For Immediate Release
Toronto, November 4, 1996... B'nai Brith Canada today called on Quebec's Lieutenant Governor, Jean-Louis Roux to go one step further than his response thus far, and categorically denounce his own actions as a Nazi sympathizer in the early 1940's, and to denounce anti-Semitism in all its forms.
In an interview in l'Actualite magazine, Roux not only admitted that he had worn swastikas during World War II and sympathized with fascist leaders, but that in 1942, he participated in a violent demonstration where windows of stores owned by Jewish merchants in Montreal were smashed.
His statement released to the media today, explaining his activities as youthful exuberance, is simply not enough. It is imperative that, in order to maintain the dignity of his office, Mr. Roux publicly, unequivocally and immediately condemn anti-Semitic sympathies and vandalism as absolutely wrong and misguided.
B'nai Brith has given Mr. Roux the opportunity to strengthen his initial response within 48 hours. Anything short of that will be unacceptable.
As a role model, Quebec’s Lieutenant Governor has a moral obligation in such matters, and cannot even appear to give tacit approval to hateful and violent anti-Semitic vandalism or hate crimes. Our community needs evidence that such acts will never again be tolerated and that there are consequences for all those who commit crimes motivated by hate, no matter when these crimes were committed.
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