Features
“The Right Path” sends the right message
Special to The Jewish Post & News by TASHA KHEIRIDDIN Well known political commentator and author Tasha Kheiriddin published her most recent book, “The Right Path: How Conservatives Can Unite, Inspire and Take Canada Forward” last month. A long-time conservative, Tasha is currently the co-chair of the leadership campaign of Jean Charest.
She is also a principal with the Toronto office of Navigator and a lecturer at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. Tasha agreed to share some of her ideas that she outlines in her book with The Jewish Post & News as to how the federal Conservative party could best move forward in the future.
In “The Right Path: How Conservatives Can Unite, Inspire and Take Canada Forward”, I offer a roadmap to the Conservative Party of Canada to win the next election and elections well into the future. The book traces the twin arcs of populism and conservatism in Canadian politics, analyzes their current appeal and proposes the best approach for the party to succeed with three crucial voter groups, including New Canadians, urban and suburban dwellers, and Millennials / Generation Z. All these groups are part of a strategy to build a larger and more well distributed base of support for the party.
If Conservatives intend to remain a vital force and potential governing party, they need to put aside their differences and build a winning coalition. To attain this objective will require soul-searching and self-examination. Canadian Conservatives need to ask themselves some fundamental questions, including: How did we get here? What is Canadian conservatism? And how can we unite, inspire, and take Canada forward—and win a majority government?
As many have noted, in 2021 the Conservative party won the popular vote but lost the federal election because most of their support was concentrated in Western and rural Canada. Similarly, in the 2019 federal election Conservatives won 34% of the popular vote compared to 33% for the Liberals. Yet the Liberals remain dominant in crucial battlegrounds, including the GTA. To ensure a well distributed base of support and to win, it is imperative that Conservatives reach out to various groups across the country and build a bigger tent of support.
Successful Canadian Conservative leaders have always understood the importance of coalition-building. I discuss three leaders who successfully did this: John A. Macdonald, Brian Mulroney, and Stephen Harper. They were able to build big tents and win large majorities by tempering extremes and not playing to them. All three understood that governing is a balancing act. Each had their own challenge: Macdonald’s was nation building, Mulroney’s was nation keeping, and Harper’s was nation changing. While they did not accomplish everything they set out to do, they each came to power by forming extremely effective alliances and coalitions and made history as a result.
Politics is as much a social exercise as it is an ideological one. Forming personal connections with various communities throughout the country is essential and opens the door to potential support and civic engagement. The current Conservative party has been building alliances with various communities but much remains to be done.
Since the days of Mulroney and Harper, the party has developed a strong relationship with Canada’s Jewish community. While in office, Stephen Harper was a strong friend of Israel, and remains so today. He recognized the importance of Israel as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East. He understood the need to combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad. He also championed the values that conservatives and the Jewish community share. At its core, conservatism stands on three pillars: faith, family and free enterprise. All of these are also pillars of Judaism and of the Jewish experience in Canada.
This respect and support for Israel and Jewish Canadians continues to resonate within the current Conservative Party. In May of this year, designed Jewish Heritage month, leader Candice Bergen stated that “Throughout the month of May, I encourage all Canadians to celebrate the inspirational role Jewish Canadians have played in communities across Canada.” She noted that Canada is home to nearly 400,000 people of the Jewish faith – who have made invaluable contributions to various fields, including medicine, sports, technology and the arts, thereby improving the quality of life for Canadians and the entire world. Bergen committed to continue to carry on the fight against anti-Semitism and expressed the hope that all Canadians will take time to learn about Jewish history and culture in Canada and celebrate the incredible achievements of Canada’s Jewish community.
Just as we, as parents, strive to have our children carry on our heritage and traditions, one of the most important challenges for Conservatives is also engaging the next generation. Millennials now outnumber baby boomers, comprising 33.2 % of the working age population. As for Gen Z, they are projected to outnumber baby boomers by 2032 and millennials by 2045. Unlike what is commonly assumed, these groups are not monolithic in their political views, or overwhelmingly left-leaning. Almost 48% of Gen-Z voters, aged 18-24, define themselves as right of center. Among Millennials, about 30% lean right, and another 20% could be accessible Conservative voters if the party takes a centre-right approach and offers solutions on issues such as climate change. Young people are looking for a party that listens, and “that cares”; they seek sincerity and authenticity in their politicians.
When I started writing this book after the 2021 election, no one could have foreseen the events of 2022, including the freedom convoy in Ottawa, Russian’s attack on Ukraine, galloping inflation, and economic anxiety. Recent events have created an even more uncertain world, making it crucial that Canada has a government that provides greater stability and growth. Conservatives – and all Canadians, must also guard against the spectre of intolerance and hate that can accompany upheavals and economic anxiety. Populism has led nations to some terrible places in the past, and we need to ensure that this never happens again in the future.
Canada today needs a choice of governing parties and I believe that conservatism offers a better path out of our present malaise. The Conservatives can be that choice, but only if they can find some common ground. I hope “The Right Path” offers the next leader, whoever he or she is, some guidance and insight into how to achieve this objective.
