Mr. Speaker, as was made patently clear during our debate in February, the Government of Canada is concerned about any effort that singles out Israel. The boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement is clearly one such effort. It imperils necessary economic development. It hinders the lives of Israelis and Palestinians.
We need academic dialogue and economic exchange, not isolation. While we support democracy and freedom of expression, of course, BDS is counterproductive to the peace process. We must work toward achieving a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that, through negotiation, will lead to the advent of two states living side by side in peace and security.