Two Ontario New Democratic Party (ONDP) riding associations have taken the extraordinary step of demanding a leadership review and the subsequent resignation of party leader Marit Stiles.
The Hamilton Centre ONDP Riding Association and the Kitchener Centre Riding Association issued separate calls for a comprehensive review of Stiles’ leadership and her resignation, respectively, after Ontario MPP Sarah Jama was removed from caucus over comments pertaining to the Israel-Hamas war.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Hamilton Centre ONDP Riding Association Executive expressed outrage over MPP Jama’s expulsion and called for her reinstatement.
The statement reads, “We demand that the ONDP rescind their removal of MPP Sarah Jama from the ONDP caucus immediately and we demand a review of the leadership of Marit Stiles by any and all appropriate means.”
Jamawas removed from the NDP caucus after refusing to retract statements in which she expressed anti-Israel sympathies, including labeling Israel an “apartheid regime” and accusing it of committing “atrocities” in the Gaza strip.
Jama has since stood by her statements, further igniting the controversy.
The Ontario Legislative Assembly subsequently voted to censure Jama and strip her of her privileges within the assembly, condemning her statements as “antisemitic,” “discriminatory,” and seen as supportive of Hamas terrorists.
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles justified Jama’s expulsion, stating that they had initially agreed to keep her in the caucus under the condition that she worked in good faith with the NDP caucus with “no surprises.”
Stiles claims that Jama operated independently, undermining the collective work of the NDP and creating an unsafe work environment for some party staff.
In turn, the ONDP Kitchener Riding Association also voiced their concerns regarding Jamas’ expulsion, writing to Stiles, “Your decision to remove Hamilton Centre MPP Sarah Jama from caucus for defending human rights and opposing war is of grave concern to us. She rightly refused to stay silent about one of the worst ongoing atrocities of the 21st century.”
“The culmination of all of the above and your failure to nurture a sense of solidarity within the ONDP community and beyond, as well as your failure to lead conscientously with courage and principle during an complicated and dangerous time when fascism is on the rise globally, has lead us to the drastic action of demanding your resignation, immediately,” wrote the ONDP Kitchener Riding Association.
Jama has threatened to sue Ontario Premier Doug Ford for defamation in response to his continued condemnation of her views.