“The Right Path: How Conservatives Can Unite, Inspire and Take Canada Forward” is available in bookstores, on Amazon and at www.opibooks.com For more information, please visit http://therightpathbook.com
Features
Understanding the Differences Between the Three Roulette Classes
Roulette is one of those games that denotes the world of casinos most iconically with its spinning wheel and suspenseful moment when people wait for the ball to land on a number. Not all roulette, however, is the same. There are three classes of roulette: European, American, and French. They have rules and variations that somehow make them stand out and give extremely different gaming experiences. Let’s take a look at some of these differences and understand what makes each roulette class special.
The Classic Choice of the European Roulette
The typical character of European Roulette is the presence of a single zero, thus making it highly favorable among players due to a very low house advantage of 2.7% and, therefore, higher odds of winning. It offers a number of inside and outside bets that can suit different players’ appetites for risk. The reason the players like European Roulette is that it is easy to play, and the odds are quite even.
This game of roulette easily finds its place on most online websites in several variants, from differently themed games to different betting limits to accommodate any type of player. Be it a new starter or a seasoned gamer, European Roulette offers them all a slick and smooth experience with good graphics and interaction that they would want more of.
The Elegance and the Strategy of the French Roulette
French Roulette is often touted as the most sophisticated style of the game. It shares this with European Roulette, which also has a single zero wheel; however, the features are different, with the inclusion of various rules termed “La Partage” and “En Prison.” These rules create such a drastic reduction in the house edge down to as low as 1.35% on even-money bets that it affords the player a number of options for a gaming experience. French Roulette also boasts an assortment of table layouts and special bets that give the game a strategic edge, intriguing experienced players.
Spin Casino roulette games offer a sophisticated, classic European casino atmosphere in the version of French Roulette. The detailed tutorials and user-friendly interface mean that new players will take no time to learn the nuances of this great game, allowing everyone to enjoy the strategic depth of this variation.
The American Roulette, With High Stakes
Another successful variant is American Roulette, most especially in North American casinos. The key difference between American and European roulette lies in the addition of a double zero slot on the wheel. This adds to a 5.26% house edge, thereby giving it a moderate advantage over its European cousin. This also contains an extra layer of unpredictability and fun with the double zero and lures players who like higher stakes and a faster-moving pace of the game.
The realness of the experience means that American Roulette fans will get a true taste of Las Vegas-style casino action. From this brand, high-quality American Roulette games are available for players to try their luck with the double zero in immersive graphics and sound effects that bring the excitement of the casino right to your screen.
Try these roulette variations and enter a whole new world of casino gaming, where each spin holds a new chance at excitement and rewards. Be it for the first-timer or a seasoned player, roulette is a game in which the thrill keeps one sitting on the edge.
Features
Auschwitz Tours from Warsaw: Preserving Memory, Honoring History
Auschwitz is one of the most powerful symbols of the Holocaust and its lessons are as current as ever. As the world prepares for International Holocaust Day the need to remember and educate becomes even more urgent.
At Auschwitz Tours from Warsaw, our mission is to help you connect with this dark chapter in history. We offer guided tours to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Warsaw and Krakow so you can visit the largest Nazi concentration and extermination camp where over a million innocent lives were taken.
Why Auschwitz Tours from Warsaw?
A visit to Auschwitz is an emotional experience and we want you to get the most out of it. Our guides will walk you through the historical context, tell you stories of those who suffered, resisted, and in some cases survived. With respect and sensitivity, we will share the history that can’t be forgotten.
We offer full day tours from both Warsaw and Krakow so you can visit Auschwitz whether you’re coming from Poland’s capital or its cultural hub. Our tours include comfortable round trip transportation so you can focus on the experience without worrying about the logistics.
Extra Educational Content
Apart from the day trips, Auschwitz Tours from Warsaw also provides a lot of educational content about Auschwitz and the Holocaust. Our website is a resource for learning with articles and materials about Auschwitz’s history, World War II, and the long-term impact of the Holocaust.
For those who can’t visit in person, these materials are a window into this dark period of human history so the lessons of the Holocaust are available to everyone.
Honoring the Past on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th is a global moment of remembrance. It’s a day to remember the 6 million Jews and millions of others murdered by the Nazis during World War II.
It’s not just about the victims of the Nazi regime but about learning from history so we never repeat the mistakes.
January 27th is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, a day of unimaginable suffering but also of survival. The site itself is closed on this day for commemoration, but it’s a place of great importance for those who want to reflect on what happened here.
Although the gates are closed to visitors on January 26 and 27, it’s a day of personal reflection and remembrance for those who have passed away.
But on January 27th, a special area will be open for those who want to mark this solemn day on the grounds of the Memorial. This is a unique opportunity to reflect and remember in silence, on the very ground where so many lives were lost.
