GTA Tory MP panders to religious zealots

5 posts / 0 new

Tue, 2008-12-16 14:32

Max Bialystock

Interesting that Peter Kent's public apperance as an MP was at the BAYT synagogue the largest Orthodox synagogue in Canada.

http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/content/view/1125/53/

Quote:
Frank Dimant, executive vice-president of B’nai Brith Canada,
acknowledged that it was a “lonely battle” waged by Conservative Party
supporters back in the days when Stockwell Day, minister of public
safety, and others were accused of having a dangerous hidden agenda.
“We
only wish Stephen Harper was running for the premiership of Israel,” he
declared, calling the present Canadian leadership a “government of
integrity and principle.”

Kent, Peter Shurman and John Tory also came to a Chabad sukkah which turned into a victory celebration.

http://www.collive.com/show_news.rtx?id=363

And some continue to downplay the politics of religion in Canadian politics and especially its relationship to the Conservative Party.

Tue, 2008-12-16 14:40

Max Bialystock

Can opening posts not be edited?

From the second article:

Quote:

On Tuesday, Peter Kent, representing the federal Conservative Party was
elected as Thornhill’s Member of Parliament (MP), to the parliament in
Ottawa, the capital of Canada. These elections were especially
important for the Jewish community and Chabad due to the principled and
steadfast support of the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, for Israel and
Canadian Jewry.

The Chabad connection was revealed at the end of the Yom Tov, the very
next day after the election, when important Conservative party
representatives joined the Celebration of Simchat Beit Hashoeva in the
Sukka of Rabbi Yisroel Janowski, turning it into a spontaneous victory
celebration. Rabbi Janowski, who has developed close connections with
important individuals in both the provincial and federal Conservative
parties while working for equality in government funding of private
Jewish education, thanked the important guests who visited his Sukka
and wished them Hatzlacha on the road to come.

Rabbi Janowski also thanked everyone who helped with the election and
then introduced John Tory, Leader of the Ontario Opposition, Peter
Shurman, Thornhill’s provincial MPP and Peter Kent, Thornhill’s newly
elected federal MP. They all thanked the Jewish community and,
especially, the Chabad community for its tremendous assistance and
support. They acknowledged that they would not have been successful
without our community’s hard work.

Wed, 2008-12-17 09:02

johnpauljones

Thanks for this Max. I do hope that you will provide equal coverage to teh Liberals who have spoken at Beth Tzedek that largest conservative shul in Canada and the Libs and NDP who have spoken at Holy Blossom. I say that since it would be wrong to infer that pols only speak at Orthodox shuls and to the Orthodox community.

Of course a lib at a conservative or reform synagogue or an ndp at a conservative or reform synagogue kind of hurts the thesis about jews and politics.

Wed, 2008-12-17 09:54

Star Spangled C...

Attending a Jewish religuious celebration is "pandering to religious zealots"? Give me a break. MPs go to religious and cultural celebrations in their communities all the time. It's their JOB.

Wed, 2008-12-17 11:51

remind

Frankly, I fail to see the point Max is trying to make here with noting where Kent spoke.

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"watching the tide roll away"