Premier David Eby said he is going to reflect Selina Robinson含羞草研究社檚 decision to quit his party含羞草研究社檚 caucus after she claimed the party is not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a humbling moment to know that I didn含羞草研究社檛 create the space for her to be able to bring that forward and I will have to reflect on that,含羞草研究社� Eby said, while speaking with reporters Thursday morning at the legislature.
Eby comments come after Robinson resigned from caucus Wednesday (March 6). In a letter to the NDP caucus, she said it has consistently shown a double standard when it comes to anti-Semitism.
含羞草研究社淲hen any of my colleagues have made (anti-Semitic) remarks it was expected that apologies should suffice,含羞草研究社� she said, before listing past anti-Semitic statements by members of the NDP caucus.
While Robinson含羞草研究社檚 letter cites several of her former colleagues, she has been especially critical of Mable Elmore, MLA for Vancouver-Kensington and Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives to the Attorney General.
Robinson含羞草研究社檚 letter cited comments Elmore had made in March 2004 as well as November 2023, when she commented on the current conflict between Hamas and Israel. Elmore含羞草研究社檚 comment does not mention Hamas含羞草研究社� role as the instigator of the conflict, while calling for the release of all the hostages.
Robinson含羞草研究社檚 letter claims that Elmore never apologized for her comments in 2004 and Elmore含羞草研究社檚 comments 含羞草研究社渁larmed the community again of Mable含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渁ntisemitism.含羞草研究社� According to Robinson含羞草研究社檚 letter, the Jewish community 含羞草研究社渁sked for her resignation含羞草研究社� but 含羞草研究社渨as merely told that (Attorney-General Niki Sharma) would now be the point of contact for anti-racism work in the Jewish community.含羞草研究社�
Elmore disagreed with Robinson含羞草研究社檚 characterization.
含羞草研究社淚 know that Selina is in a very difficult situation,含羞草研究社� she said, adding she is 含羞草研究社渧ery sad含羞草研究社� about her decision to leave caucus. 含羞草研究社淚 think I含羞草研究社檓 known to have dedicated my life to really upholding human rights and social justice for all people and I stand by that. I continue to support that and work every day to bring British Columbians together.含羞草研究社�
Eby said the NDP caucus will feel the loss of Robinson含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渋mportant voice,含羞草研究社� adding caucus members feel quite hurt. He added he disagrees with Robinson含羞草研究社檚 characterization of a number of their colleagues, who every day 含羞草研究社渇ight racism and discrimination, but he has to accept that Robinson didn含羞草研究社檛 feel safe as a Jewish woman.
含羞草研究社淎lthough I disagree with many of these issues (raised in the letter), it含羞草研究社檚 still cause for me to reflect on why she didn含羞草研究社檛 feel comfortable bring that forward, so we can deal with it.含羞草研究社�
Eby said he will have a long-scheduled meeting with the Rabbinical Council of British Columbia Friday to engage with the Jewish community.
含羞草研究社淪o we are going to be guided by the Jewish community about how we can address rising anti-Semitism in our province, hope to make them feel safe and support them in this moment of increased hate.含羞草研究社�
Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad spoke before Eby含羞草研究社檚 scrum with reporters and called on Eby to resign.
Robinson含羞草研究社檚 resignation from the NDP caucus also dominated Question Period with BC United Leader Kevin Falcon calling for a 含羞草研究社渇ull and independent inquiry含羞草研究社� into Robinson含羞草研究社檚 allegations.
含羞草研究社淲hat the long-time senior member and former (former finance minister) of this NDP government has confirmed is that there is systemic anti-Semitism that requires more than just the empty words that we just heard from this Premier.含羞草研究社�
Eby responded by saying he agreed with the need for actions to support the Jewish community in pointing on-going initiatives, but did not commit to an inquiry.
Falcon reiterated his call during his weekly media availability after having described the last 24 hours in provincial politics as 含羞草研究社渟tunning to say the least.含羞草研究社�
Falcon said Eby needs to address the accusations in Robinson含羞草研究社檚 letter directly.
含羞草研究社淭here is still an opportunity for the Premier to do the right thing,含羞草研究社� Falcon said. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 why I含羞草研究社檓 asking the Premier again, 含羞草研究社楬old a full independent investigation of his cabinet, his caucus, his party and indeed in government about the systemic anti-Semitism that a former senior member, former finance minister has alleged are rife within his government.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
Robinson announced she was leaving caucus Wednesday (March 6). She said her reason for resigning was the BC NDP was not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.
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含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 just saying there has been anti-Semitism in caucus,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社�(If) you pay attention to our conventions, there is a lot of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, certainly around the state of Israel.含羞草研究社�
The Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA plans to sit as an independent for the rest of her term after having already announced in December that she won含羞草研究社檛 run again.
Robinson had resigned from cabinet on Feb. 5 following days of furor including pressure from extra-parliamentary groups aligned to the NDP after she called Gaza a 含羞草研究社渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.含羞草研究社�
She had made that comment Jan. 30 during an online forum with Jewish public leaders, during which she also lamented the state of historical knowledge among 18-to-34-year-olds about the Holocaust. Her comments also drew criticism from First Nations leaders for perpetuating colonial ideas, namely the concept of Terra nullius.
