Jewish community calls on Quebec premier to call to order candidate for remarks on Jewish General Hospital

MONTREAL, QC, Nov. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - Tania Longpré, the Parti Québécois (PQ) candidate in the upcoming by-election in the riding of Viau, recently endorsed the removal of the word "Jewish" from the Jewish General Hospital of Montreal and the prohibition of circumcision.

With the PQ already proposing in the name of an ill-conceived form of secularism to exclude visible religious minorities from working in the public service and from sitting in the National Assembly, the Jewish Community of Quebec is extremely disturbed and shocked that the PQ now has a candidate who supports the disappearance of Quebec's Jewish history and patrimony, and the prohibition for Jews to practice an ancient tradition at the heart of their identity.

"If adopted, the Parti Québécois' bill on secularism will result in prohibiting Jewish doctors who wear a kippa from practicing in institutions other than in Jewish establishments. In doing so, the Parti Québécois will force the Jewish General Hospital to return to its origins, as a haven for Jewish doctors looking to practice their profession - and this, only for a limited transitory period -  because other hospitals were closed off to them," declared Luciano G. Del Negro, Vice-President (Québec) of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. "Clearly, these discriminatory measures are still not enough to satisfy their candidate in Viau," he added.

We call upon Madame Pauline Marois, the leader of the Parti Québécois and Premier of all Quebecers, to call her candidate to order for this attack on Jewish identity and on the generosity provided by the community to the benefit of all Quebecers for many generations. We also call upon the Quebec government to respect the historical legacy of the Jewish community of Quebec.

SOURCE: Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

David Ouellette 
Associate Director, Quebec Public Affairs
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA)
514-294-4420
[email protected]