Dear editor:
Who provided the 鈥淓nemies of Israel鈥� blacklist read out by Joyce Bate-man, Harper鈥檚 Conservative candidate in Winnipeg 麻豆视频 Centre? It angered the Asper Jewish Community Centre all-candidates-forum audience hosted by B鈥檃ni Brith, which was appalled by its bad taste? Was it Bateman, her team, or the Conservative Campaign Committee or even the PMO?
听The meeting moderator, Dan Lett writing in the Winnipeg Free Press, wrote afterward: 鈥淚t is hard in retrospect to escape the feeling the 鈥淓nemies of Israel鈥� blacklist Bateman was reading had a McCarthyesque blush to it. The names were read quickly and without any information establishing the veracity of the charges against the individuals named. It was a truly creepy moment.... This was not an impetuous act; it was part of a carefully scripted strategy to use Israel as a wedge issue to capture majority support from Canadian Jews.鈥�
听
The list of 鈥渘ames from the Liberal campaign 鈥� volunteers, paid staff workers and candidates alike, among them a decorated general 鈥� who had been identi铿乪d by the Tories as 鈥渆nemies of Israel;鈥� included people Bateman could hardly have known, strongly suggesting the list was provided to her.
Was the criteria for being included on a countywide list of 鈥淓nemies of Israel鈥� belief that Israeli attacks on Gaza are unjusti铿乪d and the continuing occupation of Palestinian lands by Jewish settlements is unjust?
All Conservative candidates need to be asked: 鈥淗ave you received the 鈥楨nemies of Israel鈥� list? Do you agree with whoever compiled the list or with the audience in Winnipeg 麻豆视频 who cried 鈥淪hame!鈥�?
Yours truly,
Joe Hueglin
Member 29th Parliament
Niagara Falls, Ont.
