The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, a government
body, has banned wines from Judea and Samaria because, it says, the label –
Products of Israel – is “unacceptable” for wines produced in “occupied
territory.”
By: Atara Beck
(This article originally appeared on World Israel News.)
(This article originally appeared on World Israel News.)
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered
the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to prohibit vendors from selling
wines produced in Judea and Samaria because they are labelled as products of
Israel.
In a letter dated July 11, 2017, Vincent Caron, the
LCBO’s senior policy adviser, informed vendors that the CFIA had instructed
them on July 6 that “Product of Israel” – as these wines are labelled – “would
not be an accepting country of origin declaration for wine products that have
been made from grapes that are grown fermented, processed, blended and finished
in the West Bank occupied territory.”
According to the letter, “the government
of Canada does not recognize
Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied in 1967 (the Golan
Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip). As such, wine
products from these regions that are labelled as ‘Products of Israel’ would not
be acceptable and would be considered misleading… LCBO is currently working
with CFIA on an action plan to ensure compliance with the notification going
forward.”
The letter specifically named the award-winning Psagot
and Shiloh wineries.
“I am requesting that all vendors discontinue any
importation of sales or products labelled as ‘Product of Israel’ from the
wineries named above (or other located in the same regions), until further
notice. We are currently seeking clarifications from the CFIA on how such wine
should be labelled in order to comply with the Food and Drugs Act,” the letter
concluded.
A ‘Hostile Attack’
on the State of Israel
Christine Williams, Public Affairs and Media
consultant with the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem-Canada
and past adviser to the former Office of Religious Freedom (Canada), was
outraged by the CFIA decision. Williams, who is on the Board of Advisers for
the Council for Muslims Facing Tomorrow and author of The
Challenge of Modernizing Islam, told World Israel News:
“I am appalled by this official, written order to
boycott Israeli wine by signatory Vincent Caron on behalf of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency. The CFIA has openly attempted to delegitimize the State
of Israel. Its statement that the ‘Government of Canada does not recognize
Israel sovereignty over the territories occupied in 1967’ is shocking. It fails
to recognize Israel’s need to defend itself, its obligatory actions stemming
from an ongoing defensive war and it further emboldens the historic jihadist
agenda to obliterate the Jewish state.
“The letter also contravenes the Ottawa Protocol, an
action plan developed in 2010 under the Harper government at
the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism attended by
50 nations,” she added. “This letter requires urgent correction or
retraction by the Government of Canada to distance itself from this overtly
hostile attack against the democratic State of Israel.”
Yaakov Berg, owner and founder of Psagot Winery, said,
“We have returned home to our homeland, the place where our ancestors made wine
continuing in the same place this ancient tradition. Amazing that this is said
by the Canadian government as illegal. We live here in Judea and Samaria under
historical rights. Specifically Canada, a country founded and expanded as it
conquered and destroyed the homeland of another people, a country with no roots
or historical validity of its existence there, questions the right of Jews to
live and grow vineyards in the land of our forefathers.”
What Inspired this
Decision?
World Israel News contacted CFIA Wednesday morning, asking why they took such a harsh
measure rather than discussing new labelling.
Also, how did this issue come to the fore? Were there
complaints from customers?
The agency’s media relations immediately acknowledged
the query, initially responding, “I have passed on your questions and we will
get back to you as soon as possible.”
By the end of the day, CFIA sent another email,
saying, “We are currently working on responding to your questions and will
hopefully get back to you in the next few hours.”
By the next day, there was still no clarification.
The LCBO, also questioned, reiterated what was written
in their letter, saying that it “received notification from CFIA that ‘Product
of Israel’ would not be an acceptable country of origin declaration for two
wine products. While seeking clarification from CFIA on how these wines
should be labelled to meet the Federal requirements, LCBO promptly notified
stakeholders who might be affected by this direction. Questions regarding
this decision or compliance with Federal labelling requirements should be
directed to CFIA.”
‘Why is this Focus
of the CFIA?’
Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Senior Rabbi of Beth Avraham
Yoseph of Toronto congregation, one of the largest orthodox synagogues in North
American, told WIN:
“It seems to me overly punitive to ban the sales of
these wines. What would have been more reasonable is to institute a standard
policy for all products sold from Judea-Samaria as far as how Canada wants the
items to be labelled. Also, why is this a focus of the CFIA when there are
so many other issues revolving around imported foods that are troublesome?”
Indeed, as revealed on CFIA’s website and often
publicized in the media, the agency constantly contends with dangerous health
issues, such as the recalling of products due to possible salmonella or
listeria contamination.
‘Very Sinister,
Dangerously Developing Iceberg’
Rabbi Mendel Kaplan, spiritual leader of Chabad
Flamingo in Thornhill, just north of Toronto, commented on Facebook: “Does this
sound like the start of boycotting Jewish businesses in Germany in the early
1930’s to you? It does to me. This may be the tip of a very sinister,
dangerously developing iceberg. Not a joking matter at all.”
In a statement to the media, Avi Benlolo, president
and CEO of the Toronto-based Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, issued a
media statement, saying the organization was “contesting this apparent policy
change with LCBO and the CFIA, which is seemingly initiating this action.
“We have already contacted the CFIA directly to
register our protest as well as the LCBO. We consider any action which
promotes the so-called Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against
Israel as anti-Semitic. This would be out of step with the existing government
policy which has vigorously condemned
the BDS campaign,” the statement
concluded.
“We are expecting this disturbing decision
to be corrected in short order,” Michael Mostyn, CEO of
B’nai Brith Canada, stated.
***
CFIA’s decision raises the following questions:
1. By what authority did the CFIA make the political decision affecting
trade between Canada and Israel by banning imports from the West Bank products
labelled “Made in Israel”, particularly since the government voted in favour of
the anti-BDS motion tabled by the Conservative
Party?
Answer:
There is no such authority.
2.
How could the CFIA make such a decision in the light of the repeated
declarations of the Minister of Global Affairs praising Israel and Canada’s
profitable relationship with Israel, among other things based on trade?
Answer:
The directing mind(s) of CFIA are pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli and
anti-Semites and/or they were pressured by the owners of Canadian
wineries who are suffering from the competition of the Israeli wines and/or
they buckled under the pressure of the Canadian Islamists
3.
Did the CFIA secure a legal opinion as to whether it could impose such a
prohibition?
Answer:
I very much doubt it. If they did secure an opinion that justified the ban from
a lawyer of the Federal Department of Justice, the Department better
investigate the matter.
4.
Did the CFIA consult with and seek the approval of the Department of Global Affairs of the decision
to ban Israeli wines.
Answer:
I very much doubt it.
5.
Is the CFIA’s behaviour a sneak preview of what is to come?
Answer: I would not be surprised, under the present
government.
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