Update: Canadian Network Disapproves of TV Host’s Anti-Israel and Anti-Jewish Remarks
February 6, 2012 12:35 by Simon PloskerWe republished HonestReporting Canada’s call for action against Quebec TV show host Stéphane Gendron, who lamented that “unfortunately, Israel has not yet collapsed” and that Israel “does not deserve to exist”. Thanks to the many of you who responded, the V-Network was bombarded with complaints and the story was picked up by a number of Canadian media outlets.
Courtesy of HonestReporting Canada, we republish the response of HRC and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs:
An Open Letter to V-Télé CEO Maxime Rémillard: V Must Assume Its Responsibilities (Jan.26, 2011)
Stéphane Gendron
From the onset of the recent controversy over Quebec TV host Stéphane Gendron’s comments denying Israel’s right to exist and incitement against Jews, V-Télé’s management has shown little understanding of the inflammatory nature of its host’s statements or willingness to address the problem seriously.
After Gendron claimed Israel made it a habit to “bulldoze” innocent Palestinians, V-Télé merely “reiterated” to the producers of Gendron’s show “the need for the program to adhere to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council’s guidelines”.
Clearly, Gendron was not impressed. In fact, throughout the Fall season Gendron accused Jews of “invent[ing] terrorism”, “steal[ing] the country from the Palestinians”, promoting French anti-Semite Dieudonné’s mocking of the Holocaust, and presenting Jews as being contemptuous of non-Jews, “an inferior ” in his own words.
Related post: Quebec TV Host Says Israel Doesn’t Deserve to Exist
Gendron’s hateful and discriminatory statements culminated in his regret that “unfortunately, Israel has not yet collapsed” and sentence that Israel “does not deserve to exist” broadcast on December 27.
In response to HonestReporting Canada’s criticism, V-Télé affirmed that it would now ensure that “when an issue is discussed, both sides are presented.” According to this logic, would balance be procured if V-Télé’s hosts made hateful and discriminatory statements against Muslims, Arabs, and Palestinians?
Oleg
10:05 pm
Feb 06, 2012
I live in Quebec. That is nationalist and deeply antisemitic province. The history of Quebec racism against the Jews counts hundreds of years. The “heroes” of Quebec separatists such as Lionel Groulx had strongly pro-Nazis ideology. There is not only one person like m. Gendron. There are also Norman Lester ( http://www.985fm.ca/in/normand-lester-959.html) and others. Now is the time to protest and to accuse in antisemitism the Quebecers nationalists publicly and not to speak with them like friends They are not friends at all. That is only way of action they will understand.
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HEJ
10:51 pm
Feb 06, 2012
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.
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Mickey Oberman
11:03 pm
Feb 06, 2012
There can never be unlimited freedom.
Unlimited freedom is anarchy.
When freedom of any kind is used to harm others that freedom must be curtailed.
Gendron’s odious emanations are meant to harm Jews and have no other purpose.
As Oleg said, Qubec does, indeed, have a long and inglorious history of rabid antisemitism which was and still may be, for the most part, due to the vituperations of the church.
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Laurie Dinerstein-Kurs
11:02 pm
Feb 06, 2012
Anti-Semitism hs never been erradicated.. Just buried. How deeply buried is the question. Befiore WWII – there waas little reason to bury it at all…it was always on the surface. If you didn’t think so – a little scratch never failed to uncover it. Aftrer WWII – it became PC to deny racism and anti-semitism and any malcontents who continued, often were reprimanded in some way.
AS is the way of the world….when the Jews were perceived as the underdog, the victims and the outcasts….sympathies were heaoed upon them. But, today is a new day. New “victims, underdogs and sympathies” are on the forefront.
Due to their very slick media campaign, the so called Palestinians have mastered the art of using media power. to their advantage. They have done a fabulous job of manipulating and redirecting sympathies.
To say that the Jews worldwide, and particularly in Israel have not been a match for getting their side out, for refuting misinformation, challenging lies, questioning slander and succinctly stating an accurate postion….would be saying the truth.
So, with the sands that lightly covered antisemitism, having buried just beneath the surface…now being blown away and brushed aside – the truth is once agasin out.
The resentment and hatred of anything Jewish is not going to go away., But, I would like to believe that after all our experience over the millenia – we can figure out how to deal with it and come out successfull – again!! We are too late to do the media better. We are not too late to not feed them fodder….in which I mean since we are held to a higher standard….we should meet it head on. NOT cave in to terrorism, NOT cave in to demands that are not in our best interests, NOT allow extremists to change our course or direction, NOT give in to fear of reprisals, NOT permit religious fanatics to change the course of our path, and certainly to do everything to maintain a reverent sense of righteousness in all we do… as my mothers simple philosophy stated: just.do the right thing.
