Selina Robinson is stepping down as B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 minister of advanced education and higher learning after calling Gaza a 香蕉视频直播渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.香蕉视频直播�
Premier David Eby announced the decision at a news conference in Vancouver on Monday (Feb. 5), saying Robinson will remain in caucus but will no longer have a cabinet role. Robinson serves as MLA for the riding of Coquitlam-Maillardville, but had previously decided she would not be running again in the next election, set for October.
香蕉视频直播淪he screwed up,香蕉视频直播� Eby said. 香蕉视频直播淪he made a really significant error.香蕉视频直播�
Robinson made her comments during an online panel discussion of Jewish leaders, hosted by B香蕉视频直播檔ai Brith Canada on Jan. 30.
Eby said he and Robinson have spent the days since then talking to leaders in the Muslim community as well as First Nations leaders, who Robinson also offended by drawing comparisons between the war between Israel and Palestine and a fight between two Indigenous groups.
香蕉视频直播�(What) has become apparent is the scope of the work that needs to be done by Selina, the depth of the hurt that she has caused to many British Columbians,香蕉视频直播� Eby said. He said they jointly decided that the time Robinson now needs to devote to repairing the divisions she has caused means she won香蕉视频直播檛 be able to continue on with the responsibilities of her ministerial position.
Eby said Robinson has committed to further meetings with the Muslim community as well as anti-Islamophobia-training.
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When asked why Robinson is staying in caucus when former New Democrat Adam Walker did not over a human resources complaint, Eby said the situations are different.
香蕉视频直播淎s leader, I need to address each situation on the facts that are in front of me,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He noted that Robinson, who is Jewish, had been an exceptional leader in reaching out to the Jewish community following Hamas香蕉视频直播� attack on Israel on Oct. 7, working overtime to make sure the community has a voice inside and outside of government.
香蕉视频直播淗er voice is important,香蕉视频直播� Eby said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 important to our colleagues in caucus and it香蕉视频直播檚 important to so many British Columbians.香蕉视频直播�
Eby added the Robinson is taking some personal time to 香蕉视频直播渃atch her breath香蕉视频直播� after the past 72 hours.
BC Green House Leader Adam Olsen said Monday afternoon that Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 departure from cabinet was the 香蕉视频直播渋nevitable result香蕉视频直播� of the way the past week has gone.
香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈ウ it is very clear the premier香蕉视频直播檚 handling of this situation allowed this to be become a distraction and frankly, the business of government shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be distracted by one of the members of the cabinet.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚t is important to recognize that the harm and the hurt in communities is the focus here,香蕉视频直播� Eby says.
香蕉视频直播� Jane Skrypnek (@janeskrypnek)
Says Robinson will be focused on addressing division she has created going forward.
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Subsequent reactions to Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 departure have varied.
Nico Slobinsky, vice president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs香蕉视频直播� pacific region, called the removal of Robinson 香蕉视频直播渄istressing香蕉视频直播� in the face of an 香蕉视频直播渁larming increase香蕉视频直播� in anti-Semitism.
香蕉视频直播淭he community is both offended and hurt by what has happened to a great ally and British Columbian, and it has seriously undermined the confidence of the Jewish community in the Government of British Columbia,香蕉视频直播� Slobinsky said in a statement.
Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, echoed Slobinsky香蕉视频直播檚 comments about Robinson being a leader in and for the Jewish community and lamented the 香蕉视频直播渙nline vitriol香蕉视频直播� she has received .
香蕉视频直播淚t is shameful that Premier David Eby has bowed to pressure from a loud minority whose campaign to discredit MLA Robinson was centred in anti-Jewish bias and lacked the offer of grace they demand when others falter,香蕉视频直播� Shanken said.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims, meanwhile, said on X that it appreciated the engagement with Eby香蕉视频直播檚 office and his decision to take action.
