B'Nai Brith Canada has asked Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion to remove new star candidate Jocelyn Coulon from an upcoming byelection in Montreal's Outremont riding because of his past stance on Israel. It says Coulon has a "well-documented anti-Israel bias," including sympathy for Hamas, that is "out of step with current Liberal policy."
Coulon, a political scientist and former journalist, has been a frequent commentator on international affairs since leaving journalism for an academic position at the Université de Montréal. In one opinion piece, dated Feb. 22, 2006, Coulon writes that Hamas won the Palestinian elections because of its commitment to fight corruption and help people — and the international community should not isolate it.
The Liberal party says it is proud to have Coulon as a candidate.
All this comes as Canada is resuming its financial support of the Palestinian Authority with an immediate contribution of $8 million to support the interim administration led by President Mahmoud Abbas.
Canada was one of the first Western countries to cut off funding after Hamas won the January 2006 Palestinian election.
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Should the Liberal Party reconsider Jocelyn Coulon as a candidate?
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Coulon, a political scientist and former journalist, has been a frequent commentator on international affairs since leaving journalism for an academic position at the Université de Montréal. In one opinion piece, dated Feb. 22, 2006, Coulon writes that Hamas won the Palestinian elections because of its commitment to fight corruption and help people — and the international community should not isolate it.
The Liberal party says it is proud to have Coulon as a candidate.
All this comes as Canada is resuming its financial support of the Palestinian Authority with an immediate contribution of $8 million to support the interim administration led by President Mahmoud Abbas.
Canada was one of the first Western countries to cut off funding after Hamas won the January 2006 Palestinian election.
Full story
Also see
Should the Liberal Party reconsider Jocelyn Coulon as a candidate?
More...