Nova Scotia NDP, candidate part ways after concerns raised by Jewish organizations

Candidate Apologizes and Steps Down from Nova Scotia NDP Amid Controversy Over Israel and Holocaust Comments

A candidate for the Nova Scotia NDP has issued an apology and announced that she will no longer be running for the party in the provincial election following backlash over her comments on Israel and the Holocaust.

On Friday, the Atlantic Jewish Council and Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs released a joint statement expressing their concerns about social media posts attributed to Tammy Jakeman, who was slated to represent the NDP in Eastern Passage.

According to the organizations, the remarks made by Jakeman regarding Israel and the Holocaust were deemed as hurtful, inflammatory, and “deeply troubling.”

In their statement, the groups highlighted that recent posts on social media by Jakeman “accused Israel of genocide, belittled Holocaust remembrance efforts, and portrayed Israel as being ‘happiest when terrorizing Palestinians.'”

They have called on NDP Leader Claudia Chender to explain why Jakeman was permitted to run under the party’s banner and urged the party to disassociate itself from the controversial comments.

While CBC has not independently verified the content of the posts, it appears that Jakeman’s social media account has been deleted.

The NDP informed CBC on Saturday that Jakeman had submitted her resignation. In a statement, the party emphasized that Jakeman aligns with their commitment to prioritize addressing the issues facing Nova Scotians during the campaign.

“New Democrats are dedicated to upholding the safety and respect of all members of the Jewish community and individuals of all faiths in Nova Scotia. We understand that all candidates running for office bear a responsibility to ensure that their statements do not cause unwarranted harm,” the statement read.

Although the party declined to provide further comment on the matter, they confirmed that they had officially requested Elections Nova Scotia to remove Jakeman as a candidate before 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

With the nomination deadline having passed on November 6, no other NDP candidate can be put forward for Eastern Passage. However, it remains a possibility for Jakeman to pursue an independent candidacy.