Selina Robinson is stepping down as B.C.91裸聊视频檚 minister of advanced education and higher learning after calling Gaza a 91裸聊视频渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淪he screwed up,91裸聊视频� Eby said. 91裸聊视频淪he made a really significant error.91裸聊视频�
Robinson made her comments during an online panel discussion of Jewish leaders, hosted by B91裸聊视频檔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.
91裸聊视频�(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,91裸聊视频� Eby said. He said they jointly decided that the time Robinson now needs to devote to repairing the divisions she has caused means she won91裸聊视频檛 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.
91裸聊视频淎s leader, I need to address each situation on the facts that are in front of me,91裸聊视频� he said.
He noted that Robinson, who is Jewish, had been an exceptional leader in reaching out to the Jewish community following Hamas91裸聊视频� attack on Israel on Oct. 7, working overtime to make sure the community has a voice inside and outside of government.
91裸聊视频淗er voice is important,91裸聊视频� Eby said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 important to our colleagues in caucus and it91裸聊视频檚 important to so many British Columbians.91裸聊视频�
Eby added the Robinson is taking some personal time to 91裸聊视频渃atch her breath91裸聊视频� after the past 72 hours.
BC Green House Leader Adam Olsen said Monday afternoon that Robinson91裸聊视频檚 departure from cabinet was the 91裸聊视频渋nevitable result91裸聊视频� of the way the past week has gone.
91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� it is very clear the premier91裸聊视频檚 handling of this situation allowed this to be become a distraction and frankly, the business of government shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be distracted by one of the members of the cabinet.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚t is important to recognize that the harm and the hurt in communities is the focus here,91裸聊视频� Eby says.
91裸聊视频� Jane Skrypnek (@janeskrypnek)
Says Robinson will be focused on addressing division she has created going forward.
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Subsequent reactions to Robinson91裸聊视频檚 departure have varied.
Nico Slobinsky, vice president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs91裸聊视频� pacific region, called the removal of Robinson 91裸聊视频渄istressing91裸聊视频� in the face of an 91裸聊视频渁larming increase91裸聊视频� in anti-Semitism.
91裸聊视频淭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,91裸聊视频� Slobinsky said in a statement.
Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, echoed Slobinsky91裸聊视频檚 comments about Robinson being a leader in and for the Jewish community and lamented the 91裸聊视频渙nline vitriol91裸聊视频� she has received .
91裸聊视频淚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,91裸聊视频� Shanken said.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims, meanwhile, said on X that it appreciated the engagement with Eby91裸聊视频檚 office and his decision to take action.
91裸聊视频淢s. Robinson has made a string of deeply offensive and ignorant remarks about Palestinian history, culture, and civilization,91裸聊视频� it said. 91裸聊视频淭his kind of dehumanization of (Palestinians) must not be tolerated. Dehumanization of any kind must be held accountable.91裸聊视频�
B.C. Premier David Eby has removed Ms. Selina Robinson from her post as Minister.
91裸聊视频� 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,91裸聊视频�
Harsha Walia, a Vancouver-based activist and community organizer, said on X that Robinson91裸聊视频檚 removal as minister is an important step, but that she should have been cut from caucus altogether.
91裸聊视频淭his isn91裸聊视频檛 about 91裸聊视频榟urt,91裸聊视频� this is about upholding a racist and colonial worldview through her consistent words and actions.91裸聊视频�
Eby91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渟ettler colonial history91裸聊视频� and an 11,000-signature petition calling for Robinson91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淢y memories of you are of an empathetic, passionate and loving person,91裸聊视频� Chu said, tearing up 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 why it was such a shock and I was so taken aback with the rhetoric that you91裸聊视频檝e been putting out in public the last couple of months. I didn91裸聊视频檛 understand why you didn91裸聊视频檛 see my people as human, why you didn91裸聊视频檛 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.91裸聊视频�
Chu said while Robinson91裸聊视频檚 Jan. 30 remark about Gaza being a crappy piece of land upset her, the most disturbing part was when Robinson added 91裸聊视频渢here were a couple hundred thousand people, but other than that it didn91裸聊视频檛 produce an economy.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚n the blink of an eye, you erased over 750,000 people,91裸聊视频� Chu said. 91裸聊视频淣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.91裸聊视频�
Jada-Gabrielle Pape of the wu91裸聊视频橶as91裸聊视频橴lwat91裸聊视频�, 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.
91裸聊视频淭his violent colonial mindset is dated at best and genocidal at worst.91裸聊视频�
Robinson has issued two apologies over social media since last week.
91裸聊视频淚 want to apologize for my disrespectful comment referring to the origins of Israel on a 91裸聊视频榗rappy piece of land91裸聊视频�. 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,91裸聊视频� she said Feb. 1.
Monday morning she added: 91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�
Demonstrators on Monday said those apologies don91裸聊视频檛 cut it for them. They said they expect to see Robinson engaging with the community and educating herself.
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