Update: Federal Green Party President Paul Estrin issued a statement opposing the position taken by most of the party Palestine,  filled with what appears to be standard issue right wing Israeli anti-palestinian bashing rhetoric about children with hand grenades, etc.  Esrin's statement has reflected badly on the Green Party, however, it should be pointed out that it is a personal blog post, not party policy, and also point out the possibility that this will lead to his resignation in the near future since his statement is not only badly misinformed, but is also a blatantly condescending lecture to the grassroots members of the party to take the AIPAC line or shut up, which Greens do not take well. 

AIPAC pro-Israeli war lobbying has had a powerful impact on Canada's political process, to the point where we really don't have a process in regards to any decision concerning Israel. The process as it exists is to do what AIPAC says, and no matter how we vote, no matter how many Canadians oppose that agenda, that is what our government is going to do because the 3 of the 4 parties we have to choose from are in lock step against the majority on this issue. 

Stephen Harper has had an aggressively one sided stance on Israel since he took office, and is openly tied to AIPAC as a part of Conservative foreign policy directives, so no suprise that continues unabated no matter how bad the situation gets. 

But Trudeau has been playing the long game, attempting to pander to both sides and giving the appearance of balance. 

Justin Trudeau finally made his position in AIPAC's good books clear with his official statement on the situation. In his statement,  he says Israel should 'be commended' for 'demonstrating its commitment to peace.' in it's deliberate targetting of civillians, especially children and journalists, hospitals, schools and even United Nations shelters. 

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair hasn't made much in the way of statements recently, but has been decidedly pro-Israel since taking leadership of the party, but he has been quietly barring candidates who have openly taken the Palestinian side. His party issued a 'balanced' statement that appears to place equal blame on both sides, a common tactic for diffusing anger against a guilty party. 

Only Elizabeth May of the Green Party has made any kind of statement against Israel, and it was rather qualified and simply an endorsement of the statement voted on by the Green Party membership. 

Does it count as a democracy when a clear majority of citizens hold one position on a subject while all 3 major political party leaders and almost every major media outlet are answering to highly funded lobbyists working aggressively to bully, marginalize and silence that position? 

It was much the same as all the parties were in lock step against legalizing cannabis until recently, while polls showed majority support for it. 

In regards to the value of life, 3 of the 4 parties enforce a pro-abortion stance that bars pro-life candidates, so if you believe that the life of an unborn child has inherent worth and value, you are forced to vote Conservative, and the Conservative Party only takes a symbolic stance on the issue and even with a majority have done nothing to actually oppose or limit abortion except a token debate. 

So no matter how we vote, people who believe that life is precious and should not be devalued for the sake of economic convenience are expected to pick and choose exceptions to that belief, so that we can not ever vote based entirely on our conscience. 

We need a new system that allows our conscience to play a functional role in how we vote.