Selina Robinson, B.C.’s most prominent Jewish politician, says she’s leaving the B.C. NDP caucus over concerns it hasn’t done enough to fight antisemitism among fellow MLAs.
The bombshell announcement Wednesday comes a month after Robinson was forced to resign from cabinet after public backlash to her comments that Israel was founded on a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it.”
Robinson said she talked to the NDP caucus last week and then Premier David Eby on Wednesday about instituting antisemitic and anti-Islamophobia training for all MLAs, and creating opportunities for dialogue between the Jewish community and Palestinian and Arab communities amid the division created by the Israel-Hamas war.
Robinson said she was rebuffed.
“That’s really the work that we should be doing. But right now, government isn’t interested in doing that work.”
She said that led her to decide she “can’t continue to be the only voice speaking up against antisemitism and hatred.” She will sit as an Independent.
Robinson said she was upset by anti-Israel comments made during the B.C. NDP convention in November and said fellow NDP MLAs who made antisemitic comments didn’t face the same consequences that she did.
NDP House Leader Ravi Kahlon rejected the allegations that there’s antisemitism within the caucus.
“No, I would not agree with that,” he said. “We are always speaking out against hate towards any community.”
Kahlon said he’s sad that Robinson will be leaving caucus, adding she didn’t mention her intention during Wednesday’s caucus meeting.
“Selina is clearly hurting,” he said.
Robinson, 60, said that since she resigned on Feb. 5, she’s been “crying every day.”
“Not just for me, but for the voice that I brought to caucus,” she said. “A voice that I brought to the cabinet, to do the work that I did for two premiers who asked me specifically to engage with the Jewish community.”
Robinson said although she agreed to take anti-Islamophobia training to repair the harm caused by the “crappy piece of land” remark, her conversations with Eby left her no choice but to resign.
After Eby announced her resignation from cabinet, he faced anger from members of the B.C. Jewish community.
Robinson had already announced she won’t be running for re-election in the Coquitlam-Maillardville riding that she has held since 2013.
