Tuesday鈥檚 CBC candidates鈥� forum marked the first opportunity for Northwest Territories residents to have all four federal candidates at one event to answer questions and tell you why they deserve our votes.

The final question was on the topic of Canada鈥檚 role in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In times of unaffordability, climate disasters and healthcare crises, the topic may feel far away and insignificant for residents of the NWT. However, we can assure you that the issue of Palestine connects us all, whether we choose to be aware of it or not. From their responses, NWT candidates seem to fall short in understanding this connection.

To be clear, the ongoing genocide in Palestine is not a single issue. Indigenous rights, children鈥檚 rights, land rights, resource extraction and climate change are all in play, much as they are here in Canada. Canadians deserve federal leaders who can see these connections, as this is where solutions lie.

The Canadian government 鈥� on our behalf 鈥� continues to materially and financially support the ongoing violence that has killed well over 60,000 people in Gaza (at least 14,500 being children), with thousands unaccounted for under the rubble. Despite the Israeli government justifying its violence as defence against Hamas, nearly 1,000 Palestinians have also been killed in the West Bank, where Hamas does not exist or operate.

By not intervening, Canada鈥檚 current federal leadership is actively breaking international law 鈥� again, on our behalf. As a signatory of international laws and conventions, Canada is not living up to our clear legal and moral obligations. The government isn鈥檛 even living up to our own domestic laws of ensuring Canadians abroad aren鈥檛 committing crimes. Canadian citizens openly live in illegal settlements across the West Bank, fight in the Israeli Defence Force and Canadian businesses are still profiting from this violence through outstanding weapons contracts.

Our own history is rooted in the genocide, ethnic cleansing and occupying of traditional Indigenous lands. We鈥檝e come to accept in our country that these actions were abhorrent, and as such, our federal government has committed to 94 鈥渃alls to action鈥� through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to attempt to reconcile this violent past.

During the forum, each NWT candidate thoughtfully responded to a question about how they will work to further reconciliation and Indigenous rights. It鈥檚 good that they understand the gravity of this responsibility, as it is one in the same for Canada鈥檚 responsibility to Palestinians.

When it came to the question of Canada鈥檚 role in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during Tuesday鈥檚 forum, NWT candidates demonstrated they have varying levels of understanding what our country鈥檚 responsibilities are, and why this is an urgent matter for citizens. Either they chose to not answer the question, answered with standard party lines or stated plainly incorrect information.

It matters that our federal elected leaders understand this issue, as 快盈v3ers are not separate from the global community. 快盈v3ers deserve representation at the national level that can walk and chew gum at the same time 鈥� fight for our needs and interests domestically and represent our values on international matters.

We invite you to listen to the forum to hear what the candidates had to say on this subject. Between their responses on air and those received from our own questionnaire (see Yellowknife Citizens for Ceasefire鈥檚 Facebook page for those answers), it鈥檚 clear that no matter who is elected to represent the Northwest Territories in Ottawa, 快盈v3ers who stand for humanity, international law and freedom for all will have to continue to push them to do the right thing.

鈥擜my Lam and Alison Ryan are members of YK Citizens for Ceasefire.