“It will be a long time before Toronto Jewry has another day like the one when Prime Minister Golda Meir came to Toronto,” wrote Shirley Giblon in an exclusive CJN report. Indeed, Golda fever was in the air the week of Nov. 6, 1970, when the Israeli prime minister came to Canada on an official visit, spending one whirlwind day in Toronto. In a single day Meir “gave four major addresses and made two television appearances,” and, even more amazingly, did not repeat herself at any of these engagements.
First on the agenda was a gathering of Labour Zionists to whom she spoke about diaspora youth, sharing with them “the ideals of our people” and the importance of making aliyah or, at the very least, sending children to visit Israel.
Next, at an event with the United Israel Appeal Conference, attended by delegates from every Canadian province except Prince Edward Island, Meir spoke on “the three considerations behind Israel’s defense budgeting.” She concluded her remarks by declaring, “The bravest army of all in Israel is the army of mothers. The lives of their sons must not be wasted.”
Her evening schedule was packed. She began by “addressing the dinner given for 320 Israel Bond purchasers at Oakdale Golf and Country Club” and was thereafter quickly whisked off to speak to a crowd of more than 5,000 people at Beth Tzedec Synagogue, with nearly 5,000 more standing outside.
“Mrs. Meir began her speech with a comment on one of her TV interviews during the afternoon. A CBC comment that had since been criticized throughout the country. Referring to these biased CBC comments, she asked ‘I wondered why all the 127 countries in the United Nations it always is Israel’s right to exist that is being questioned?’”
She addressed ongoing security concerns following the Six-Day War, and spoke personally, giving glimpses into the emotional toll of her role, hoping for a day when Israel could live in peace with its neighbours. She could not “imagine that generations of mothers are willing to let their children go on and on to war.”
She concluded her address with a strong statement of allyship with the Diaspora: “We are strengthened by the feeling of assurance that Jews abroad will do ‘what they have to do.’ As we stood together in battle and in difficulties and in hardship, together, we will see the day of peace.” This received a “thunderous ovation” and it was reported that many were moved to tears.
While the Jewish community was strengthened by Meir’s visit, she attended government business as well, meeting with Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau in Ottawa. By all accounts, the meetings between Trudeau and Meir went very well, and both were quoted making witty quips to one another. “During the luncheon in honor of Mrs. Golda Meir at the Prime Minister’s residence, the following bon mots were exchanged:
Trudeau to Golda Meir, during the toast: — You and I are the only bachelor prime ministers.
Golda: You don’t want me to adopt you as a grandson?”