The Ford government is calling for the legislature to take action against Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama over her controversial tweet criticizing Israel during the war against Hamas.
There was no sign of Jama at her office or in the legislature as MPPS observed a moment of silence for the war in Israel. Instead, government MPPs shouted, “Where’s Sarah?”
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The government house leader Paul Calandra raised an accusation of anti-semitism, calling on NDP leader Marit Stiles to act. “To stand up to the anti-semitic hard left of her party.”
The trouble started last week when Jama posted on X or Twitter that Israel is an apartheid state.
“I’ve taken time to listen to the MPP. She has absolutely apologized,” Stiles said.
Jama apologized after talking with her leader, but Stiles asked her to take down the post, and today it was still online.
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“I took the time as a leader to listen to my community to listen to my MPP, to understand where people are at in one of the most horrendous tragedies that we have seen in this world,” Stiles said.
The NDP rejects the suggestion of anti-semitism from the government. NDP MPP Monique Taylor said, “they’re trying to take away from their scandals, their RCMP investigation.”
The government is now calling for debate on a motion aimed at Jama. It refers to “disreputable conduct by the Member for Hamilton Centre.” It says if it passes, “the speaker is authorized to not recognise the Member for Hamilton Centre in the House until the Member retracts and deletes her statements on social media and makes an apology in her place in the House.”
Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said, “a very serious measure that the government is considering and it makes it very hard for me to take Ms. Jama at her word when the thing that caused the original harm and hurt, the statement is still posted online.”
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Green party leader Mike Schreiner said, “I encourage and call on the member from Hamilton Centre to not only apologize but to remove the post because it is very hurtful to the Jewish community.”
If the motion passes, Jama could be prevented from speaking in the legislature.
One of the effects of this controversy is that the NDP says its members are going to be careful about attending any protests or rallies, in the future, so it doesn’t get dragged into this type of thing again.
Stiles said Jama was at home today, concerned about her family members in the war zone.
