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On July 30, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced  condemning Israel’s role in allowing a humanitarian catastrophe to unfold in Gaza. On Aug. 8

These statements marked a departure from the earlier, more cautious tone — but for many Canadians, they came too late, and still fall short of the decisive action the moment demands. The polling reflects that gap: Canadians are increasingly ready for a more independent, principled foreign policy, while Ottawa remains hesitant to match words with consequences in the face of pro-Israel lobbying pressure.

What’s striking isn’t just that the public mood has shifted — it’s how isolated that mood remains in institutional Canada. Politicians increasingly feel comfortable acknowledging the scale of devastation. Since October 2023, over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed, the vast majority women and children, with entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble and famine used as a weapon of war. Yet, too many politicians have stopped short of demanding measures against Israel, such as sanctions, arms embargoes, or full recognition of Palestinian statehood.

While trade unions, student groups and grassroots organizations have raised their voices, some of the most powerful professional bodies in Canada — from �����Ի� bodies to academic institutions — have responded with muted statements, if any at all.

In some cases, members have been disciplined or disinvited for expressing solidarity with Palestinians or condemning Israeli war crimes. As Manitoba Healthcare Workers for Palestine recently put it, “There has been shameful silence on the part of employers, regulatory bodies and unions on the atrocities being carried out in Gaza, especially notable when compared to the vocal response and solidarity readily expressed with Ukraine.”

This timidity isn’t just morally hollow, it’s historically indefensible for institutions that claim to stand for justice and equity.

Why is public opinion shifting now?

Part of it is the sheer scale and visibility of the devastation. But more recently, images of starvation, broader mainstream coverage, attention from prominent Canadians like former �����Ի� attention from celebrities — including children’s content creator — as well as unexpected voices like MAGA-aligned influencers and Candace Owens have pushed the crisis into spaces where it was once ignored. Palestinians are still telling their own stories in real time, but now more Canadians are seeing, sharing, and believing them.

That raw visibility has made the gap between public outrage and institutional restraint impossible to ignore — and it has left many Canadians disillusioned with traditional sources of moral leadership.

Omar El Akkad’s searing new book, “One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,” captures this exact moment — and its moral cost. It imagines a future in which everyone claims they opposed atrocities, even if they stood by silently while they were happening.

In a recent interview with the ɫɫ�� Star, El Akkad spoke of losing faith in institutions — political, academic, cultural, journalistic — while gaining respect for individuals who speak out at great personal risk: “I’ve seen immense acts of courage and I’ve seen immense acts of love,” he said, pointing to young student protesters, Palestinian journalists and doctors in Gaza. “They’ve been the only outlet of information and survival.”

And increasingly, it’s not just the public — but longtime defenders of Israel — who are rethinking their stance. Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, recently recognized Israel’s conduct meets the legal definition of genocide. he said. Jewish scholar Dov Waxman, who once opposed using the term, now says 21 months of

How much of this change in opinion is based on a new perception of events, or it is damage control? It’s hard to say, but rewriting history is what El Akkad warns against. I believe we are watching a collective effort to shape how this moment will be remembered — and who will be remembered as having done the right thing. Silence now, condemnation later. Enable now, regret later.

Canadians are not asking for perfection. They are asking for courage — for leaders willing to stand for something in the face of political risk and before it’s too late, not to apologize after the fact.

 Correction - Aug. 14, 2025

This article was updated from a previous version to note that Stephen Lewis was a former U.N. ambassador. He served as Canada’s UN ambassador from 1984-88.