Anti-Semitism | Tense exchange between Pierre Poilievre and Mélanie Joly

(Ottawa) An explosive exchange about the situation in the Middle East between the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, led the latter to demand an apology from her interlocutor.

Mr. Poilievre on Monday accused the minister of “giving in to Hamas sympathizers in the Liberal Party as part of her leadership campaign rather than doing her job.”

The Conservative leader criticized M^me Joly, during question period, for not having taken two opportunities that he had previously given him to “condemn the terrifying and increasingly common anti-Semitic chants that we hear in the streets”.

The minister immediately jumped from her seat to announce that the day of October 7, marking the 1^er anniversary of the surprise attack by Hamas against Israel which kicked off the war raging in the Middle East, was a poor choice for “playing politics”.

“We are all, I hope, in this House, against any form of anti-Semitism and discrimination and I really hope that my colleague opposite will apologize,” she retorted. His liberal colleagues then stood up and applauded wildly.

Mr. Poilievre then returned to the charge by maintaining that October 7 is a favorite day for “a government to stand up for what is right.”

The Minister of Justice, Arif Virani, then responded, delivering a plea against anti-Semitism.

Minister Joly expressed her exasperation to reporters after question period, as she went to a cabinet meeting, calling Mr. Poilievre’s attitude “completely unacceptable.”

“He made sure to emphasize what divides us rather than what unites us and that is completely absurd. Clearly, this guy is not ready to be prime minister, and Canadians and Quebecers are entitled to much better than that,” she said.

As she did earlier on Monday, the minister mentioned having spoken to the relatives of Canadian victims who lost their lives on October 7, 2023.