If you can’t visit Auschwitz today, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is still a chance to connect with the stories of survivors and victims. It’s a day to educate ourselves and others, not just about the past but about the present need to face hatred, intolerance, and anti-Semitism in all its forms.
If you’d like to learn more about our tours or explore our educational content, visit us at auschwitztoursfromwarsaw.com. Join us in remembering the past and keeping the message of “Never Again” alive.
Features
The Hurdles Facing Egyptian Intellectuals
By HENRY SREBRNIK In the twentieth century, many middle-class Egyptians adopted a cosmopolitan cultural style. They wanted to move the country toward a more liberal and secular state.
But they always came up against, and were unable to surmount, the strength of a very strong Islamic religious culture. In despair, some, despite their own preferences, ended up preferring autocracy to what they considered a backward and dangerous ideology.
In 1952, a revolution brought the Free Officers movement, led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, to power. It seemed to have brought a secular quasi-socialist regime to power.
But the undercurrents of politicized religion, though banned by Nasser, did not disappear. The Muslim Brotherhood, which had been founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna and preached a fundamentalist Islamism guarded exclusively by the sharia, was outlawed. Its most prominent theoretician, Sayyid Ibrahim Qutb, was executed in 1966.
But secular movements fell from favour following Egypt’s defeat by Israel in 1967, and the country was transformed into an autocracy following Nasser’s death three years later. From 1981 until 2011, Egypt was ruled with an iron hand by Hosni Mubarak, until popular unrest forced him to step down during the Arab Spring.
Would this herald a new, democratic chapter in Egypt? Would free elections bring about a rebirth of secular politics? The answer was no.
Mubarak’s ouster cleared the way for the Muslim Brotherhood to participate openly in Egyptian politics, and to that end the group formed the Freedom and Justice Party. In April 2012 the party selected Mohamed Morsi to be its candidate in Egypt’s presidential election. Morsi defeated Ahmed Shafiq, a former prime minister under Mubarak, that June.
Morsi soon issued an edict declaring that his authority as president would not be subject to judicial oversight until a permanent constitution came into effect. Although he defended the edict as a necessary measure to protect Egypt’s transition to democracy, mass demonstrations were held against what many saw as a seizure of dictatorial powers.
Worsening economic conditions, deteriorating public services, and a string of sectarian incidents, including attacks on the country’s Coptic Christian minority, strengthened opposition to Morsi’s rule. Clashes between Morsi’s supporters and critics in late June 2013 culminated in massive anti-Morsi protests around the country.
On July 3 the military under the head of the Egyptian Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, removed Morsi from power. A figurehead president, Adly Mansour, was installed, but it was clear that Sisi, who retained the title of defence minister, wielded power.
Sisi claimed that the military had carried out the will of the Egyptian people, as expressed in the anti-Morsi protests, and that the Islamist-dominated administration led by Morsi had put the Muslim Brotherhood’s interests before those of the country.
A month later the Egyptian police and armed forces committed what Human Rights Watch deemed “one of the world’s largest killings of demonstrators in a single day in recent history.”
Eleven years on, the murder of over 1,000 supporters of the deposed president, known as the Rabaa Massacre, has gone largely unpunished. The Muslim Brotherhood was formally outlawed that September and Morsi was jailed. Prison conditions were harsh, and he was denied adequate medical attention. He died in 2019.
Sisi officially left the military to run for president and was elected in a clearly fraudulent manner in May 2014. He has been re-elected twice since, in March 2018 and again in December 2023, when he was reported to have won with 89.6 per cent of the vote after several opposition figures were prevented from participating. Under his reign, Egypt has degenerated into a police state even more repressive than the 30-year dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak.
Caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place, Egypt’s pro-democracy and civil society movements jettisoned their long-standing commitments to human rights and the rule of law and enthusiastically supported the return of military rule.
One of those civil society leaders, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, was among Egypt’s most influential intellectual figures. He had spent his career insisting that democracy is the solution both to political authoritarianism and to the allures of religious fundamentalism in the Arab world.
Pushing back against the prevailing view that Islamist groups must be marginalized, he argued that they should be included in the democratic process. He even went so far as to advocate, in an article titled “Toward Muslim Democracies,” that “it will be better for us as democrats, for the Islamists, and for Egypt to enlist Islamists under the flag of democracy.”
He encouraged Egyptians to support this vision and put aside common fears about Islamist movements and had been arrested for his views under Mubarak. Yet even he abruptly became an apologist for authoritarian rule.
The “problem” was that the bulk of the Egyptian masses were unwilling to part with their religious traditions or wholly consign them to the realm of the private. Put another way, if most Egyptians were given the choice between being liberal or being Muslim, they would overwhelmingly select the latter.
Faced with that reality, these intellectuals forged authoritarian alliances to forcibly impose their worldview on an otherwise unwilling populace. When Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood were in actual control of the state rather than at its fringes, the liberal secularists chose authoritarian rule. This is the same tragedy found in most of the Arab world.
Henry Srebrnik is a professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.
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