Candidate slams Mideast response to migrants
Don Valley Conservative accuses Saudi Arabia of funding mosques, not food
OTTAWA— A Conservative candidate in Toronto has spoken out on “socalled” refugees fleeing Syrian violence, doubting the need of some for food and water, and criticizing Middle East countries for inaction on the crisis.
Joe Daniel, who recently stirred controversy for saying that a Muslim “agenda” was behind the stream of refugees into Europe, waded back into the issue on Tuesday at an allcandidates’ debate in north Toronto.
During the event, sponsored by the Bayview Village Association, an audience member asked Daniel about his recent comments in which he warned that an “agenda” was behind the refugee crisis to move Muslims into Europe “to change these countries in a major way.”
Daniel expected the question, saying, “I knew it was going to come up.”
In his response, Daniel, who is seeking election in Don Valley North, took aim at Middle Eastern countries for not doing more to aid the displaced civilians fleeing the civil war in Syria.
“When you’ve got the entire Middle East that could actually sort out what’s going on there and take refugees there and you find that in Saudi Arabia there (are) one million tents — air-conditioned, I might add — with not one refugee in there,” Daniel said, according to a video of the debate viewed by the Star.
“You can see that Saudi Arabia is very happy to pay for 200 mosques in Germany, yet not yet spend a dime, not one dime, on helping feed or water those people . . . who are so desperate to get out of that area,” Daniel said.
Daniel also said that some refugees — many of them on a marathon trek across land and sea — have turned away Red Cross aid on religious grounds because it is marked with the distinctive cross. And he appeared to question whether they even needed it.
“If you take a look on the Internet about what is going on, you will see videos, videos of so-called refugees taking food and water and throwing it out,” Daniel said.
“Why? Because it came from the Red Cross . . . which they are interpreting as being a Christian organization,” Daniel said.
“Are they starving? Are they thirsty? Absolutely not,” he said, adding that he was referring to refugees going into Hungary.
There is video online, reportedly shot in late August, of refugees at the border between Greece and Macedonia refusing Red Cross aid packages. Later reports claimed that frustration — not religion — had caused the refugees to wave away the offers of assistance.
Saudi Arabia says it has been one of the largest providers of aid with its pledge of some $700 million (U.S.). the country says it has taken in 2.5 million Syrians since the conflict started who are not kept in refugee camps but are free to move about.
Those who wish to stay in Saudi Arabia are given legal residency, a choice taken by “some hundreds of thousands” so far, according to a statement posted on the website of the Saudi embassy in Washington.
Daniel was unavailable for comment Thursday, according to an official reached at his Toronto campaign office.
However, Stephen Lecce, a spokesman for the Conservative campaign, said Daniel backs the party’s approach to dealing with the situation.
“Mr. Daniel made it clear that he supports the prime minister’s balanced approach to the crisis: militarily, humanitarian aid and refugees,” Lecce said in an email.
Indeed, Daniel defended the Conservatives’ response at the debate, saying the government has committed to accept 33,000 refugees and has earmarked $800 million. Canada will resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees and 23,000 Iraqis.
“Canada is doing more than its fair share on the global scale,” he said.
And he said that he personally is “quite happy” for refugees to come to Canada.
Canada’s response to the humanitarian crisis has become a campaign issue as the Conservatives have come under pressure to allow more refugees into Canada — and do it faster.
Daniel’s response got a mixed reception at the debate, with one audience member calling out, “shame on you,” according to the video. But an- other audience member voiced support for Daniel.
When pressed about his previous comments on the issue — which surfaced via a video obtained by the Star — the Conservative candidate urged the audience to look at the European experience.
“What I said was quite clear. What I said I was take a look at what was happening in Europe,” Daniel said.
“See what is happening in there, the ghettos that are being formed in Britain, the ghettos that are being formed in Germany.” When another audience member interjected, Daniel replied, “There are limits to what we can do as a country. “How much more money have you personally sent to any refugee there or anything else like that?” he said.
Geng Tan, the Liberal candidate in the riding, and Akil Sadikali, the NDP candidate, were also at the debate.
A Conservative campaign worker who attended the candidates’ session defended Daniel’s comments, saying he answered “factually.”
“Mr. Daniel has been . . . very, very badly misrepresented because he is not a selfish man. He helps every community,” said the worker, who could not speak on the record because she had not been authorized by the campaign.