Hamas has called for a day of rage. This continued call to arms can only lead to the inevitability of more violence. The attacks perpetrated have already caused unimaginable pain and suffering for the Jewish community, and they must end immediately.

Destabilization of the region also continues as Israel ordered the displacement of 1.1 million Gazans, who remain innocent. The siege of Gaza is propelling a humanitarian crisis, as people are indiscriminately attacked, forced to flee and remain in truly horrific conditions with nowhere to turn. The scale of Palestinians’ suffering is immense, and for its part, Canada must insist on the respect of international law and of humanitarian principles.

Here at home, Jewish members of our communities mourn and continue to be affronted with anti-Semitism and gaslighting. Equally, amongst this grief, they’ve had to see the celebrations of attacks against innocent Israeli people, including people who are their dearest family and their dearest friends. This is truly horrifying.

Disturbingly, we’ve also seen racist anti-Palestinian messages equating all Palestinians to Hamas and encouraging genocide, including shocking calls by members of Israeli Parliament for a new Nakba. This is also unacceptable.

In these incredibly dark and difficult times, we must recognize our common humanity and allow ourselves to grieve and mourn and find our way to compassion. This doesn’t mean we have to forgive; it doesn’t matter we have to agree. But I think we can recognize that innocent people are being thrust in a decades-long cycle of violence that’s having devastating consequences and is brutally impacting the entire region.

We New Democrats join our federal party in calling on Canada to do everything in its power to ensure the protection of civilians and respect for international law, an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation, and towards building the conditions for a just peace in the region. Speaker, countries around the world, including Canada, have a responsibility to work toward a credible peace process that will finally bring peace and security to everyone in the region and respects the humanity, the freedom and the rights of all civilians.

We must each do our own small part as we work towards sustainable solutions where Israelis and Palestinians can live in security, peace and mutual self-determination.

The Ontario NDP will continue to echo our federal counterparts in condemning terrorist attacks by Hamas, calling for the immediate release of all hostages, the protection of all civilians, an end to the siege and bombardment of Gaza, and for humanitarian aid to reach civilians urgently and without restriction.

The NDP will continue to stand with all people in Israel and Palestine who yearn for peace, for freedom and security.