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Ash Donner
1:41 am
Feb 07, 2012
The comments from Stephane Gendron should no longer be accepted in any democracy. He must be removed from working in radio and TV. Those like Stephane Gendron, manage to work in media and rant their hate and bias but it MUST be stopped and people must speak out against it. His inaccurate comments about Israel are notably anti-semetic.
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Karin Berryman
2:40 am
Feb 07, 2012
I can’t get this link put on my F/B. Tell me; when this person has the power to influence hundreds of millions of people through his position in the media, no doubt inciting a good many of them to find ways to express their hatred toward a race, how does he differ from Hitler? Hypocrite! He’d be the first to attack another’s political incorrectness if it didn’t ally itself with his position.
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Mickey Oberman
5:54 am
Feb 07, 2012
Karin,
“Hundreds of millions”?
He simply does not have that kind of magnetic personality.
A few thousand is more accurate but still far too many.
With any luck his wish that Israel should not exist will very soon be his well deserved fate.
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Martin Rub
3:02 am
Feb 07, 2012
Please tell Gendron that I would like to meet him in person to show how Jews respond to Nazis like him. Sincerely, Martin Rub
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Oleg
3:29 am
Feb 07, 2012
Let me know. I want to join you. And I will join any manifestation protesting each time this Nazist show up on TV
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PAthena
3:11 am
Feb 07, 2012
Stephane Gendron does not only hate Jews, but he is ignorant of the history of the names “Ples “Palestine” and “Palestinian.” The Roman Emperor Hadrian changed the name of Judea to “”Palestina” in 135 A.D. after having defeated the last Jewish rebellion under Bar Kochba. He intended to eradicate all memory of Judea and the Jews, outlawed Judaism, and renamed Jerusalem “Aelia Capitolina” (“Aelius” was his gens name).
From that time on, the name “Palestine” was synonymous with “land of the Jews” and “the Holy Land” (since Jesus was a Jew), and “Palestinian” was synonymous with “Jew.” That is why Great Britain after World War I was given the “Palestine Mandate” to be the “homeland of the Jews.”
The history rewrite of calling Arabs “Palestinians” with all the propaganda against Israel comes from the decision in Cairo in 1964 by Gamal Nasser, ruler of Egypt, and the Soviet Union, both haters of Jews, to invent the “Palestine Liberation Organization” (P.L.O.). they wanted to destroy Israel.
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drbobsolomon
5:33 am
Feb 07, 2012
I assume M. Gendron the anti-Semite has asked his friendly deity whether Israel’s right to exist is his call — or His or Hers or Its or Theirs.
I also assume that Gendron is objective, as well as objectionable. If so, he knows he should also be asking the same Force whether his own tush has a “right to exist”. Oops, I hear an answer in the wintry skies. Watch that derriere, M.
And finally I assume that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob or Mary, Jospeh, and Jesus, who seems to have cared for 59 centuries or 21 about Israel’s existence is peeing, if that is possible for deities, over the simpler question of Gendron’s existence and may be ready to flush G. down the toilet. Bon voyage, my Canada seems cleaner, holier already.
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juan manuel c. del prado sr.
6:22 am
Feb 07, 2012
Perhaps, steohane’ gendron does not deserve to exist. citing an Arab adage: “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest his pubic hairs.”
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Anama
7:59 am
Feb 07, 2012
What do you want from this imbecile?
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Larry
9:45 am
Feb 07, 2012
This moron Stephane Gendron must also Believe Jesus should not exist. After all Jesus was a Jew from Israel.
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Hy
10:55 am
Feb 07, 2012
Stephane Gendron seems to be trying to build his own popularity on those who have anti-semitic leanings. The facts are:
Israel supplies the majority of electricity to the arabs in Gaza and the West Bank
Israel supplies most of the water to Gaza and the West Bank
Iaraeli Hospital Services are used by those in Gaza and the West Bank
Israeli medical staff train those in Gaza and the West Bank
In 1948 the Arab world went to war with the UN founded state with the intent to wipe it out.
When an entity goes to war it is “gambling on a win” It lost.
