Parliament should have discussed recognition of Palestine, open letter says

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with media during a news conference in Ottawa, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA — An open letter signed by dozens of community and business leaders says the Liberal government should not have decided to recognize a Palestinian state without debating the issue in Parliament.

The letter from B’nai Brith Canada, whose signatories include former MP Rona Ambrose and television and radio host Ben Mulroney, says it is “an affront to our democracy” that the government made such a significant change to its foreign policy while Parliament was not sitting.

In July, Carney said Canada intends to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly in September, as long as the Palestinian Authority holds elections next year, without any involvement by Hamas.

The letter to Carney today says Canada should “continue to play a leading role” in supporting efforts to eventually recognize Palestinian statehood, but that such a move should not happen until there is a stable Palestinian government in place.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on the letter.

Before Carney’s announcement in July, dozens of former senior Canadian diplomats published a letter calling for Canada to recognize a Palestinian state.

Pro-Palestinian groups expressed tepid support for Carney’s announcement, arguing Palestine recognition was overdue but that Canada’s caveats around Palestine needing to be demilitarized were inappropriate.

With files from Dylan Robertson

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press