Liberal candidate bounced.

As usual, NR is starting multiple threads with odd titles.

I already posted this candidate news on the main October election thread.

Eh, I defended Guillet when his nomination was criticized by Italians in St Leonard who were upset because St Leonard is in their eyes "supposed" to be represented by an Italian and I'm sad that the nomination turned out to be a debacle. But Guillet clearly hates Jewish people based on the statements he's deleted, he has no place in the House of Commons.

Pietro_bcc wrote: “But Guillet clearly hates Jewish people based on the statements he's deleted, he has no place in the House of Commons.”

I agree with Swallow on this. In my opinion, he never posted anything that would make me conclude that he hates Jewish people.

Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’Nai Brith Canada wrote, “These posts no longer appear on Guillet’s social media. 

In a late 2017 interview with Radio Canada International, Guillet called Israel an apartheid state. Guillet also accused Jared Kushner, the Jewish son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, of directing his government to support an “Israel first” agenda. He accused Kushner of dual loyalty because of his Jewish background and inaccurately described him as an “ultra-Orthodox” and “fundamentalist” Jew. 

Guillet has also stated on Facebook that “the Zionists control American politics,” promoting the common antisemitic trope of Jews manipulating world governments. 

“The antisemitic tropes of ‘Zionists controlling governments’ and of ‘dual loyalty’ are two of the more abhorrent expressions of paranoid anti-Jewish conspiracy theories,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “Radical and racist statements such as these must result in the immediate disqualification of a candidate for political office. It is unacceptable for any candidate to speak in this deplorable fashion toward any religious minority.” “  This came from the B’Nai Brith Canada website that Swallow posted a few posts back.

First of all, there are many people, some Jewish people included, who feel that Israel is an Apartheid state with the laws it has created to deny human rights to Palestinian people. Some Jewish people are of the belief that if you criticize Israel in any way that you are anti-Zionist and ars therefore anti-Semitic. Others are of the opinion that criticism of Israel does not constitute anti-Semitisim any more than criticizing South African Aparteid constituted an irrational fear and hatred towards Afrikaners and other white South Africans. If one can see the latter conclusion as preposterous then the same argument would hold true for discrediting this notion that a criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic.

According to this statement Michael Mostyn claimed that he wrote that Jared Kushner was pushing the Trump administration to adopt an “Israel first” agenda. Donald Trump did seriously offend Palestinians, other Arabs and Muslims in general by moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They felt that this action was very insulting, offensive, and an extremely distasteful affront to their culture and history.

Guillet accused Kushner of dual loyalty. Kushner was acting in the better interests of Israel by moving the embassy to Jerusalem. Some would call that dual loyalty since he is an American citizen and is working in Israel’s better interest.

“(Sic. Guillet) described (sic. Kushner) as an “ultra-orthodox” and a “fundamentalist””. Well, Donald Trump refers to Hillary Clinton as “crooked Hillary”, and Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas”. Then there was Trump’s spin that Obama wasn’t born in the United States and called him a Muslim. Yet Trump still has his job and Guillet is somehow out of a career because of this. I am a social democrat but I have been called a comunist by people at different times in my life. Pierre Elliot Trudeau has been called a Communist by some Canadians. A former PC politician once told me that the CCF used to be communist and the NDP used to be too. I don’t know the context from which Mostyn is extracting these remarks from what Guillet has said, so these could be taken entirely out of context and I don’t consider them to be career ending remarks either whether they were taken out of context or not. 

Guillet made the statement that “the Zionists control American politics.” Well Israel is strategically located in the Middle East and is considered a friendly ally to the United States, England, and France. We do know that the United States subsidizes Israel to the tune of billions of dollars a year. Since Israel is of significant strategic importance to the United States I think it is safe to say that Israel has some clout with the US administration. The United States needs Saudi Arabian oil. I think it is safe to say that Saudi Arabia has clout with the US administration as well but like Zionist Jews they don’t control the government. They do have strong clout though.

Mostyn says that it is “unacceptable for any candidate to speak in this deplorable fashion toward any religious minority.” Muslim’s are also a religious minority but we often hear right-wing politicians refer to Muslims as terrorists but these right-wing politicians do not lose their jobs because of it. When people interviewed on msm speak out against Israeli treatment of Palestinians they are quite often slammed for Palestinians’ terrorist activities in the region. Perhaps some religious minorities are allotted more consideration than others.

