Eby says exit of Robinson from B.C. NDP is ‘humbling,’ but disagrees on antisemitism

Premier David Eby said he was reflecting on his leadership after the “humbling” resignation of former cabinet minister Selina Robinson from the NDP, citing allegations of antisemitism in the party caucus.

But he said Thursday that he disagreed with Robinson’s “characterization” of her former colleagues, seven of whom she accused of antisemitism or antisemitic comments in a fivepage single-spaced resignation letter to the

NDP caucus a day earlier.

Eby said he supported all members of the caucus but personally had to contemplate why Robinson, who is Jewish, felt she had to quit rather than take her concerns to him.

“I have to accept as a leader that as a Jewish woman, with these unique experiences in our caucus, she didn’t feel safe,” he said.

“She didn’t feel safe with me to bring forward her concerns and she felt she had to resign.”

He said his caucus colleagues would also have to reflect on Robinson’s resignation. “For me it’s a message I need to examine how I work with our team,” he said.

Opposition BC United Leader Kevin Falcon called in the legislature for an independent public investigation into what he said were “stunning” allegations.

Falcon said the events leading up to and resulting in Robinson’s resignation amount to “gaslighting” by the NDP.

“The last 24 hours politically have been stunning, to say the least,” he said. “We’re talking about an individual, Selina Robinson, who is a long-term NDP member, who was a senior cabinet minister in the entire time this government has been in power until recently, making a series of allegations about systemic antisemitism within the cabinet, this caucus, the NDP party.”

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad demanded Eby’s resignation while Green Leader Sonia Furstenau called for efforts to bring people together.

Robinson, who is Jewish, resigned as post-secondary education minister last month after saying modern Israel was founded on “a crappy piece of land,” sparking outcry from pro-Palestinian groups that called the comments racist and Islamophobic.

She had previously said she was not going to run in the fall election, but with her caucus resignation will now sit as an Independent for the remaining few months.

Robinson’s resignation letter said the behaviour of her colleagues “broke my heart,” and referred to instances of what she called antisemitism by NDP caucus members.

She wrote of “historical antisemitism that the Jewish community has experienced from Mable (Elmore),” the NDP’s parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives.

Robinson’s letter highlighted comments attributed to Elmore in 2004, prior to her serving in the legislature, where she said in an interview, “we have vocal Zionists in our work sites and we have to battle them.”