For Immediate Release
Toronto, November 22, 1996... B'nai Brith Canada today condemned Le Soleil columnist Michel Vastel for remarks he made during an interview on CKVL yesterday. Twice during the course of his interview with host Pierre Pascau, Vastel blamed Jews for killing Christ.
The interview was a response to B'nai Brith's call for renaming a Montreal metro station which bears the name of the xenophobic cleric Lionel Groulx. The organization suggested that the name of the late Paul Emile Cardinal Leger might be appropriate.
Professor Stephen Scheinberg, national Vice-President of B'nai Brith stated: "The charge of Jews as ‘Christ killers’ sent millions of our people to their deaths through the ages. We have not seen or heard such a repulsive attack on the Jewish community in many years. We had hoped that Vatican II had dispelled that myth."
Allan Adel, Chairman of B'nai Brith's League for Human Rights said: "Quebec and Canada cannot show any tolerance for the bigotry exhibited by Vastel. We are sure that all good Quebecers will join us in condemning his outrageous remarks".
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