Ontario politicians discuss censuring Jama over Israel-Hamas statement

Hamilton MPP Sarah Jama was at the centre of turmoil at the Ontario legislature Wednesday. The Ford government is pressing ahead with a motion to punish Jama for her statement last week about the war in Israel. But Jama appears to be defiant and the controversy took an unexpected turn today.

Jama is still in hot water over her tweet and it may be getting hotter. Now NDP leader Marit Stiles is facing a controversy of her own.

First thing Wednesday morning, the legislature began debate on a motion to censure Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama.

“I move that this house expresses its disapproval of and disassociates itself from continued disreputable conduct by the member for Hamilton Centre,” said Paul Calandra.

At issue is a social media posting by Jama following the Hamas attack on Israel that described Israel as an “apartheid state” responsible for “the continued violation of human rights in Gaza.”

“Rather than condemning the terrorist atrocities as most of the world had already done the member chose to justify the Hamas attacks on the basis of the anti-Semitic allegation that the mere existence of the state of Israel is a racist endeavor,” said Calandra.

The Liberals agree with the government that Jama’s posting should come down.

“This is about innocent lives. And that tweet left the impression that those innocent lives, that somehow they had it coming. Somehow, what did you expect? It didn’t recognize the utter inhumanity of what happened,” said John Fraser.

The government is demanding an apology from Jama in the legislature or she’ll be prohibited from speaking during debates and question period.

Jama’s leader Marit Stiles had already demanded Jama apologize and remove the post.

Jama apologized last week, but on Wednesday she “pinned” the posting, making sure it stays at the very top of her X account.

“That is not only a slap in the face to the Jewish community and to parliament on the day we’re debating this,” said Calandra.

The government says Stiles made an unparliamentary suggestion, off mic, apparently toward the education minister.

“I just think its unbecoming, it’s inappropriate and to use vulgarities in the house just undermines people’s confidence in this legislature and our democracy so I ask Marit Stiles to do better,” said Stephen Lecce.

“Was it an f-word and what form of the f-word as it. I’ll let her come out and hopefully do the right thing,” said Calandra.

You can see an off-mic exchange between Lecce and Stiles at the time.

“I didn’t say anything, I don’t know what they’re talking about,” said Stiles.

Marit Stiles says she’s innocent.

“I think I got up in the house and I said they were disgusting,” she said.

Stiles also says she’s resolved the tweet issue with Jama, even though Jama effectively sent it out again today despite her leader’s request that it be removed.

The government says the NDP caucus is in revolt against Stiles.

There’s been no sign of Sarah Jama in all of this. The NDP says she’s at home concerned about family members in Palestine. And the debate over the motion to censure her is expected to continue possibly into Thursday.

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