December 8, 2010

An open letter to the NDP on CPCCA

Dear Olivia Chow: It was a pleasure meeting you and Jack at the Palais Royale on Saturday November 27 and discussing with you issues of mutual interest. I will be frank with you and tell you that our community is quite disappointed with the NDP's participation in the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat anti-Semitism (CPCCA).

The CPCCA is a racist entity since it believes in a hierarchy of types of racism by putting anti-Semitism above all other types of racism, and it ignores racism directed against Indigenous Peoples and racialized groups, and Islamophobia.

The Bloc Québécois called the CPCCA process "tainted and partisan" and withdrew its two MPs, Luc Desnoyers and Eve-Mary Thai Thi Lac, from the committee. You stated that the NDP did not follow suit and withdraw its two members because its policy is not to censor the personal views of its MPs.

With all due respect I do not accept this explanation. In the recent past the NDP demanded and obtained a common stand from all its MPs when the vote was called on the Gun Registry and Mining Ethics Bills, notwithstanding the personal views of some of its MPs. 

Regrettably, by allowing the two MPs to continue participating in the CPCCA the NDP turned its back on all other types of racism and failed to send a clear message that they firmly oppose racism.

Khaled Mouammar

National President, Canadian Arab Federation