NDP defends candidate's leaflet

Pamphlet draws criticism from Conservatives, highlighting political division over war in Gaza

- RAISA PATEL AND MARK RAMZY

Ahead of a highly contested byelection in Montreal, an NDP candidate’s leaflet is illustrating the stark division in Canadian politics over the war in Gaza.

The leaflet from Craig Sauvé in the riding of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun features an image of the longtime Montreal city councillor with a Palestinian flag superimposed behind him, along with the NDP’s logo in the upper right-hand corner.

Written in French, it encourages resident to vote for Sauvé to “stop the genocide” in Gaza. It features a list of the NDP’s demands of the Trudeau government, which include the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-way embargo on military trade with Israel.

A QR code on the pamphlet directs prospective voters to Sauvé’s candidate page on the NDP’s website.

The image was shared on social media by the federal Conservatives, whose candidate, Louis Ialenti, is not a front-runner in a race that has seen the New Democrats and Bloc Québécois mount steep challenges against the incumbent Liberals.

On Sunday, Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman called on NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh to publicly defend the campaign materials, while Tory House Leader Andrew Scheer wrote on social media, “Is this NDP candidate running in Canada? Did the NDP not want to put a Canadian flag on their flyers?”