Gambling losses are never returned—–there is no valid claim of rights—-
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Sylvie Schapira
11:51 am
Feb 07, 2012
Come on guys this is enough complaining to each other. Now is the time for action. Unfortunately I do not live in Canada, (I live in the U.K. where we have our own anti-semites) but for those of you who do, and who live in Quebec, how about getting a group together and going down to the T.V. studios where Stephane Gendron works? Carry banners calling for him to be sacked. Invite the T.V. and press to be there. Get petitions up calling for that and hand them in to the T.V. station. Write to your newspapers, go on air. Get as much public attention as you possibly can. This is racial hatred with incitement to violence.
We have to organise ourselves to fight back. Anti-semites fight dirty. We need to have our dignity but to fight with passion. Passion for the land of Israel and Jewish survival. Don’t let ours be the generation that finally allowed the evil in the world to destroy us.
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Dani
3:01 pm
Feb 07, 2012
Interesting that Canada does not exercise a racial intolerance law, that makes it illegal for a person to incite racial hatred, to demean a race and/or person for whatever reason.
Gendron should be sacked for inciting racial hatred. He should also be barred, for life, for being able to work in the public arena voicing racial hatred. People such as Gendron have to be silenced, otherwise Jewish people, and other races will suffer torment, hate acts and other vile attacks on people due to their race or religious beliefs.
In Lancashire, UK is suffering the highest amount of physical and verbal racist attacks presently, the number is higher than that in London, UK/ What does this reveal about the way people think and feel about Jews, going about their daily lives in peace, tending to their careers, family with the usual attendant concerns about finances etc.
If I lived in Quebec I would join a march. Indeed how about organising a sit-in to take place over a weekend, when more people could attend? I agree with the above comments, Gendron must be sacked and black-listed from all media outlets – forever.
SHALOM
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Oleg
3:10 pm
Feb 07, 2012
You are right Sylvie! That is exactly what I think. Unfortunately I am an immigrant here and I am not able to organize this group. But I will certainly participate in any action. There are very strong Jewish organisations in Montreal but they prefer “peaceful” solutions. I was really disappointed when I read here that activists met and spoke with administration of this Nazis television channel and even where “satisfied”
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Michelle Albagli
7:58 pm
Feb 07, 2012
As a Québecois, Stéphane Gendron was no doubt brought up as a member of one of the most anti-semitic churches in the world. He has been brainwashed since birth. Ditto for his bosses and work colleagues. They won’t change – they don’t understand and don’t want to. They must be educated and contradicted constantly.
On the other hand, mocking M. Gendron’s name puts puts the mocker on the same level as the anti-semites. Stéphane is just the French equivalent of Stephen – English is not the only language in the world. Being gay won’t affect your world. Don’t be so closed-minded – you bring yourself down to the level of those you condemn.
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Aerts Francois
11:46 pm
Feb 07, 2012
After an incredible amount of genocides (Armenian, Shoah, Cambodja, Rwanda etc…) and a staggering amount of murders, we should finally acknowledge our incapacity to rule this world. Murdering and committing genocide demonstrates our evil nature, which is stronger than our good nature. If we fail to follow up on the religious laws of our Creator, we will always end up on the losing side. Remember the teachings of Christ : it is OUR responsability to start improving this world through demonstrating love and acquiring wisdom (much better than knowledge) OURSELVES. Don’t wait for politicians to do this, they are caught up in a selfish world, and they love to twist the truth to meet their own goals.
Shame on you, Stéphane Gendron. You should love the Jewish people as much as the Arab people, as much as the Québecois. None of them deserves a genocide. Everybody should be living in the peace of the Creator, the Highest One. The first victim of incitement to hatred will be your own soul.
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Elizabeth
7:26 am
Feb 08, 2012
V Tv and their host Mr.. Gendron’s incitement of anti- semitism should be stopped .
I would suggest that the sponsers of this programming be flooded with calls, informing them ,that you refuse to buy their products and that you will certainly be informing all your friends and neighbors about the atrocious anit-semitic program they are sponsering.
Commericals are big money that tv stations do not want to loose. Hit back and
aim at the pocket book. Start calling and don’t let up. Remember the old saying,
” Money talks “.
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Jayson Rex
12:59 pm
Feb 08, 2012
As a Canadian, I feel embarrassed but not surprised by Mr. Gendron antisemitic stance. After all, so many French Canadians, Catholics to the bones, hate the Jews and, by extension, the State of Israel that it does not pay to get upset. The overall strategy should be “hit them where it hurts most and move on”.
Quite frankly, who cares what those professional failures say or think? Maybe their fathers or mothers do, but hardly anyone else.
