Here’s which Members of Parliament voted ‘no’ on a motion for ceasefire and ending arms exports to Israel

Canada’s Parliament voted to successfully pass a motion calling for ceasefire and an end to arms exports to Israel on Monday.

The motion, which was amended at the last minute, was the source of division in the House— ultimately passing with 204 MPs voting in favour and 117 voting against. 

Ahead of the vote on the motion, Liberal MPs Steven MacKinnon and Mark Garretsen moved a last minute amendment to the motion, with changes including the removal of the recognition of the State of Palestine and sanctions on Israeli officials for inciting genocide.

Despite opposition from many MPs regarding the last minute changes and the fact that a debate could not take place on the amendments, the motion was ultimately passed, being supported by the entire NDP caucus, the Bloc Quebecois and the Green Party.

Most Liberal MPs also voted in favour, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly. Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather, Marco Mendecino and Benn Carr, however, all voted “no,” on the motion.

The Conservative Party, including leader Pierre Poilievre, Official Leader of the Opposition Andrew Scheer, Conservative shadow minister for international development Garnett Genuis and Deputy Leader for Canada’s Official Opposition Tim Uppal all voted against the motion.

The original motion was proposed by NDP MP for Edmonton-Strathcona Heather MacPherson, calling for the House to demand ceasefire and release of hostages, suspend military trade to Israel, ending the occupation of Palestine and recognizing Palestinian statehood.

Debate on the motion took place Monday morning ahead of the vote, during which many MP’s were noticeably absent. 

MacPherson shared a speech on the significance of the motion, including Canada’s “complicity,” in the horrors presently taking place in Palestine. 

“How many children must die? How many are enough to demand that the IDF stop killing civilians? How many children need to die of starvation before Canada demands that Israel allow humanitarian aid into Gaza? How many children must die?” MacPherson asked.

NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice also spoke up during the debate in support of the motion, outlining the magnitude of loss of life.

“Since October 7, nearly 31,000 Palestinian voices have been silenced forever, almost all of them killed by the Netanyahu government’s mass indiscriminate bombing. The majority are women and children. More than 12,000 Palestinian children have been killed,” Boulerice said in the House.

“In fact, more Palestinian children have been killed in the last four months than in all armed conflicts in the last four years. It is happening every day, right in front of us, live. We can never claim that we did not know. This is a test for humanity, for our own humanity. Right now, humanity is failing.”

Debate ensued in the house, during which Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman claimed that the NDP’s motion “rewards barbarism,” and “abandons our ally of Israel.”

Lantsman also made claims about a now-debunked theory about putting babies in ovens. 

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) Vice President Michael Bueckert categorized the comments as dehumanizing Palestinians. 

“There were many appalling and unacceptable statements made by pro-Israel MPs yesterday which reeked of anti-Palestinian racism,” Bueckert told PressProgress in a statement. 

“Characterizing basic measures in support of human rights as “supporting barbarism” or “appeasing terrorists” exemplifies a shocking level of dehumanization against Palestinians, and is the type of attitude that allows these MPs to justify blatantly genocidal acts against a civilian population.”

Bueckert also fact-checked a claim made by Lantsman. 

“Lantsman’s outrageous suggestion that Hamas is responsible for “killing babies in ovens” is based on a false story that was debunked by Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz over three months ago. By recycling blatantly false war propaganda, Lantsman reveals that she is completely disinterested in truth. This disgusting information is being weaponized to justify Israel’s overt violence of Palestinian children, including the killing of at least 13,000 children, and Israel’s siege which is starving children to death.”

In a statement following the vote, CJPME called the motion “watered down,” but a “small step forward for ending Canadian complicity in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.”

“CJPME is deeply disappointed that much of the language in the amended motion has been watered down or modified in a way that promotes false Israeli narratives and an acquiescence to the horrific status quo. Tens of thousands of Canadians had petitioned their MP in support of a resolution that suddenly ceased to exist.”

However, the CJPME acknowledged that the vote still represents a “tangible victory,” despite the last minute modifications.

“The Trudeau government must immediately implement the democratic will of Parliament by adopting these demands, and ignore the backlash from those who seek to vilify this motion, including the far-right Israeli government itself.”