Hassan Guillet’s candidacy revoked over alleged anti-Jewish/Israeli statements

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Hassan Guillet

On August 30, 2019 the Liberal Party of Canada issued the following statement:

The insensitive comments made by Hassan Guillet are not aligned with the values of the Liberal Party of Canada. Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party have firmly stood against statements of anti-Semitism, hate, racism, islamophobia, homophobia, sexism, and all forms of discrimination. The Liberal Party strongly condemns all forms of discrimination, and the same is always expected of our candidates. Following a thorough internal review process that has been on-going for a few weeks, the Liberal Party of Canada has made the decision to revoke the candidacy of Mr. Guillet for the riding of Saint —Leonard Saint—Michel in this fall’s election.

On August 29, 2019 Hassan Guillet issued the following statement:

Clarify about some of my previous statements

I would like to clarify my position regarding some statements I have made in the past regarding the situation in the middle East:

1-if these statements could be considered offensive to some of my fellow citizens of Jewish confession I apologize for it. My intention was not to offend anyone. The lack of sensitivity of these statements does not reflect my personality or my way of being.

2-since I’ve evolved. Anyone who knows me, personally or by my works, knows that I am against hate, racism, anti-Semitism and violence regardless of the identity of the authors or victims.

3-we have seen in the last few years a lot of violence and unfortunately a lot of blood from the innocent victims has cast It touched us even here in North America, Quebec City and Pittsburg. Which must encourage us to unite all against hatred and violence.

4-as I said in my speech in Quebec city on February 2017, 3, in front of a hearing of 6000 people including our prime minister, the widows and the orphans of the mosque’s killing: it must be May the after 29 January 2017 be different from the before 29 January 2017. Indeed from this date I engaged myself as an activist against hatred and violence and as a missionary of peace and Inter-cultural and inter-cultural collaboration. We can check all my writing, my media interventions as well as my posts on social media to see the mission I’m doing. I speak in churches, synagogues, mosques, parks, community centers and wherever I can serve the cause of social peace and live-together. I also collaborated with Cardinal Lacroix and the rabin avi for the production of a documentary entitled “brothers of souls”. this documentary was filmed in three episodes, one at the archdiocese of Quebec City, one in the grand mosque of quebéc le Theatre of the killing, and one in the synagogue of Quebec City. This documentary is used as an educational tool in schools to cultivate the culture of diversity and the human brotherhood. On June 17th, 2019 I was invited with a representative of the tree of life in Pittsburgh to lecture at the Holly Blossom Temple in Toronto. The Conference was entitled “Antisémitism and Islamophobia: moving from hate to hope”.

5-as far as the Palestinian-Palestinian question is concerned, my reflection has led me to deeply believe that the conflict has last too long and generations have suffered and continue to suffer from it. A solution must be found in the dignity and respect of all. We, as Canadians, can only sympathize with the victims on all sides but we can’t impose a solution. The solution must come from the people directly involved.

6-personally as a Canadian citizen and as a future member of the parliament of Canada I support the Canadian values and values of the liberal party of Canada of inclusion, tolerance, opening and respect. I am committed to supporting the position of my party of neutrality and positive commitment to the parties concerned on the way to the search for a peaceful solution that stops the cycle of violence and helping the people of the region to find peace and Prosperity.

Allow me to finish with a quote from my address on June 17, 2019 at the Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto at an event in memory of the victims of the tree of life synagogue in Pittsburgh. The event was organized under the title: Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia: moving from hatred to hope:

“the only way to keep our mosques, our synagogues, and our churches open is to open our hearts”

To read Bnai Brith Canada’s statements on Hassan Guillet click here and here.

Update:

On August 31, 2019 Hassan issued the following statement:

This is not the whole truth and it is not the end. Certainly I will not abandon the thousands of people who have believed in me and want real change. Soon the truth will be known by all. We have an appointment with history.