CTV
September 26, 2008
Stephane Dion began his day defending Lesley Hughes over accusations of anti-Semitism.
But by lunchtime Friday the Liberal leader had unceremoniously dumped the Winnipeg-area candidate in an abrupt move that seemed as much about removing the tarnish of intolerance from the party brand as it did with buffing his leadership image.
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Hughes came under fire for an old blog posting in which she suggested Israeli intelligence warned the United States in advance of the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center and that “Israeli businesses” vacated the premises beforehand.
Hughes later described herself as a “lifelong friend and supporter of the Jewish community in Winnipeg.”
Nonetheless, she apologized for the “perception” that she is anti-Semitic.
But the apology wasn’t enough for her party leader.
“The Liberal party’s commitment to tolerance and multiculturalism is paramount,” Dion said in a statement.
“I have reviewed the past comments of Lesley Hughes and it is clear they do not meet this standard. While I appreciate her apology, I cannot condone those sentiments in any way. I have therefore asked Ms. Hughes to step down as the Liberal party candidate in Kildonan-St. Paul.”
The firing strengthens the leader’s hand going into next week’s leaders’ debates.
The Tories chose at the outset of the campaign to make leadership a key issue and paint Dion as a waffler. Now, Dion can claim the political high ground over Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has refused to dispatch Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz over his listeriosis jokes and Tory incumbent Lee Richardson, who linked immigration with crime.
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