Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's staunch support for Israel appears to be attracting a sizeable number of Jewish voters, many of whom have traditionally voted Liberal. Some observers suggest this could be a significant factor in this federal election. We gauge the strength of the shift and hear from a number of Jewish voters about who they are backing and why. 

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PART ONE

Satire

It's Thursday, April 21st.

Michael Ignatieff says Stephen Harper's refusal to work with the other parties in the event of another Conservative minority is one more sign of the Prime Minister's "arrogance." He then said everyone, including Harper, "has to put water in his wine."

Currently, so there's your choice folks, arrogance ...or pomposity.

This is The Current.

Jewish Voters - Morton Weinfeld

We started this segment with a few voices from the streets of Montreal commenting on their riding and who they would vote for this election. Canada's position on Israel has become a big issue for many voters in the Montreal riding of Mount Royal. Mount Royal is home to a large Jewish community -- 24 per cent of the riding's population according to the 2006 census. The riding has been held by the Liberals since 1940 -- most famously by former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. But this time, Liberal incumbent Irwin Cotler and Conservative Candidate Saulie Zajdel are in a tight race and their leader's positions on Israel are playing a prominent role.

Mount Royal isn't the only riding where that dynamic is playing out. Many observers believe Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's staunch support for Israel is attracting a sizable number of Jewish voters ... many of whom have traditionally voted Liberal. And some observers think that shift could tip the scales in a handful of potentially crucial ridings.

We wanted to examine that dynamic this morning as part of our demographic project Shift. And we began with Morton Weinfeld who holds the Chair of Canadian Ethnic Studies at McGill University. He has written extensively about Jewish communities in Canada and is the author Like Everyone Else But Different: The Paradoxical Success of Canadian Jews. Morton Weinfeld was in Montreal.

Jewish Voters - Panel

Our next three guests are Jewish Canadians with varied opinions about the importance of Canada's support of Israel in this election. Elliott Leven is a lawyer in Winnipeg. Alena Strauss is active in the Jewish community in Toronto. And Jonathan Kay is the Managing Editor of the Opinion section of the National Post. He was in Toronto as well.

Related Links:

• Ignatieff's Wink to Anti-Israel Voters - Frum Forum/National Post
• Op-Ed: Elliot Leven: Canadian Jews Should Not Vote Tory - Winnipeg Jewish Review
• Op-Ed: Jonah Mozeson: Why I am proud to support Stephen Harper and the Conservative party - Winnipeg Jewish Review

Other segments from today's show:

• The Unfinished Journey of Rabbi Simes
• Letters: Third Wave, Seniors & "Ethnic Vote"