Earlier today I wrote about Lesley Hughes, the Liberal candidate for Kildonan-St. Paul, who had made comments blaming the 9/11 attacks that killed over 3,000 innocent people on an ‘inside job’ undertaken by the U.S. government and ‘Israelis’.
It appears that the story continues to develop. The Toronto Star is reporting that Liberal leader Stephane Dion has dumped Ms. Hughes as the candidate for the Winnipeg area riding:
Just hours after Stéphane Dion publicly sidestepped questions about the status of Lesley Hughes, the Liberal leader released a statement announcing that he had asked her to step down.
“The Liberal Party’s commitment to tolerance and multiculturalism is paramount. I have reviewed the past comments of Lesley Hughes and it is clear they do not meet this standard,” he said in the statement.
When I commented on Ms. Hughes inappropriate comments this morning I wasn’t aware of the fact that Stephane Dion had side-stepped questions regarding Ms. Hughes resignation suggesting that the Liberal Party was in ‘discussions’ with the Canadian Jewish Congress:
“We have a process ongoing with the Jewish congress, to see what she has said exactly, if our apology will be accepted . . .. I have full confidence in the Jewish congress,” Dion said during a campaign stop in Toronto.
I’m actually at a loss for words after reading that. Apparently this may come as a surprise to Stephane Dion, but if you have to negotiate or discuss whether your pseudo-appology is sufficient it most likely isn’t. In fact, Jonathan Kay at the National Post hits the nail squarely on the head in his comments today:
Speaking of Hughes’ apology, let’s have a read of it: “I am a lifelong friend and supporter of the Jewish community in Winnipeg and I am deeply distressed by any suggestion to the contrary. I find any interpretation of my journalism as anti-Semitic personally offensive and I heartily apologize for that perception.” I’m sorry, Ms. Hughes … you are offended? You write an article accusing the Jewish state of having foreknowledge of the worst terrorist attack in history — of being in cahoots with the U.S. government in hatching the 9/11 plot — then people call you on it, and now you are offended?
Stephane Dion knew of Ms. Hughes comments last week. He knew of her lukewarm non-apology on Thursday. Yet instead of dumping her as a candidate for her clearly anti-Semitic and anti-American views he chose to ‘enter discussions’ with the CJC. I can only imagine what they had to say.
More telling, perhaps, than Stephane Dion’s waffling on the matter is the reaction by Liberal supporters this morning, as also reported by the Toronto Star:
During a morning campaign stop in Toronto, Liberal supporters booed and heckled reporters who pressed Dion on Hughes’ status, telling reporters to focus on “something relevant.”
Apparently, to some Liberals one of their candidates expressing anti-Semitic and anti-American views isn’t relevant.
- Rafael.
Leave a Reply