Gemayel Urges Canada’s Lebanese Diaspora to Mobilize Ahead of 2026 Elections, Warns of ‘Deliberate Obstruction’

Montreal: Kataeb Party leader Samy Gemayel met members of the Lebanese community in Canada during a gathering hosted by Melkite Catholic Bishop of Canada Milad Jawish, part of a broader North American tour that includes stops in Canada and the United States. Gemayel used the visit to mobilize expatriates ahead of the 2026 parliamentary elections and to outline what he described as a historic turning point for Lebanon's political future. According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the event drew a wide cross-section of community leaders and local officials, including Quebec MP Alice Abu Khalil, Kataeb Canada coordinator Gaby Ghafari, Montreal Kataeb chapter head Jacqueline Tannous, Saint-Laurent City Councillor Aref Salem, diaspora media officer Kamil Saadeh, Zahle Club president Charles Abou Khater, Rotary Club founder Maha Maalouf, businessman Jamil Choueib, attorney Joseph Dora, Archimandrite Rabih Abou Zgheib, Father Theodore Zkhor, Father Bernard Basset, church council members, journalists, and dozens o f Lebanese expatriates. Bishop Jawish opened the event by welcoming Gemayel and praising the diaspora's continued commitment to Lebanon's stability and future. Participants underscored the importance of maintaining strong ties between Lebanon and its global community, saying expatriates remain a moral, economic, and political force essential to rebuilding the country. Gemayel told attendees he believes Lebanon has already entered a fundamentally new phase after years of overlapping crises, saying the country is 'taking off despite turbulence.' He compared Lebanon's current challenges to a plane shaking during takeoff, suggesting that the nation will soon stabilize. He argued that Lebanon had been 'held hostage to Iran' for the past two decades and warned that dismantling that influence will take time because Hezbollah is embedded in deep financial, security, and social networks. Gemayel cautioned that the country remains at risk of another confrontation due to Hezbollah's insistence on preserving its arsen al and military role. During a brief exchange, Bishop Jawish warned that strengthening the state must not come at the expense of 'breaking' any Lebanese community. Gemayel responded by emphasizing the need for a strong state that protects all Lebanese without exception, advocating for justice and equality rather than force. Gemayel outlined his vision for 'a new Lebanon' based on three pillars: neutrality in regional conflicts, expanded administrative decentralization to ensure equitable development, and a civil, just state grounded in law, freedom, and equality. He stressed the importance of diaspora registration for the 2026 elections, warning that current registration numbers are 'extremely concerning.' According to the Foreign Ministry, only about 51,000 expatriates have registered so far, far fewer than expected. Gemayel attributed the low turnout to political and legal ambiguity, as well as 'deliberate obstruction' by certain parties. Gemayel also pointed to 'significant political shifts' among seve ral Christian parties, including the Free Patriotic Movement and Marada Movement, which are increasingly favoring exclusive state control over weapons. On economic policy, he highlighted the need to bring Lebanon's massive informal economy under state control to design a fair tax policy. Speakers at the event noted that some pro-Hezbollah parties are attempting to hinder diaspora voting by claiming they cannot campaign in countries such as the United States or Canada. Participants called for coordinated efforts between expatriate groups and the World Lebanese Cultural Union to boost registration rates. Concerns about the future of Lebanon's education system were also raised, with warnings about attempts to impose ideologically driven curricula that undermine neutrality and critical thinking. Participants called for a national effort to 'protect education from politicization.'