Monday October 16, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC [Updated 8:30 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Today in the BC Legislative Assembly there was unanimous solidarity about the horrors that the Hamas terrorists have inflicted on Israeli civilians. After remarks from Premier David Eby and the house leaders of BC United, BC Greens and BC Conservatives, everyone in the chamber observed a moment of reflection.
As of today, four Canadians who were in Israel at the time of the terrorist attack on October 7 have been reported as dead.
“The world watched with horror,” said Eby today in a special ministerial statement in the Legislative Assembly today.
One of those Canadians was 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi of Vancouver, who died while helping others on the killing field, using his paramedic training. Eby said Mizrachi ran toward obvious danger, hoping to tend to wounded people. “May his name be a blessing,” said leaders in the chamber.
“Today is one of those days when we can speak with one voice,” said Eby. “What happened to ‘never again’,” said Eby, referring to the similar killing upon Jewish people in their homes as part of the Holocaust.
He referred to Hamas as a terrorist group determined to commit genocide against Jewish people. Both Israeli and Palestinian civilians deserve peace, said BC’s premier.
Commending Minister Robinson:
During these remarks, a few times Post-Secondary and Future Skills Minister Selina Robinson, closed her eyes or looked down, hands clasped together.
Premier Eby singled out Robinson for her work in the community to help people feel safe and the cope with the racism that has reared its head in her Coquitlam-Maillardville riding as well as other areas of the province.
Robinson has been vocal in social media about the tragedy of how antisemitism has been evident in BC since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israelis.
“Many in the Jewish communities are looking over their shoulder,” said Eby, noting that Jewish people in BC have been threatened with murder and sexual assault.
Last Friday she posted on X (Twitter) that this is a “time for light in a very dark time… we need more light”, after a week which included Some Jewish parents in Vancouver keeping their kids home from school on Friday amid an increase in threatening social media posts against the community.
“The fear is real,” said Robinson in social media last week.
Comments from all party leaders:
“There is no place for anti-semitism in BC,” said Premier Eby.
BC United spokesperson Michael Lee, MLA (Vancouver-Langara) said that the Official Opposition “stands with the Jewish community against hate in all its forms”, calling for “clear and unequivocal” support for the Jewish community, saying the October 7 attack and many of the responses that have followed are showing the “highest rise of antisemitism in 50 years in Canada”.
BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau said “we all have heavy hearts indeed” and “we are all united” as to the taking of hostages in that it violates a fundamental principle of international law; he articulated that “terrorism aims to frighten and divide us”. She pointed out the “growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza”, where half the population is children, compels a “a focus on diplomatic solutions”. Furstenau said she was grateful for the comments by the Eby and Robinson around this issue.
BC Conservatives House Leader Bruce Banman said the October 7 attack by Hamas was “an act of cowardice and pure evil by radicalized men” that was carried out “on an auspicious Jewish holiday, no less”. Banman stated the sentiment that has been coming out of many western countries (including Canada and the United States) since October 7, that “the Jewish people must have the ability to control their own destiny”.
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
We report on trends in society, economy and politics. Island Social Trends has been doing that since 2020 at IslandSocialTrends.ca, in the footsteps of a series of print publications: MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), and West Shore Voice News (2014-2020).
Founding editor and publisher of all these publications is Mary P Brooke.
In 2023 Ms Brooke was nominated for a Jack Webster Foundation award that recognizes a woman’s community service through journalism.
Mary Brooke now reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.