Mr. Speaker, Sodastream, an Israeli company that employs some 900 Palestinians, has become one of the targets of a dishonest boycott, divestment, and sanctions campaign that would actually hurt those it claims to support, given that Sodastream pays employees four times the wages earned by the average Palestinian and ensures that all employees are treated equally.
It is disappointing that organizations such as Oxfam support this movement, which targets Israel, while turning a blind eye to the world's most cruel violators of human rights.
As the Prime Minister said in his historic address to the Israeli Knesset last month:
...Israel represents values which our government takes as articles of faith...to drive our national life.
And therefore, through fire and water, Canada will stand with you.
I encourage members of the House to join me in standing up against this misguided and deceitful movement. Let us counter the boycott with a “buy-cott”.