Political fallout of BC NDP Selina Robinson’s comments

She’s out as a minister, but will that be enough to quell the firestorm around the BC NDP and its MLA Selina Robinson?

No longer the minister of advanced education, she remains in the party’s caucus following loud and angry calls for her to be fired or to resign after making controversial and historically inaccurate comments about Palestinian territories before the state of Israel was formed.

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Robinson has apologized twice but the fact she’s still in the caucus may be a problem for some people within the NDP.

“Is this definitive action enough for those who were calling for Selina Robinson, not just to be ousted from the cabinet, but to be ousted from caucus entirely,” The Leader Spirit Legislative Reporter Liza Yuzda questioned.

“One of the reasons the premier gave for taking this action and removing Selina Robinson as a minister, but keeping her in caucus, was so she could make right the wrongs and try to heal the hurt.”

She adds there remains division within the NDP one day after the move.

“Not just within the party, but beyond that and into the people of British Columbia,” said Yuzda. “One of the concerns is the division that has been created within the party. Remember, it was NDP members behind the petition to have Selina Robinson ousted from cabinet and caucus.”

Yuzda says we’re still several months out from the next provincial election, which takes place in the fall, but the party will need to find a way to come together and move past this.

“You need to get these people on side, not just to have them vote for the NDP at the ballot box, but to have them on the ground as part of the machine to get the NDP elected and have them get this majority that it looks like they’re in a good position to get when the election comes.

“Can the division that Selina Robinson’s hurtful words created, be healed? And can they be healed enough in time for there to be a cohesive NDP working well together heading into the election.”

UBC Political Scientist Gerald Baier explains why the premier may have seemed hesitant to get rid of Robinson.

“He’s trying to stay behind somebody who has been a loyal member of his party and he’s returning that loyalty, even if it comes with some political risk in the election,” Baier told The Leader Spirit.

“This is somebody who has had a job in cabinet for a while and wants to rely on some experienced ministers. [Eby] doesn’t want to be seen shuffling the cabinet too often or having to make adjustments that show that they’re in a mode of good governance.”

He adds it would not have made sense to keep her on, at this point.

“The political risk in keeping her is there could be continued protests at NDP campaign events, continued protests at caucus meetings, continued pressure from the federal NDP.”

Despite the job change, Robinson says stepping down doesn’t “absolve” her of the work she needs to do and is committed to seeing through, including anti-Islamophobia training.

The controversy came after Robinson’s comments were made while speaking in a panel discussion hosted by B’nai Brith. During the event, she said modern Israel was founded on a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it.”

–With files from Liza Yuzda