Winnipeg South Centre candidates court Jewish vote during debate

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Winnipeg South Centre candidates’ positions on Israel were put to the test during a debate Wednesday night at the Asper Jewish Community Campus.

The event was likely the only local debate at which all Winnipeg South Centre candidates will be present, as Conservative candidate Joyce Bateman has not committed to attend any others.

On the line Wednesday was the supposed Jewish vote, said Bernie Bellan, the editor of the Jewish Post and News in Winnipeg.

“The Winnipeg South Centre riding is one of the five largest Jewish concentration of voters in Canada,” he said, noting the riding has always been labelled as one of the ridings where the Jewish vote can make a difference.

“So there is this obvious desire to reach the Jewish vote and it is a legitimate tactic.”

Bateman was joined by Jim Carr (Liberal), Andrew Park (Green) and Matt Henderson (NDP) at the debate sponsored by B’nai Brith Canada, a Jewish advocacy organization; the debate was moderated by Free Press columnist Dan Lett.

In the first half of the debate, questions centred on the candidates’ position on boycotts on Israel, along their overall support for the state and combating terrorism.

Reading from a set of notes for most of her answers, Bateman played to her strengths by pointing to the Harper government’s unwavering support of Israel.

“Israel is often held to a higher account than any other country in the world and its enemies literally do get away with murder,” she said. “Our position that Israel should exist as a state is non-negotiable.”

However, she quickly lost the audience’s favour when she asked, “What has happened to the Liberal party when they have embraced terrorists as Canadians?” when discussing how to combat homeland threats to Canadians.

The statement elicited a series of groans from the audience.

None of the candidates said they believe in boycotting Israel, and both Park and Carr said they believe in a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Bateman hammered Carr on the Liberal party’s record on Israel, noting former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien voted at the United Nations in the 1990s to condemn Israel’s actions, which prompted Carr to counter with a rhetorical question.

“If you vote Liberal, are you disloyal to Israel?” he asked. “Is it not possible that we can have an honest disagreement about the way in which we get to the ultimate goal of peace in the Middle East and by the way, I haven’t heard anyone talk about that yet.”

Both Bellan and political analyst Chris Adams agree that the Jewish vote, which represents about seven per cent of the riding, likely played a factor in securing Bateman’s victory in 2011, where she narrowly beat Liberal incumbent Anita Neville.

“So just like any other significant group in society that are located in different places, there is a historical link between the Jewish community in Winnipeg and certain successful candidates,” Adams said. “I do know Bateman has a strong association with the Jewish community and successfully won over those voters in the last election.”

Bateman beat Neville by a one per cent margin, taking a riding that had been Liberal for more than a decade.

Bellan noted Bateman’s perceived trouble in the riding became evident when Conservative Leader Stephen Harper requested a special meeting with him during the leader’s stop in Winnipeg earlier this month, a meeting he believes was meant to help Bateman.

“Joyce Bateman is in trouble in Winnipeg South Centre, she is counting heavily on the Jewish vote. I have the feeling it was the Jewish vote that was decisive last time against Anita Neville,” Bellan said.

Bateman has a number of things in her favour, Bellan noted, most importantly Harper’s record on supporting Israel.

“She has done all the right things, appearing at functions, going to Israel, so I think she has done a fine a job solidifying her support among Jewish voters,” Bellan said. “Jim Carr has his work cut out for him.”

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Carr, who is Jewish and a prominent member of the community, is the former president and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba, making him a formidable opponent to Bateman, Bellan said.

“He is Jewish, he is well-known, his stance on Israel is above reproach and Justin Trudeau has done nothing in this election to make Israel any more of an issue and neither has Mulcair,” Bellan said.

Adams said it will make for a tough decision for certain voters, but noted issues like lower taxes and the economy can play just as an important role for any voter.

“There will be some torn feelings among certain Jewish voters as to who they going to support and the outcome of this election could be influenced by the Jewish vote if it goes one direction over the other,” Adams said.

kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca