ABSTRACT
Canada and Israel share a great deal in common. Both are democratic multiethnic societies with large immigrant populations. The two countries also have a free trade agreement, while Canada has been a vigorous supporter of Israel in international fora such as the United Nations Human Rights Council. Nevertheless, the two democracies hold distinctive ideas about the nature of citizenship. Examining their respective attitudes toward military service is the best way to analyze these distinctions. They stem not only from divergent experiences of conflict, but also from the fact that one of the purposes of conscription is integration into the dominant society and its language and culture. This is the main reason for historical opposition to conscription among many Canadians, especially francophones, and the main reason for contemporary support for conscription among Israel’s Jewish majority. Indeed, after the two world wars, the inequalities inherent in compulsory military service led Canada to abandon conscription altogether, probably forever. At the same time, the draft remains welcome to most Israeli Jews. This is because the draft delineates who is a desirable citizen in Israel, explaining why the state seeks to conscript all Jews, including the ultra-orthodox population and growing numbers of conscientious objectors, but opposes drafting members of the Muslim minority. Canadian and Israeli examples further demonstrate that the attitude of the state regarding citizenship plays a vital role in determining the nature of military service.
