Poilievre Urges CBC Defunding Following Correspondent's Remarks on Hamas Leader's Death

Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has called for defunding the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) following controversial remarks made by one of its correspondents. The call to action comes after CBC journalist Chris Brown expressed dismay over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh, who has been involved in political operations for Hamas, publicly celebrated the October 7 massacre in Israel, which claimed over 1,200 lives.

Brown posted on X (formerly Twitter), “If you are serious about negotiating a ceasefire, killing the guy on the other side who is negotiating it seems … like a deliberate effort to make sure it doesn’t happen.” This comment sparked outrage and prompted Poilievre to respond, “CBC is mourning the loss of the leader of Hamas, who carried out the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Destroy Hamas. Defund the CBC.”

Haniyeh, who has led Hamas' Politburo since 2017, recently spoke at a conference of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) in Doha, Qatar. During his address, he encouraged continued aggression, stating, “We should hold on to the victory that took place on October 7 and build upon it … the time has come for the Jihad of the swords,” as reported by the Middle East Media Research Institute. His stance on violence has been consistent, as evidenced by his 2012 declaration to Reuters that Hamas had not abandoned armed struggle and would persist with “resistance in all forms – popular resistance, political, diplomatic and military resistance.”

In response to the October 7 attacks, Poilievre released a statement condemning the violence and expressing solidarity with Israel. He stated, “I unequivocally condemn the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and the sadistic violence they have subsequently carried out against innocent civilians. Israel has the right to defend itself against these attacks and respond against the attackers. Canadians pledge their solidarity with all the victims.”

On October 11, Poilievre further denounced Hamas, calling it “a sadistic, genocidal, terrorist death cult” that must be stopped. He urged the government to take decisive action against Hamas, suggesting measures such as imposing stricter sanctions on Iran, which sponsors Hamas, and criminalizing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Iranian military organization that supports Hamas and Hezbollah.

The controversy over Brown's comments and Poilievre's call to defund the CBC highlights ongoing tensions surrounding media coverage of Middle Eastern conflicts and the accountability of public broadcasters. Poilievre's stance resonates with those who believe in taking a firm approach against organizations that promote terrorism and violence.

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