Election focus on persecution

In what appears to be a very tight three-way race in the Canadian general election called for 19 October, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is using the war on terror and the fight against Islamic State (IS) as key reasons for re-electing a Conservative government. The terrorists’ atrocities against Iraqi and Syrian Christians, as well as Yazidis, since they occupied Mosul more than a year ago, have caused widespread consternation in Canada.

On 9 August Mr Harper stated: “A re-elected Conservative government will designate travel to places that are ground zero for terrorist activity a criminal offence”, while committing “C$9m [£4.37m] in new money to defend religious freedom in the Middle East” and resettling “10,000 new refugees from Syria”.

Mr Harper repeatedly reminds audiences of last October’s terror attacks in Quebec and Ottawa by self-proclaimed Islamist extremists as a reason for Canadians to stay on course with the Conservatives. “There is nothing of more importance than ensuring the safety of Canadians. Our opponents just do not get that,” he said.

Mr Harper repeatedly says that dealing with Islamic terrorism is the vital distinction between him and Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party and Thomas Mulcair’s New Democratic Party. “We must stop IS. We can accept thousands or tens of thousands, and maybe all the countries in the world together, hundreds of thousands of refugees, but IS left to its own devices will create millions, tens of millions, of refugees and victims,” he pointed out. “Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair would end Canada’s mission against IS, and take no steps to protect vulnerable religious minorities in Syria and Iraq from the barbaric attacks of this murderous terrorist organisation.” 

It was expected that the Conservatives would campaign on economic issues but polling indicates that they do best on issues such as countering IS and protecting Christians in the Middle East.

Mr Trudeau attempted to make abortion an election issue last month by declaring that there would be no new Liberal candidates who were not “pro-choice”.