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Liberals drop candidate in Montreal riding over comments described as anti-Semitic

Liberals said in a statement the comments made by Hassan Guillet do not correspond to party values
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Imam Hassan Guillet arrives at a gathering at the Pavillon de la Jeunesse, marking the first anniversary of the mosque shooting, Sunday, January 28, 2018 in Quebec City. The Liberal Party of Canada has dropped a Montreal-area candidate over past statements he made that were described as anti-Semitic by a Jewish advocacy group. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The Liberal Party of Canada has dropped a Montreal-area candidate over past statements he made that were described as anti-Semitic by a Jewish advocacy group.

Hassan Guillet will no longer be the Liberal candidate in the riding of Saint-Leonard-Saint-Michel, the party told The Canadian Press today.

The Liberals said in a statement the comments made by Guillet, a former imam, do not correspond to the party’s values.

B’nai Brith says it unearthed a series of old statements Guillet made on social media that have since been removed.

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In one of the comments publicized by B’nai Brith, dated July 8, 2017, Guillet welcomed the release from prison of Raed Salah, whom B’nai Brith described as a militant close to Hamas, which Canada lists as a terror group.

Reached by The Canadian Press before his removal was announced, Guillet said he wanted to talk with the Liberals before making any public statements.

The Canadian Press

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