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By Jeff Davis

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says that Canada is Israel’s staunchest ally in the world, surpassing even the United States in its support.

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During a lengthy interview with the Jerusalem Post, Baird was asked: “You said that Canada is Israel’s greatest friend in the world. Where is the U.S. in this?”

“I think the U.S. is a good friend, too,” Baird said. “I like to think we are better.”

Baird was in Israel this week attending a foreign policy conference and meeting with Israeli officials.

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The article, titled Warm support from the chilly North, says that since Stephen Harper became prime minister in 2006, Canada has “set the gold standard for support of the Jewish state.”

“There is not a government on the planet today more supportive of Israel than Harper’s Canada,” the article says.

Baird told the Israeli newspaper the Harper government, unlike the previous Liberal government, will not “go along to get along” on the world stage, even if it costs Canada diplomatic points.

Baird was asked whether unwavering support for Israel has damaged Canada’s reputation internationally, given Canada’s failure to win a seat at the UN Security Council, for the first time ever, in 2010.

“There is no doubt that it was unhelpful in the Security Council. I don’t think you could say there was one particular reason, but that was certainly one of the reasons,” he said.

During the interview, Baird was asked what he would be doing if he were not Canada’s foreign minister.

“Likely working on a kibbutz,” he replied, referring to the communal farms common in Israel.

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