B.C. Premier David Eby has criticized what he鈥檚 calling the 鈥渉ateful鈥� 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鈥檛 enough to satisfy some of her critics.
Video on social media showed the office covered in signs calling for 鈥渋ntifada revolution鈥� and Robinson鈥檚 removal from the NDP caucus, among other messages and Palestinian flags.
鈥淲e refuse to have an MLA that鈥檚 a racist,鈥� says a voice on the video, posted on Tuesday morning by an account called Canadian Antifa.
Eby responded with a plea for peaceful protest.
鈥淪elina Robinson鈥檚 office was vandalized last night, which included hateful messages,鈥� 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.
鈥淭his is wrong. Peaceful protest cannot include spreading hate.鈥�
Selina Robinson鈥檚 office was vandalized last night, which included hateful messages. This is wrong. Peaceful protest cannot include spreading hate.
鈥� 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 鈥渁 crappy piece of land.鈥�
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鈥檚 constituency office were not immediately available for comment.
Robinson鈥檚 exit from the NDP cabinet has caused deep concerns from some members of B.C.鈥檚 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 鈥渕y words were inappropriate, wrong and I now understand how they have contributed to Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.鈥�
But it didn鈥檛 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鈥檚 removal undermined the Jewish community鈥檚 confidence in B.C.鈥檚 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.
鈥淭he community is both offended and hurt by what has happened to a great ally and British Columbian,鈥� he said.
鈥淕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鈥檚 trust in him and his government.鈥�
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says it鈥檚 a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect Jewish life in Canada and advance policy interests of Canada鈥檚 organized Jewish community.
Nine rabbis signed a letter to Eby on Tuesday supporting Robinson and expressing disappointment in the premier鈥檚 decision to accept her resignation.
鈥淲e believe you have capitulated to a small but loud group of people,鈥� said the letter from the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver, chaired by Jonathan Infeld. 鈥淭his is dangerous for our community and the strength of our province鈥檚 democracy.鈥�
The rabbis highlighted an incident on International Holocaust Remembrance Day last month, when Eby鈥檚 social media accounts posted messages saying 鈥渨e stand with the Muslim community throughout Canada on this sorrowful day of remembrance.鈥�
Eby later called it a mistake by a staff member. The rabbis said they were deeply offended but accepted his apology.
Robinson, they said, 鈥渄id not receive the same empathy.鈥�
鈥淲e will remember this day the next time you ask for our trust and support,鈥� 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鈥檔ai Brith Canada.
She lamented a lack of knowledge by younger people about the foundation of modern Israel.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 understand it was a crappy piece of land with nothing on it. There were several hundred thousand people but other than that it didn鈥檛 produce an economy,鈥� she said.
Eby said Monday that Robinson鈥檚 remarks were 鈥渂elittling鈥� and caused harms that were incompatible with her staying in cabinet.
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Dirk Meissner, The Canadian Press
