NDP Mistake, in today’s published in The Coast — a letter:  here’s what I wrote:

“In last week’s City article “Pushing behind the glass ceilings of BIPOC political representation,”writer Julia-Simone Rutgers raises the good point: in all four Metro ridings, there has only every been a “smattering” of racialised candidates, and none ran for the major parties in Monday’s federal election.  But one recent incident was left out.

Rana Zaman emigrated from Pakistan when she was a child.  A community activist who supports many worthwhile causes, Zaman won the federal NDP nomination in Dartmouth Cole Harbour.  However, after her nomination the national headquarters of the NDP in Ottawa told her she had to resign.  Her “crime” was she tweeted in favour of Palestinians’ human rights and condemned Israel for killing thousands of Palestinians in Israel’s recent deadly attacks on Gaza.  Though she apologized publicly, it was not good enough for the NDP.

What happened to Rana Zaman has been the subject of much negative commentary and has left some NDP supporters with a bad taste in their mouths.  The treatment Zaman received must be examined and criticized and never repeated.”

Your friendly scribe,  injured but typing with bandage and bling.