Rick Ekstein: The chances that Canada’s recognition of Palestine actually happens? Don’t hold your breath

The trouble is, most Canadians will read the headline—“Canada to Recognize Palestinian State”—and stop there. They won’t dive into the fine print and the stipulations. But that’s the point. This isn’t a roadmap to peace. It’s a press release engineered for progressive applause. You can’t have it both ways This is realpolitik dressed in moral clothing. Prime Minister Carney is trying to have it both ways. As an internationalist and Europhile, he wants to align with European allies who have issued similar declarations. Meanwhile, he’s signalling to progressive and Muslim voters in Canada—key parts of his electoral base—that he hears their demands. At the same time, the “fine print” allows him to reassure Jewish Canadians, Israel, and the United States that this is purely theoretical. It will never actually happen. It all makes for a political sleight of hand. This isn’t about creating peace in the Middle East. It’s about creating peace on Parliament Hill—from a leader without the courage to take a real stand on an issue that demands one. A symbolic gesture with real consequences Fake as it may be, Carney’s statement carries real consequences, both at home and abroad. On the global stage, it devalues the meaning of state recognition. Recognizing a country with no borders, no functioning institutions, and no security apparatus undermines the basic rules of international diplomacy. Worse, it sends a message to terrorists everywhere: violence works. Commit atrocities—rape, murder, hostage-taking—and even you, too, can still earn a seat at the table. At home, the message is just as corrosive. It emboldens the growing movement of hate targeting Jewish Canadians. It legitimizes the extremists who threatened my daughter and five-year-old grandson on a Toronto subway, simply because she wore a Star of David necklace. It tells those who harass synagogues and Jewish community centres that they stand shoulder to shoulder with the prime minister of Canada. How Canada can actually help Canada should play a role in the Middle East, but a constructive one. There is enormous potential for economic and diplomatic cooperation with our country and moderate Arab states. The Middle East and North Africa region presents a timely opportunity for trade diversification, especially as Trump-era tariffs force Canada to look beyond the United States. We could support reforms advancing women’s rights. We could encourage LGBTQ inclusion. We could back microfinance, education, and legal infrastructure. These are real, meaningful contributions actually aligned with Canadian values and strengths. Instead, Prime Minister Carney chose hollow symbolism, designed to polish his image while tarnishing Canada’s credibility. The real test of leadership isn’t writing a press release that checks every political box. It’s taking action that actually makes peace more likely, not less. On that test, Prime Minister Carney has failed.