When the sub-humans started agitating in favor of “Quebec libre”, the Jews moved to Toronto and made out of that city the economic powerhouse of Canada in substitution of Montreal. As an Ontarian in good standing, I would like to thank PQ and its acolytes for helping us grow while Quebec shrank to an unrecognizable size.
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yehuda
6:07 pm
Feb 08, 2012
It is unfortunate you express much prejudice toward Quebec and French canadiens.A National movement was and is a legitimate inCanada and they were not sub-humans.Rene Levesque was a reporter for the CBC during WW2,and witnessed the camps,His policies were not anti-semetic.We Jews who remained in Quebec do not experience racism of the 1950′s.Today ,Quebec is a society rapidly changing,with inter-marriage between the various cultures.Oh, by the way,you should know that many sons and daughters of those who fled Quebec in the 70′s to Toronto and west are now residing in Montreal and environ, and speaking French willingly.The world changes,so can you.
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SLG
5:33 pm
Feb 10, 2012
Although Yehuda has stayed in Quebec, I feel that he is glossing over the situation and looking at the Province through rose coloured glasses. (Please note that I used to travel to Montreal a great deal, speak passable French but reside in Toronto.)
The Catholic Church does not have the hold on the population that it did in the past (birth control, marriage, divorce etc.). The province has the lowest birth rate in Canada. As a result Quebec has actively encouraged French speaking immigrants. The immigration of significant numbers of francophone North African and Lebanese Arabs has injected a different perspective in popular and elite Quebec discourse on the Middle East. These groups have brought with them a history of anti-Israel/anti-Semitism. According to Statistics Canada, in 2001, close to 125,000 people of Arab descent, 36% of the total Arab population in Canada, lived in Montreal. Figures that were released by Quebec’s Ministry of Education show that there has been a sharp increase over the last five years in the number of students enrolled in Quebec’s French schools whose mother tongue is Arabic. It now is larger than English.
In April 2004 bombing of a Jewish school’s library in Montreal. It turned out the bomber was an eighteen-year-old Lebanese immigrant to Quebec.
“There have also been a number of fire bombings of Jewish temples and schools within the district of Outremont. In September 2006, a Jewish school was fire bombed. On May 12, 2007, a young Hassidic Jewish man was attacked. In March 2010, a synagogue was vandalized with swastikas and was categorized as a hate crime by police. A crime wave in April 2010 attacked many synagogues in Outremont bringing fear to the Jewish community. Residents described a “gang atmosphere” purveying the area with muggings and home break ins occurring in broad daylight.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outremont,_Quebec
Earlier in 2011, six Montreal Jewish institutions were vandalized, causing damage to four synagogues, a Jewish school and a daycare center.
According to League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada Anti-Semitic incidents have risen in the province by 34% (from 228 in 2006 to 305 in 2010).
While we don’t know the ethnicity of the perpetrators, we do know the Province has a history. Why not read “The Traitor and the Jew” which exposed Anti-Semitic and Nazi-sympathizing sentiments in Depression-era Quebec by Esther Delisle? She is working on a second book, this one about an underground “pipeline” that enabled French Nazi collaborators and war criminals to escape to French Canada after World War II.
To use your point that intermarriage rates are high in Quebec. My comments illustrate that the institutionalized anti-Semitism of past-Quebec combined with new immigrant anti-Semitism have resulted in a downward spiral. In 1971 the Montreal Jewish community peaked at a population of almost 200,000 people and now the city has only 93,000 Jews.
Yehuda please continue to build bridges with Francophone’s but do not apologize for them.
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Delia
2:54 pm
Feb 08, 2012
We have to kill such son of b….ch.
People like Torquemada is not enaough to protest with, they are our enemies and must be killed.
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Oleg
3:03 pm
Feb 08, 2012
looks like a provocation
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Sydney
2:08 am
Feb 10, 2012
I am a Christian and I recognise the right of Israel to live in peace and prosperity. NO ONE, NO ONE has the right to decide if a Nation deserves to exist or not. Israel is the USA’s best friend. Long live Israel.
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Arthur Brociner
9:36 pm
Feb 10, 2012
Stephane Gendron has willfully and repeatedly incited hatred against Jews who are an “identifiable group”, a “section of the public distinguished by race, religion and ethnic origin”.
The senior management of V-Network has wilfully and repeatedly offered this person to use its airwaves as a platform to exert his hate propaganda against Jews.
HonestReporting Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs should therefore sue this Stephane Gendron as well as the senior management of V-Network under sections 318, 319, and 320 of the Criminal Code of Canada for Hate Propaganda.
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