Selina Robinson is stepping down as B.C.害羞草研究所檚 minister of advanced education and higher learning after calling Gaza a 害羞草研究所渃rappy piece of land with nothing on it.害羞草研究所�
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.
害羞草研究所淪he screwed up,害羞草研究所� Eby said. 害羞草研究所淪he made a really significant error.害羞草研究所�
Robinson made her comments during an online panel discussion of Jewish leaders, hosted by B害羞草研究所檔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.
害羞草研究所�(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,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檛 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.
害羞草研究所淎s leader, I need to address each situation on the facts that are in front of me,害羞草研究所� he said.
He noted that Robinson, who is Jewish, had been an exceptional leader in reaching out to the Jewish community following Hamas害羞草研究所� attack on Israel on Oct. 7, working overtime to make sure the community has a voice inside and outside of government.
害羞草研究所淗er voice is important,害羞草研究所� Eby said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 important to our colleagues in caucus and it害羞草研究所檚 important to so many British Columbians.害羞草研究所�
Eby added the Robinson is taking some personal time to 害羞草研究所渃atch her breath害羞草研究所� after the past 72 hours.
BC Green House Leader Adam Olsen said Monday afternoon that Robinson害羞草研究所檚 departure from cabinet was the 害羞草研究所渋nevitable result害羞草研究所� of the way the past week has gone.
害羞草研究所満π卟菅芯克 it is very clear the premier害羞草研究所檚 handling of this situation allowed this to be become a distraction and frankly, the business of government shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be distracted by one of the members of the cabinet.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚t is important to recognize that the harm and the hurt in communities is the focus here,害羞草研究所� Eby says.
害羞草研究所� Jane Skrypnek (@janeskrypnek)
Says Robinson will be focused on addressing division she has created going forward.
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Subsequent reactions to Robinson害羞草研究所檚 departure have varied.
Nico Slobinsky, vice president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs害羞草研究所� pacific region, called the removal of Robinson 害羞草研究所渄istressing害羞草研究所� in the face of an 害羞草研究所渁larming increase害羞草研究所� in anti-Semitism.
害羞草研究所淭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,害羞草研究所� Slobinsky said in a statement.
Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, echoed Slobinsky害羞草研究所檚 comments about Robinson being a leader in and for the Jewish community and lamented the 害羞草研究所渙nline vitriol害羞草研究所� she has received .
害羞草研究所淚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,害羞草研究所� Shanken said.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims, meanwhile, said on X that it appreciated the engagement with Eby害羞草研究所檚 office and his decision to take action.
害羞草研究所淢s. Robinson has made a string of deeply offensive and ignorant remarks about Palestinian history, culture, and civilization,害羞草研究所� it said. 害羞草研究所淭his kind of dehumanization of (Palestinians) must not be tolerated. Dehumanization of any kind must be held accountable.害羞草研究所�
B.C. Premier David Eby has removed Ms. Selina Robinson from her post as Minister.
害羞草研究所� 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,害羞草研究所�
Harsha Walia, a Vancouver-based activist and community organizer, said on X that Robinson害羞草研究所檚 removal as minister is an important step, but that she should have been cut from caucus altogether.
害羞草研究所淭his isn害羞草研究所檛 about 害羞草研究所榟urt,害羞草研究所� this is about upholding a racist and colonial worldview through her consistent words and actions.害羞草研究所�
Eby害羞草研究所檚 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 害羞草研究所渟ettler colonial history害羞草研究所� and an 11,000-signature petition calling for Robinson害羞草研究所檚 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.
害羞草研究所淢y memories of you are of an empathetic, passionate and loving person,害羞草研究所� Chu said, tearing up 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 why it was such a shock and I was so taken aback with the rhetoric that you害羞草研究所檝e been putting out in public the last couple of months. I didn害羞草研究所檛 understand why you didn害羞草研究所檛 see my people as human, why you didn害羞草研究所檛 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.害羞草研究所�
Chu said while Robinson害羞草研究所檚 Jan. 30 remark about Gaza being a crappy piece of land upset her, the most disturbing part was when Robinson added 害羞草研究所渢here were a couple hundred thousand people, but other than that it didn害羞草研究所檛 produce an economy.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚n the blink of an eye, you erased over 750,000 people,害羞草研究所� Chu said. 害羞草研究所淣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.害羞草研究所�
Jada-Gabrielle Pape of the wu害羞草研究所橶as害羞草研究所橴lwat害羞草研究所�, 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.
害羞草研究所淭his violent colonial mindset is dated at best and genocidal at worst.害羞草研究所�
Robinson has issued two apologies over social media since last week.
害羞草研究所淚 want to apologize for my disrespectful comment referring to the origins of Israel on a 害羞草研究所榗rappy piece of land害羞草研究所�. 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,害羞草研究所� she said Feb. 1.
Monday morning she added: 害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�
Demonstrators on Monday said those apologies don害羞草研究所檛 cut it for them. They said they expect to see Robinson engaging with the community and educating herself.
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