DISTURBING: Trudeau Liberals knew of candidate’s alleged anti-Semitic past

Earlier this week, the party dropped one of their potential star candidates in Quebec, after a public report by B’nai B’rith revealed that, Hassan Guillet, expressed past beliefs and statements which were anti-Semitic.

Soon after, it also became public that the Liberals actively knew about the problematic comments made by Guillet as The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs had provided them with the information more than two months prior, but instead decided to drag their heels—only dropping the candidate once the media picked up the story.

Well, folks, it appears things are worse than first expected.

According to statements made by the now dropped Liberal candidate, Trudeau’s party not only knew about the comments he made, but they were also allegedly preparing a PR plan to help him out, that is until they dropped him and moved on due to media scrutiny.

The former candidate also noted that he did not consider his comments to be anti-Semitic, as they were either taken out of context or he did not have all the information. For example, he admitted to congratulated a Hamas-aligned activist online after he was released from prison but states he was unaware of the activist’s full background.

Under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Government of Canada has listed Hamas as a terrorist entity since 2002.

While Guillet attempted to provide cover for his comments, many remained clearly based anti-Semitic tropes.

For example, in one interview with Radio Canada Guillet described Israel as an apartheid state while also pushing the message that Jared Kushner, who is Jewish himself, has dual-loyalties to Israel.

In response to those comments, Guillet told the True North Centre that he has evolved.

“Since then I have evolved. Everyone who knows me, personally or through my works, knows that I am against hate, racism, anti-Semitism and violence regardless of the identity of the perpetrators or victims,” said Guillet.

While the story around Guillet is certainly not over, what is most interesting is the response put forward by the Liberal party. An organization which has spent the last four years weaponizing the idea of inclusivity in Canadian politics.

To see an organization focused on continuously calling out the opposition’s supposed “hate” drag their feet, and then drop the candidate only when the media found out, establishes deeply troubling optics when it comes to the Liberal party’s priorities in 2019.