Former cabinet minister Selina Robinson resigned Wednesday (March 6) from the B.C. NDP caucus saying she feels the party is not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.
鈥淚鈥檓 just saying there has been anti-Semitism in caucus,鈥� she said. 鈥�(If) you pay attention to our conventions, there is a lot of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment, certainly around the state of Israel.鈥�
British Columbians of Jewish faith are hiding their Stars of David (jewelry) and Jewish businesses have had to hire extra security, she added.
鈥淲e are not saying anything about it,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e are not saying this is unacceptable and we don鈥檛 have a plan for supporting the Jewish community or for helping address this level of hatred that we鈥檙e seeing on our streets and in our schools and in our post-secondary education system.鈥�
Robinson made these comments while speaking to reporters in the legislature, where she made the announcement.
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鈥檛 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 had called the British-ruled Mandate upon which Israel was founded in 1948 a 鈥渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.鈥�
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.
Robinson acknowledged that her 鈥渦nintentional鈥� comments caused harms, adding that she has asked for and received forgiveness.
鈥淪ometimes we say things and they do hurt people,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o we need to understand what it鈥檚 about.鈥�
That, however, is not happening, she said.
Robinson said she had approached the Office of Premier David Eby with the idea of doing anti-Semitism and anti-Islamophobia training for caucus, but was rejected.
鈥淭hat really shattered my heart, because I think that is really what we need to do and if government鈥檚 not interested, then I can鈥檛 be part of a government that would choose to be silent.鈥�
Robinson also described herself as a victim of double standards, saying caucus colleagues Mable Elmore, Jagrup Brar and Janet Routledge all made anti-Semitic comments before and after Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, without losing their post. Those comments were hurtful to the Jewish community, she said.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a double standard that I know has deeply hurt the Jewish community,鈥� she said.
She added that both Routledge and Brar apologized to her.
鈥淏ut there were no other consequences other than their apology,鈥� she said.
While Robinson said she does not know yet if she going to use her time in the legislature to talk about Jewish people feeling unsafe in British Columbia, she said she wants to 鈥渉elp heal the pain the people鈥� are feeling.
鈥淚 want to use my voice to bring people together, to find a way that we can have conversations with compassion, with understanding and in a way that people can feel safe and included here in British Columbia, because that is what I stand for,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 used to believe that is what New Democrats stood for. I haven鈥檛 felt it in quite some time.鈥�
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NDP House Leader Ravi Kahlon denied the existence of anti-Semitism in the caucus.
鈥淲e are always speaking out against hate toward any community,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust last week, the Premier was calling it out in the legislature. We will continue to do that work. We want to make sure that everyone feels safe here in British Columbia.鈥�
Kahlon also challenged the idea Robinson was subject to a double standard.
鈥淲hen you are a minister and you make a mistake, there (are) impacts from that,鈥� he said. 鈥淎gain 鈥� she has done a lot of amazing work on the behalf of British Columbians. I respect the work she鈥檚 done. But a mistake was made and we need to move forward.鈥�
Kahlon said to his knowledge, anti-Semitism was never raised as an issue within caucus.
鈥淚鈥檓 not aware of that ever being raised,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut that being said, she鈥檚 hurting. She is really hurting. It has been the impact from what Hamas has done. (It) has really had an impact on her. I feel for her. My heart goes out to her. I certainly hope that her being able to step away will give her some time to reflect and heal.鈥�
When asked how others can speak out against what is happening right now in Hamas in way that is not anti-Semitic, Robinson said her decision has nothing to do with Hamas.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about a conflict in the Middle East,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he fact that people are being killed is horrible. It鈥檚 what happening in our streets and in our schools that make people afraid. People shouldn鈥檛 feel afraid and we are not doing enough so that people can just be who they are鈥 join with Palestinians and weep for the death and destruction of Gaza. I do and I believe most of the Jewish community does as well.鈥�
Late Wednesday afternoon, Eby said in a statement that Robinson鈥檚 decision saddened him.
鈥淐learly, she is hurting and carrying a lot of pain,鈥� he said.
He added that Robinson served with distinction in several ministerial roles.
鈥淚 have deep respect and gratitude for all of the work she has done as a Minister, as an MLA in our caucus, and her advocacy for the Jewish community,鈥� he said.
Eby added that Robinson made a mistake and that she was doing the work to address the harm that was caused.
鈥淚 wish she had brought her concerns to me directly so we could have worked through them together,鈥� he said.
Eby said his government鈥檚 work to bring people and communities together will continue.
鈥淚 will continue to condemn hate in all its forms including the rise of antisemitism we have seen,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y focus remains on taking action for people on the things that matter most to them. I wish Selina nothing but the best.鈥�
