November 27, 2023 – In a recent visit to a Hamilton mosque, Mississauga Mayor and Ontario Liberal Party Leadership frontrunner, Bonnie Crombie, found herself at the center of a heated exchange regarding her stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Videos circulating on social media captured a confrontational moment where Crombie was pressed to condemn the killing of innocent civilians and take a stance on the ongoing conflict. A man in the mosque questioned her affiliation, asking whether she sided with the Muslims or the Israelis based on her alleged attendance at an Israeli lobby conference.
The video titled “Hamilton Muslims calling out Mayor Bonnie Crombie for not calling for a ceasefire” showed individuals urging her to make a simple tweet advocating for peace. “It takes 10 seconds to make a tweet,” they yelled out. Crombie did not respond. Another question posed was whether she would condemn Israel, to which Crombie referred to a statement she would be putting up some time in the future.
One woman can be heard saying “We’re not children. We’re grown ups. Don’t talk down to us anymore. Or you will not get the Muslim vote.”
A day later, Crombie’s campaign did issue a statement expressing gratitude for the mosque invitation and acknowledging the community’s concerns. The statement included her appeal for peace and an end to violence, but some found it fell short of addressing the specific questions posed during the encounter.
Critics argue that Crombie’s lack of a clear stance on the Middle East conflict is concerning, especially given her potential role as the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. The response ranged from call her position ‘weak’ to being critical of her decision to wear a headscarf.
This incident with Mayor Bonnie Crombie’s mosque visit has drawn comparisons to a 2017 controversy involving then Premier Kathleen Wynne visiting a mosque in Toronto. In both instances, controversies arose, raising questions about the judgment and preparedness of these leaders when confronted with sensitive issues. The parallels between Crombie and Wynne highlight a consistent pattern of awkward encounters and questionable decision-making within Ontario’s political landscape.
While maintaining her position as the frontrunner in the Ontario Liberal Party Leadership race, Crombie faces criticism spanning a broad spectrum of political ideologies for her handling of the recent incident. Explore the public response to the incident below:
