Selina Robinson steps down as B.C. cabinet minister over comments on Middle East

British ColumbiaPost-Secondary Education Minister Selina Robinson is stepping down amid anoutcry over her remarks that modern Israel was founded on "a crappy piece of land."

Premier David Eby says Robinson's "belittling" remarks were incompatible with her remaining in cabinet, although she will stay in the NDP caucus.

"The depth of the work that minister Robinson needs to do, in order to address the harms that she's caused, is significant," Eby told an impromptu news conference in Vancouver on Monday.

Eby had faced mounting calls for the removal of Robinson since the remarks last week that infuriated pro-Palestinian groups and other critics, whosay her commentsperpetuateharmful colonial narratives that ignore the history of Palestinian people in the region.

WATCH | David Eby says Selina Robinson will step down over 'divisive' comments:

Cabinet minister's remarks on Middle East 'caused harm' to vulnerable communities: B.C. Premier

7 months ago

Duration 3:26

Premier David Eby says Selina Robinson will step down as a cabinet minister following public pressure after she said the region where the state of Israel was established was previously a 'crappy piece of land with nothing on it.'

The premiersaid he and Robinson agreed on her decision to quit her position, which came after two apologies from her, as well as a commitment that she would undertake anti-Islamophobia training.

"When you hurt somebody, you need to reach out to them and try to figure out what the best way is to reduce the harm and address the hurt that has been caused," said Eby.

He said he and Robinson had been asking people "how to make things better,"and the decision Robinson had to go came after a "cumulative" process.

Robinson, who is one of the most prominent Jewish politicians in B.C., said in a statement she agreed her departure was for the best.

"This decision does not excuse my harmful comments, nor does it absolve me of the work I am committed to doing," she said.

"While I had previously decided not to run again in the next election I remain committed to my constituents for the remainder of my term."

Community leaders breathe 'sigh of relief'

Robinson made the original contentious remarks on Jan. 30 during a panel discussion with other Jewish politicians hosted by B'nai Brith Canada, in which she lamented a lack of knowledge by younger people about the foundation of modern Israel.

"They don't understand it was a crappy piece of land with nothing on it. There were several hundred thousand people but other than that it didn't produce an economy," she said.

The remarks triggered a backlash from pro-Palestinian groups as well as from Robinson's own party.Criticshave said remarks like Robinson's dismisspeople who lived there beforethe creation of Israel in1948.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called them "offensive," while the National Council of Canadian Muslims called them "horrendous."

WATCH | Robinson refers to area where Israeli statewas created as 'crappy piece of land':

B.C. minister says before Israel was established, the region was a 'crappy piece of land with nothing on it'

7 months ago

Duration 2:27

Minister of Post-Secondary Education Selina Robinson made the remarks Jan. 30 at a public panel organized and posted by Bnai Brith Canada. She has since apologized.

On Friday, Robinson apologizedon Xfor the comments, saying they were"disrespectful." She said shehad been referring to the land having limited natural resources.

TheMLA for Coquitlam-Maillardville issued a more detailed apology Monday morning in a statement sent to media outlets. It said she understood she had broken the trust of many people, and is committed to"taking part in anti-Islamophobia training to more deeply understand the concerns that have been expressed to me."

Representatives from more than a dozen B.C. mosques and Islamic associations wrote to Eby over the weekend calling for Robinson's removal and banning NDP MLAs and candidates in the October provincial election from their sacred spaces until action was taken against her.

Bilal Cheema, a volunteer spokesman for the group, said Robinson's exit prompted a "sigh of relief."

Cheema said Robinson was welcome to be a part of important conversations with the community.

"Now she doesn't have power over us being a cabinet minister. If she's willing to engage, our doors are always going to be open," he said.

"We welcome an opportunity to help her beat back her thinking, her beliefs, or understanding, on the difficult history of that region, or of how we are going to build and continue to sustain this mosaic that we've built here in British Columbia."

On Monday, groupsprotested outside the provincial NDP caucus retreat in Surrey, B.C., with organizers delivering the signatures of more than 11,000 people asking for Robinson's resignation.

'Avery, very shocking thing to see'

But Ezra Shanken, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, said the departure of Robinson was "shocking."

"I think at a time when the intimidation of Jewish students on campus is as high as it's ever been, to see a Jewish minister of advanced education stepping down sends really a chill down my spine," he said.

"It's obviously a very, very shocking thing to see, especially after minister Robinson was apologetic and also came up with a plan for reconciliation."

In a statement, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)said Robinson's ouster "sends a chilling message that Jewish leaders are held to a different standard than non-Jewish ones."

WATCH | Reacton to Robinson stepping down:

B.C. premier says minister 'has some work to do' after Middle East comments

7 months ago

Duration 2:17

David Eby said he has accepted the apology of, and expressed his disappointment with, Selina Robinson over remarks she made about the Middle East. At a Jan. 30 public panel, she referred to the region prior to the establishment of the state of Israel as a 'crappy piece of land with nothing on it'.

"Today, as the Jewish community in B.C. is confronted by an alarming increase in antisemitism ... the loss of MLA Robinson is especially distressing as we no longer have our strongest advocate," CIJA Pacific region vice-president Nico Slobinsky said in the statement.

Hamish Telford, associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley, said Eby is facing political harm from the Robinson scandal, with his government's throne speech and annual budget coming up later this month.

"Obviously, the government wants to get back on message as quickly as possible," he said Monday morning, prior to the news conference.