香蕉视频直播淢s. Robinson has made a string of deeply offensive and ignorant remarks about Palestinian history, culture, and civilization,香蕉视频直播� it said. 香蕉视频直播淭his kind of dehumanization of (Palestinians) must not be tolerated. Dehumanization of any kind must be held accountable.香蕉视频直播�
B.C. Premier David Eby has removed Ms. Selina Robinson from her post as Minister.
香蕉视频直播� NCCM (@nccm)
We appreciate the engagement with his office and the decision to take action.
Ms. Robinson has made a string of deeply offensive and ignorant remarks about Palestinian history,香蕉视频直播�
Harsha Walia, a Vancouver-based activist and community organizer, said on X that Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 removal as minister is an important step, but that she should have been cut from caucus altogether.
香蕉视频直播淭his isn香蕉视频直播檛 about 香蕉视频直播榟urt,香蕉视频直播� this is about upholding a racist and colonial worldview through her consistent words and actions.香蕉视频直播�
Eby香蕉视频直播檚 announcement came just hours after a group of demonstrators pushed their way into a Surrey hotel Monday morning, where BC NDP MLAs were attending a retreat.
The group intended to hand-deliver to Eby a curriculum book on 香蕉视频直播渟ettler colonial history香蕉视频直播� and an 11,000-signature petition calling for Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 resignation, but were unable to get into the conference room where members of the party were gathered. Instead, they delivered speeches directed at Robinson, outside of the hotel,
Ramona Chu, a Palestinian woman and a member of a Coquitlam parent advisory committee, said she worked closely alongside Robinson when schools introduced social justice courses.
香蕉视频直播淢y memories of you are of an empathetic, passionate and loving person,香蕉视频直播� Chu said, tearing up 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 why it was such a shock and I was so taken aback with the rhetoric that you香蕉视频直播檝e been putting out in public the last couple of months. I didn香蕉视频直播檛 understand why you didn香蕉视频直播檛 see my people as human, why you didn香蕉视频直播檛 see that they deserved human rights. I understood that your people were fleeing horrific crimes in Europe and they needed a safe haven, but you could not see that one injustice does not excuse or forgive another.香蕉视频直播�
Chu said while Robinson香蕉视频直播檚 Jan. 30 remark about Gaza being a crappy piece of land upset her, the most disturbing part was when Robinson added 香蕉视频直播渢here were a couple hundred thousand people, but other than that it didn香蕉视频直播檛 produce an economy.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚n the blink of an eye, you erased over 750,000 people,香蕉视频直播� Chu said. 香蕉视频直播淣o acknowledgement that they were forced from their homes, from their lives. No acknowledgement of people such as my grandparents who lost their home, their business, their dreams and almost their lives.香蕉视频直播�
Jada-Gabrielle Pape of the wu香蕉视频直播橶as香蕉视频直播橴lwat香蕉视频直播�, Snuneymuxw and Saanich Nations said the treatment of land as something that only holds economic value is ignorant of the connection First Nations and others often hold to it.
香蕉视频直播淭his violent colonial mindset is dated at best and genocidal at worst.香蕉视频直播�
Robinson has issued two apologies over social media since last week.
香蕉视频直播淚 want to apologize for my disrespectful comment referring to the origins of Israel on a 香蕉视频直播榗rappy piece of land香蕉视频直播�. I was referring to the fact that the land has limited natural resources. I understand that this flippant comment has caused pain and that it diminishes the connection Palestinians also have to the land. I regret what I said and I apologize without reservation,香蕉视频直播� she said Feb. 1.
Monday morning she added: 香蕉视频直播淚 know that my comments have additionally caused pain, including among Indigenous communities, for perpetuating harmful narratives of colonialism. The experiences of First Nations people are not mine to manipulate. That was wrong and I am deeply sorry.香蕉视频直播�
Demonstrators on Monday said those apologies don香蕉视频直播檛 cut it for them. They said they expect to see Robinson engaging with the community and educating herself.
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