Ousted Liberal candidate says party was aware of his online comments for weeks

Ousted Liberal candidate Hassan Guillet admits to posting online about aHamas-aligned activist, butsaysthe party was well aware of his comments and were even working on a public relations plan before theywithdrew his nomination.

Last week, the Liberal Party dumped Guilletas a candidate in Quebec after a Jewish human rights groupaccused him of makinga number of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements.

In astatement posted to its website Friday,B'nai Brith Canada allegesGuillettcongratulated a Hamas-aligned activist, RaedSalah,upon his releasefrom a "prison of occupied Palestine" and prayed that he would one day succeed in liberating "all of Palestine." The group said he described Salah as "frontier-fighter."

The group also said it found a since-deleted Facebook post from 2016in whichGuillet allegedly wrote "the Zionists control American politics."

The group said it reached out to the Liberal Party more than a week ago to make it aware of their allegations against him. The Conservative Party also called for his withdrawal.

Later that day, the Liberal Party said Guillet's "insensitive comments" don't align with the party's values and revoked his candidacy in the riding of Saint-LonardSaint-Michel.

Guillet held a press conference in the riding on Wednesday, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with supporters. He said the party was aware of the contents ofhis Facebook page since at least Aug. 8 andalready had discussed an action plan that involved reaching out to the Jewish community.

Guillet, a member of the Council of Quebec Imams who gained national attention after delivering a speech in Quebec City honouring victims of the Quebec mosque shooting, saidhe did congratulateSalahafter he wasreleased from prisonbecause he had protested the closure of a Jerusalem mosque,but insisted he wasn't aware of his background.

Liberals say decision is final

"The party either knew or should have known what it contained. Why, then, if these words were so problematic, why was my candidacy ... accepted?" he said. "One is entitled to ask the question, was it incompetence or bad faith?

"I am not anti-Semitic. On the contrary, I campaigned and I will always campaign against all forms of racism, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism."

Guilletsaidamember of the Liberal Party approached him Friday and said he could resign for personal reasons or the party would withdraw its support.

The Liberal Party isn't changing its mind.

"Following an internal review, the Liberal Party of Canada took the appropriate steps to remove Mr. Guillet as the Liberal candidate forthe riding of Saint-LonardSaint-Michel. That decision is final," said party spokesperson Parker Lund in an email Wednesday.

Neither isB'naiBrithCanada.

"Today's press conference only confirms our position that HassanGuilletis not fit to carry the Liberal Party banner," saidMichael Mostyn,the group's chief executive officer.

"Weare satisfied with our role in exposing his anti-Semitic statements, and disappointed that he spurned an opportunity to retract them."