B.C. Premier David Eby has criticized what he含羞草研究社檚 calling the 含羞草研究社渉ateful含羞草研究社� vandalism of the constituency office of former minister Selina Robinson that came hours after she resigned from his cabinet over remarks that angered pro-Palestinian groups and others.
Her exit on Monday has been deplored by Jewish groups, but wasn含羞草研究社檛 enough to satisfy some of her critics.
Video on social media showed the office covered in signs calling for 含羞草研究社渋ntifada revolution含羞草研究社� and Robinson含羞草研究社檚 removal from the NDP caucus, among other messages and Palestinian flags.
含羞草研究社淲e refuse to have an MLA that含羞草研究社檚 a racist,含羞草研究社� says a voice on the video, posted on Tuesday morning by an account called Canadian Antifa.
Eby responded with a plea for peaceful protest.
含羞草研究社淪elina Robinson含羞草研究社檚 office was vandalized last night, which included hateful messages,含羞草研究社� Eby said in a message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the same social media platform where the video of the office in Coquitlam, B.C., was shared.
含羞草研究社淭his is wrong. Peaceful protest cannot include spreading hate.含羞草研究社�
Selina Robinson含羞草研究社檚 office was vandalized last night, which included hateful messages. This is wrong. Peaceful protest cannot include spreading hate.
含羞草研究社� David Eby (@Dave_Eby)
Robinson, who is Jewish, stepped down as post-secondary education minister on Monday following a sustained outcry over her comments last week that modern Israel was founded on 含羞草研究社渁 crappy piece of land.含羞草研究社�
She announced her resignation from cabinet after critics called her comments racist and Islamophobic. Robinson and Eby said she would remain in the NDP caucus.
The resignation comes amid ongoing tensions and global protests over the Israel-Hamas war, in which thousands have died since Oct. 7, when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel and took another 250 hostage.
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Officials at Robinson含羞草研究社檚 constituency office were not immediately available for comment.
Robinson含羞草研究社檚 exit from the NDP cabinet has caused deep concerns from some members of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 Jewish community who said they had lost an advocate who admitted her mistake and was willing to make amends.
Robinson apologized twice in the days before her resignation, saying 含羞草研究社渕y words were inappropriate, wrong and I now understand how they have contributed to Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.含羞草研究社�
But it didn含羞草研究社檛 quell the criticism, or save her place in the cabinet.
Nico Slobinsky, Pacific vice-president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said Robinson含羞草研究社檚 removal undermined the Jewish community含羞草研究社檚 confidence in B.C.含羞草研究社檚 government and signalled that Jewish leaders were held to different standards than others.
Slobinsky said in a statement the Jewish community had lost a strong voice at a time of increasing acts of antisemitism and anti-Israel protests.
含羞草研究社淭he community is both offended and hurt by what has happened to a great ally and British Columbian,含羞草研究社� he said.
含羞草研究社淕iven this obvious double standard and loss of Jewish representation in cabinet, Premier David Eby must share what steps he is going to take to repair the relationship and restore the community含羞草研究社檚 trust in him and his government.含羞草研究社�
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says it含羞草研究社檚 a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect Jewish life in Canada and advance policy interests of Canada含羞草研究社檚 organized Jewish community.
Nine rabbis signed a letter to Eby on Tuesday supporting Robinson and expressing disappointment in the premier含羞草研究社檚 decision to accept her resignation.
含羞草研究社淲e believe you have capitulated to a small but loud group of people,含羞草研究社� said the letter from the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver, chaired by Jonathan Infeld. 含羞草研究社淭his is dangerous for our community and the strength of our province含羞草研究社檚 democracy.含羞草研究社�
The rabbis highlighted an incident on International Holocaust Remembrance Day last month, when Eby含羞草研究社檚 social media accounts posted messages saying 含羞草研究社渨e stand with the Muslim community throughout Canada on this sorrowful day of remembrance.含羞草研究社�
Eby later called it a mistake by a staff member. The rabbis said they were deeply offended but accepted his apology.
Robinson, they said, 含羞草研究社渄id not receive the same empathy.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淲e will remember this day the next time you ask for our trust and support,含羞草研究社� said the rabbis.
Robinson triggered the uproar that ended her cabinet career with remarks on Jan. 30 during a panel discussion with other Jewish politicians hosted by B含羞草研究社檔ai Brith Canada.
She lamented a lack of knowledge by younger people about the foundation of modern Israel.
含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 understand it was a crappy piece of land with nothing on it. There were several hundred thousand people but other than that it didn含羞草研究社檛 produce an economy,含羞草研究社� she said.
Eby said Monday that Robinson含羞草研究社檚 remarks were 含羞草研究社渂elittling含羞草研究社� and caused harms that were incompatible with her staying in cabinet.
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Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