There is a lot of context missing in this summary by Michael Mostyn. Perhaps some of his concerns are well founded. But they don’t necessarily constitute a hatred of Jewish people rather an expression of frustration at what he sees as corruption within the Trump administration and actions taken by the United States and Israel to violate the rights of Palestinian people. If other politicians lost their jobs for making exaggerating claims then perhaps he would have a point about Guillet needing to step down but this doesn’t seem to happen to other politicians, but it does with frequency with politicians who support BDS and human rights for Palestinians.

Michael Mostyn and B'nai Brith constitute part of a powerful criminal lobby advocating for a criminal apartheid regime. Fuck him, B'nai Brith and the weak, collaborationist Canadian Zionist left that continues to support and advocate voting for and involvement with parliamentary political parties that  support and protect the murderous mafia-state that is Israel. Take a look at what such a lobby described by Finkelstein as 'the point of the spear' has done to UK Labour and  Jeremy Corbyn. If the NDP did anything but appease and grovel to this lobby the same attack would be mounted upon it. What an embarrassment and a shame this  political cowardice to move against the pernicious power of Israel and its Canadian proxy politics is.

Toronto - The Most Zionist Community in the World

https://jewishtoronto.com/news-media/toronto-the-most-zionist-community-...

"...Some 392,000 Jews now live in Canada, the fourth largest Jewish community in the world after Israel. A recent study by York University and the University of Toronto find that Jews in Canada have a stronger connection to Israel than American Jewry...This is a strong and well established community with great influence in Canada in all areas - political, economic, media academic and more..."

'Anti-Semitism - It's a Trick, We Always Use It.'

https://youtu.be/0LZNXNVL1G8

"I confirm that I am not anti-Semitic," Guillet said in a statement. "On the contrary, I campaign and will always campaign against all forms of racism including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/hassan-guillet-liberal-party-1.5267251

I haven't seen this in English as yet, but prominent Quebec rabbi Avi Feingold and Cardinal Lacroix of Quebec, who worked with Hassan Guillet on an interfaith dialogue video project reportedly produced for use in Quebec schools, have come to his defence and say he is not antisemitic or racist. 

http://presence-info.ca/article/politique/un-rabbin-et-un-cardinal-a-la-defense-d-hassan-guillet?fbclid=IwAR3jOOh8SGXvDkxEWJxN23kn5ghooD04gFp6F4pReqq5WGNf2LtR-8YTfPg 

Debater wrote:

A few months ago the NDP bounced Rana Zaman, the candidate for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, for comments she had made about Israel-Palestine on Twitter.

i guess that Palestinians are not human enough for the NDP. Shame!

Exactly.

I think it might be a good idea for all party candidates and MPs to avoid weighing into the Israel-Palestine issue in the first place.  It's too much of a controversial issue and there's no need for ordinary candidates and MPs to touch it.

The only people that have to weigh into Foreign Affairs are the party leaders and the Foreign Affairs critics.  The rest of the candidates would be better off focusing on domestic issues like jobs, the environment, etc. and leaving the heavy lifting on Foreign Affairs to the party leaders.

If someone is just an ordinary candidate/backbench MP, it's probably too risky to weigh into the Middle East quagmire unless you want Party HQ to come down on your head.

Debater wrote:

Exactly.

I think it might be a good idea for all party candidates and MPs to avoid weighing into the Israel-Palestine issue in the first place.  It's too much of a controversial issue and there's no need for ordinary candidates and MPs to touch it.

The only people that have to weigh into Foreign Affairs are the party leaders and the Foreign Affairs critics.  The rest of the candidates would be better off focusing on domestic issues like jobs, the environment, etc. and leaving the heavy lifting on Foreign Affairs to the party leaders.

If someone is just an ordinary candidate/backbench MP, it's probably too risky to weigh into the Middle East quagmire unless you want Party HQ to come down on your head.

My friend, you have just created a superb example of inadvertent self-parody. The Onion couldn't have written a better Debater parody. Congrats. And LOL.

