The Liberals have axed the candidacy of Edmonton-area candidate and former Alberta NDP MLA Rod Loyola for past comments praising terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah.
Loyola made the comments during a 2009 anti-NATO protest when he was a rap musician and member of the group People’s Poets. Loyola said that Hezbollah and Hamas should be viewed as “national liberation” movements and “not terrorists.”
Both Hamas and Hezbollah have been listed as terrorist entities by Public Safety Canada since 2002.
”Organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas really are trying to stand up for their people and that needs to be recognized. These are movements for national liberation not terrorists,” said Loyola during the protest.
“Who’s a terrorist huh?” he rapped using the stage name Rosouljah. “We need a guerilla mindsite.”
Loyola has been previously scrutinized over his public support of Latin American socialist dictators such as Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.
He had been an NDP member of Alberta’s legislative assembly since 2015 but left the party earlier this week to pursue the Liberal candidacy.
Loyola said the reason for his departure was to enter federal politics so that he could help Liberal Leader Mark Carney win the election.
“Mark Carney and a Liberal government is what we need right now to build a stronger, sustainable and more equitable Canada,” wrote Loyola in his campaign launch announcement Monday.
Hams was responsible for the Oct. 7 2023 attack on Israel which resulted in the murder of 1,200 Israalis and the group taking 240 civilians hostage, many of which remain in captivity.
Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Shiite militia considered to be the most powerful non-state group in the Middle East with a stronghold in Lebanon.