Matthew Taub: Carney had no plan for what would happen if the PA didn’t hold elections

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Another unresolved issue concerns the Palestinian Authority’s longstanding prisoner and martyr payment system, commonly called “pay for slay” by its critics. Under the former arrangements, Palestinians imprisoned for security offences, including individuals convicted of murdering Israeli civilians, received payments that could increase with the length of their sentences. Families of Palestinians killed in the conflict also received financial assistance.

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In February 2025, Abbas announced that the system would be replaced⁠ with a needs-based social welfare program. The announcement was presented as a significant reform, but questions remain about whether payments linked to imprisonment or attacks have ended in practice or continue through alternative administrative arrangements.

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I asked Global Affairs Canada whether the system had been eliminated in substance and what independent verification Ottawa had undertaken. The department provided neither a direct answer nor supporting evidence.

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Hamas’s disarmament presents a similar question. Carney has repeatedly insisted that Hamas must surrender its weapons and have no future role in Palestinian governance, including in his Sept. 22 address to the United Nations⁠. Global Affairs Canada described disarmament as a continuing priority but supplied no independent evidence that Hamas had begun disarming. It also did not explain whether Hamas-affiliated electoral lists would be permitted to participate in future elections.

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Financial accountability formed another part of the inquiry. At the UN General Assembly, Carney announced an additional $100 million in assistance for Palestinians, bringing Canada’s commitments since October 2023 to more than $600 million.

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Global Affairs Canada confirmed that $80 million of the new allocation would address humanitarian needs, including food, health care, shelter, water and sanitation, while $20 million would support peace and stabilization initiatives.

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The department did not provide the requested recipient-level breakdown, identify any allocation to UNRWA or disclose findings from reviews of possible aid diversion. It instead outlined its oversight framework, including partner assessments, anti-terrorism screening, compliance requirements and ongoing monitoring.

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Questions about Canada’s proposed restrictions on goods originating in Israeli settlements also went largely unanswered. Following the joint sanctions announcement by Canada, France and the United Kingdom⁠ on Sept. 8, I asked about what legal authority the government had to impose such restrictions, their geographic scope and an explanation of how they would affect the Canada–Israel Free Trade Agreement. Global Affairs Canada reiterated its opposition to settlement expansion but did not provide the requested legal analysis.

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Similarly, when asked what concrete measures Canada was taking against Iran and its proxies, the department reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defence, condemned Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attacks and reiterated Canada’s commitment to combating antisemitism, without identifying the specific measures requested.

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The correspondence illustrates a distinction between announcing foreign-policy objectives and demonstrating how they are being implemented. Canada has consistently maintained that recognition of Palestinian statehood is intended to preserve the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution, strengthen Palestinian institutions and advance peaceful coexistence with Israel⁠.

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The government’s written response, however, did not establish how it measures compliance with the commitments associated with recognition, which reforms it considers complete or what consequences follow when promised milestones are missed.

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The postponement of Palestinian elections brings those questions into sharper focus. On Sept. 22, Carney welcomed the scheduling of elections⁠ as evidence of progress toward democratic reform. The following day, I asked Global Affairs Canada whether that timetable was credible. On Oct. 10, Abbas announced that it would not be met⁠.