NDPP wrote:

I thank Debater.  Omerta on Israel is clearly a widely held view.  When a party supports, shields and protects such an Apartheid state and its ongoing crimes, vets and excludes pro-Palestinian candidates, squelches BDS motions at their conventions, etc, it is probably best not to talk about it. Not to mention those very nice junkets that a grateful Jewish state or its lobby CIJA provides to MPs that play nice.

Perhaps it is that very prudent approach on this and other  'controversial' issues that helps explain the NDP's phenomenal success with Canadian voters? I once suggested speaking up on the topic to an NDP politician a few years ago and they also advised against it. 'Their lobby would crush me' was the explanation. On the other hand, if they're not up to doing what needs to be done, perhaps it's best not to vote for them. Perhaps many Canadians have come to that same conclusion already.

all the parties have the same ideology so the only option is not to vote at all. When you don’t vote you are not making a statement you just leave yourself out of the democratic process And nobody learns from that. It’s just plain lazy.

swallow wrote:

You can vote for the party that will do the least harm. That's probably still the NDP, useless though it is as a vehicle for social change. 

Perhaps. Or, you can vote against the party that will do the most harm and has a chance of winning. But then you might get accused of "strategic voting" and being a Liberal shill.

So, I think the best bet is to organize the base - workers, youth, women, minorities, communities - and stay strong and united, ready to mobilize against any attacks that come from whichever party wins power, and build a better world.

Sorry, I've been having some wild dreams lately. I'll feel better soon, I hope, and get back to worrying about electoral politics.

Unionist wrote:

So, I think the best bet is to organize the base - workers, youth, women, minorities, communities - and stay strong and united, ready to mobilize against any attacks that come from whichever party wins power, and build a better world.

Entirely agreed.

Would love to know your thoughts on the turfing of this Liberal candidate, if you're willing to share them. 

swallow wrote:

You can vote for the party that will do the least harm. That's probably still the NDP, useless though it is as a vehicle for social change. 

I can only vote for one MP and the central party antics doesn't change that equation.

Pick the best choice in your riding. My MP is Gord Johns so I have no problem saying I will be actively supporting the NDP this fall. But that does not mean I would be supporting all NDP candidates, in some ridings there are better choices but that is because of individual qualities not party politics. Of course for me I have never and would never vote for either of our duopoly parties so it limits my choices.

swallow wrote:

Would love to know your thoughts on the turfing of this Liberal candidate, if you're willing to share them. 

I find the whole thing slightly confusing.

1. B'nai Brith is a repugnant organization that defends Israel, not the Jewish people.

2. Same goes for the Liberal Party, perhaps to a slightly lesser degree.

3. I have no problem whatsoever with Guillet's alleged comments defending Salah, nor his comments about Jared Kushner pushing an "Israel first" policy, nor calling Israel an apartheid state.

4. Guillet allegedly said, in a now-deleted 2016 Facebook post, that "Zionists control American politics". That's not only factually inaccurate - it's a screamingly obvious euphemism for "Jews control American politics". If he had said, "those who control American politics are also supporters of Israel", it might have been both largely accurate and inoffensive. No one refers to supporters of Israel (like Trump, Obama, Trudeau, Harper, etc.) as "Zionists".

5. I haven't heard Guillet either explain, nor fully retract, that last statement. I have a problem with that.

6. He says his earlier comments (doesn't specify which) may have been lacking in sensitivity, and that he has evolved since. He doesn't say what he retracts, what he maintains, but rather goes on at some length about his adherence to Canadian values and the values of the Liberal Party. Meaningless stuff.

7. He says (in my words) - "the party knew before, why didn't they turf me then?" Probably because once BB made all this public, the party got spooked. Not difficult to understand. So what's his point, exactly?

In short, I don't really care that they turfed him. There's no issue of principle to defend here - as there certainly was when the Liberal Party dumped Lesley Hughes as a candidate (I'll find you references later). He wasn't aware that the Liberal Party is a "steadfast" buddy of Israel (that's their own word)? He should do a little reading, perhaps.

