‘That’s my job’: Bob Rae on why he didn’t walk out on Netanyahu speech at UN

Bob Rae takes part in a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, at United Nations headquarters, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations had a simple reason why he didn’t walk out of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the General Assembly: It’s his job.

Dozens of diplomats reportedly walked out of Netanyahu’s speech at the UN Friday morning, during which the presiding official had to call for order multiple times.

Rae, however, remained seated.

“Because that’s my job,” Rae told CTV Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in an interview airing Sunday, when asked why he didn’t follow suit.

“My job is to listen to people, and I don’t think we’re ever going to get anywhere if we don’t try to listen to people, understand what are they saying, why are they saying it the way they’re saying it, and that’s my job.”

Canada was one of several countries, including allies the U.K., Australia and France, to recognize a Palestinian state at this session of the United Nations General Assembly.

In his speech Friday, Netanyahu called the move “disgraceful.”

“My job is to listen to other people,” Rae told Kapelos. “In many cases, listen to people I don’t agree with. I’ve listened to, I don’t know, (Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey) Lavrov, I’ve listened to the Russian Ambassador on Ukraine. I don’t agree with a word he says, but I listen to him, and I think that’s part of what diplomacy is all about.”

“I also think it’s good practice, and I don’t think we’re going to engage in a performative gesture at this point,” he added. “I think it’s important for us to try to figure out, what are the solutions and how can we get there

Rae has been Canada’s ambassador to the UN since 2020. He’s also a former premier of Ontario and was interim leader of the federal Liberals before former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

He’s set to step down and will be replaced by former longtime Trudeau-era cabinet minister David Lametti, who will take on the role Nov. 17.

You can watch Bob Rae’s full interview on CTV Question Period on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET.