TORONTO — Two NDP candidates have resigned after their Anti-Semitic comments on social media caused an intense backlash.
The party confirms that the two candidates – Dan Osborne from Nova Scotia and Sidney Coles from Toronto – have stepped down.
Federal party leader Jagmeet Singh addressed the resignations during a campaign stop in southwestern Ontario.
“I want to be very clear: their comments were completely wrong and have no place in our party,” Singh said in Essex, Ont., on Wednesday.
“Those messages were completely unacceptable, and the right decision was made.”
Hi @YaaraSaks I want to offer an apology. The role of Auschwitz and the history of the holocaust is one we should never forget. Antisemitism should be confronted and stopped. I can’t recall posting that, I was 16 then and can honestly say I did not mean to cause any harm.
— Dan Osborne (@danosbornens) September 12, 2021
Osborne was reported to have Tweeted to Oprah in 2019 asking if Auschwitz was a real place, referring to the Nazi-run concentration camp in Poland during the Second World War.
“I want to offer an apology,” Osborne said in a subsequent tweet Sunday.
“The role of Auschwitz and the history of the holocaust is one we should never forget. Antisemitism should be confronted and stopped. I can’t recall posting that, I was 16 then and can honestly say I did not mean to cause any harm.”
Coles was reported to have posted misinformation about Israel being linked to missing COVID-19 vaccines. Both Coles and Osborne’s Twitter accounts have since been deleted.
“Those comments were wrong, and I’m encouraged to see a clear apology and a complete withdrawal of those comments,” Singh continued.
Related Articles:
-
Long voter wait times expected for election day: report
-
Canada Election 2021: Ridings to watch in Metro Vancouver
-
Canada falls short on climate change action, says pre-election report
“In addition, they’re talking about the importance of getting training. Antisemitism is real. We’re seeing a scary rise in antisemitism, and we are unequivocally opposed, and we’ll confront it.”
Yesterday, Singh had said it was enough that the two apologized for their past Anti-Semitic remarks.
Today, the three main party leaders are in Eastern and Central Canada, a day after a new poll suggested the already close federal-election race is getting even tighter.
With files from the Canadian Press