Premier David Eby said he is going to reflect Selina Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 decision to quit his party乌鸦传媒檚 caucus after she claimed the party is not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a humbling moment to know that I didn乌鸦传媒檛 create the space for her to be able to bring that forward and I will have to reflect on that,乌鸦传媒� 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.
乌鸦传媒淲hen any of my colleagues have made (anti-Semitic) remarks it was expected that apologies should suffice,乌鸦传媒� she said, before listing past anti-Semitic statements by members of the NDP caucus.
While Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檚 comment does not mention Hamas乌鸦传媒� role as the instigator of the conflict, while calling for the release of all the hostages.
Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 letter claims that Elmore never apologized for her comments in 2004 and Elmore乌鸦传媒檚 comments 乌鸦传媒渁larmed the community again of Mable乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渁ntisemitism.乌鸦传媒� According to Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 letter, the Jewish community 乌鸦传媒渁sked for her resignation乌鸦传媒� but 乌鸦传媒渨as merely told that (Attorney-General Niki Sharma) would now be the point of contact for anti-racism work in the Jewish community.乌鸦传媒�
Elmore disagreed with Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 characterization.
乌鸦传媒淚 know that Selina is in a very difficult situation,乌鸦传媒� she said, adding she is 乌鸦传媒渧ery sad乌鸦传媒� about her decision to leave caucus. 乌鸦传媒淚 think I乌鸦传媒檓 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.乌鸦传媒�
Eby said the NDP caucus will feel the loss of Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 乌鸦传媒渋mportant voice,乌鸦传媒� adding caucus members feel quite hurt. He added he disagrees with Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 characterization of a number of their colleagues, who every day 乌鸦传媒渇ight racism and discrimination, but he has to accept that Robinson didn乌鸦传媒檛 feel safe as a Jewish woman.
乌鸦传媒淎lthough I disagree with many of these issues (raised in the letter), it乌鸦传媒檚 still cause for me to reflect on why she didn乌鸦传媒檛 feel comfortable bring that forward, so we can deal with it.乌鸦传媒�
Eby said he will have a long-scheduled meeting with the Rabbinical Council of British Columbia Friday to engage with the Jewish community.
乌鸦传媒淪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.乌鸦传媒�
Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad spoke before Eby乌鸦传媒檚 scrum with reporters and called on Eby to resign.
Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 resignation from the NDP caucus also dominated Question Period with BC United Leader Kevin Falcon calling for a 乌鸦传媒渇ull and independent inquiry乌鸦传媒� into Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 allegations.
乌鸦传媒淲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.乌鸦传媒�
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 乌鸦传媒渟tunning to say the least.乌鸦传媒�
Falcon said Eby needs to address the accusations in Robinson乌鸦传媒檚 letter directly.
乌鸦传媒淭here is still an opportunity for the Premier to do the right thing,乌鸦传媒� Falcon said. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 why I乌鸦传媒檓 asking the Premier again, 乌鸦传媒楬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.乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕
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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乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just saying there has been anti-Semitism in caucus,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒�(If) you pay attention to our conventions, there is a lot of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, certainly around the state of Israel.乌鸦传媒�
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乌鸦传媒檛 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 乌鸦传媒渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.乌鸦传媒�
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.