FYI, here is his full initial statement of August 29, from his Facebook page (before he started complaining that "why didn't they dump me earlier"):

Hassan Guillet, on Facebook, Aug. 29, 2019 wrote:

Clarification concernant certaines de mes déclarations antérieures

Hassan Guillet,
29 août 2019

J'aimerais clarifier ma position concernant quelques déclarations que j'ai fait dans le passé concernant la situation au Moyen-Orient:

1- Si ces déclarations pouvaient être considérées offensantes à certains de mes concitoyens de confession juive je m'en excuse. Mon intention n’était pas d'offenser qui que ce soit. Le manque de sensibilité de ces déclarations ne reflète pas ma personnalité ni ma façon d'être.

2- Depuis j'ai évolué. Tous ceux qui me connaissent, personnellement ou par mes œuvres, savent que je suis contre la haine, le racisme, l'antisémitisme et la violence indépendamment de l'identité des auteurs ou des victimes.

3- Nous avons vu durant les dernières années beaucoup de violence et malheureusement beaucoup de sang des victimes innocentes a coulé. Ça nous a touché même ici en Amérique du Nord, à Québec et à Pittsburg. Ce qui doit nous inciter à s'unir tous contre la haine et la violence.

4- Comme je l'ai dit dans mon discours à Québec le 3 février 2017, devant une audience de 6000 personnes incluant notre premier ministre, les veuves et les orphelins de la tuerie de la mosquée: il faut que l'après 29 janvier 2017 soit différent de l'avant 29 janvier 2017. Effectivement à partir de cette date je me suis engagé moi-même comme militant contre la haine et la violence et en missionnaire de paix et de collaboration inter-culturelle et inter-confetionnelle. On peut vérifier tous mes écrits, mes interventions médiatiques ainsi que mes publications sur les médias sociaux pour voir la mission que je mène. Je prends la parole dans des églises, des synagogues, des mosquées, des parcs, des centres communautaires et partout où je peux servir la cause de la paix sociale et du vivre-ensemble. J'ai collaboré aussi avec le Cardinal Lacroix et le Rabin Avi Finegold pour la production d'un documentaire intitulé "frères d'âmes". Ce documentaire était filmé en trois épisodes, une à l'Archeveché de Québec, une dans la Grande Mosquée de Québéc le théâtre de la tuerie, et une dans la synagogue de Québec. Ce documentaire est utilisé comme outil pédagogique dans les écoles pour cultiver la culture de la diversité et la fraternité humaine. Le 17 juin, 2019 j'étais invité avec une représentante de la synagogue Tree of Life de Pittsburgh pour faire une conférence à la synagogue Holly Blossom Temple à Toronto. La conférence était intitulée "Antisemitism and islamophobia: moving from hate to hope".

5- En ce qui concerne la question Israelo-palestinienne ma réflexion m'a amené à croire profondément que le conflit a duré trop longtemps et des générations ont souffert et continuent à en souffrir. Une solution doit être trouvée dans la dignité et le respect de tous. Nous, comme canadiens, on ne peut que sympathiser avec les victimes de tous les côtés mais on ne peut pas imposer une solution. Il faut que la solution vienne des gens directement impliqués.

6- Personnellement comme citoyen canadien et comme futur membre du Parlement du Canada j'adhère aux valeurs canadiennes et aux valeurs du Parti Libéral du Canada d'inclusion, de tolérance, d'ouverture et de respect. Je m'engage à supporter la position de mon Parti de neutralité et d'engagement positif auprès des parties concernées sur le chemin de la recherche d'une solution pacifique qui arrête le cycle de la violence et qui aide les gens de la région à trouver la paix et la prospérité.

Permettez moi de finir avec une citation de mon allocution le 17 juin 2019 au Holy Blossom Temple à Toronto lors d'un événement à la mémoire des victimes de la synagogue Tree of Life de Pittsburgh. L'événement était organisé sous le titre: Antisemitisme et islamophobie: passer de la haine à l'espoir:

" La seule façon de garder nos mosquées, nos synagogues, et nos églises ouvertes est d'ouvrir nos cœurs"

I found the same comment that Unionist found to be problematic, as I noted above.  Whether it was sufficient grounds to turf him, I can’t judge.

Unionist wrote:

 Will God strike someone dead if they deign to speak clearly?

I think that might be right up there with touching the Arc of the Covenant.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Uzzah.html