Canadian lawmaker loses bid to regain speaking rights in provincial legislature

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - A Muslim lawmaker lost her court battle to regain speaking rights in the Ontario provincial Legislature, Canadian media reported Wednesday.

Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Sarah Jama was kicked out of the ruling Conservative Party by Premier Doug Ford after she demanded a cease-fire and “an end to all occupation of Palestinian land” by Israel in a post on X in October.

She was also censured by Ford, meaning she could attend the Legislature but had to remain silent, although she could cast votes and participate in committees.

She took her case to the courts in December. Jama and her legal team argued that the censure was an abuse of power that silenced her right to speak as an elected MPP.

But the court ruled last week that “parliamentary privilege” was in play and the court did not have the authority to intervene, CBC News reported.

“With this disappointing decision, the court is essentially stating that the Ontario Legislature can, with impunity, censor an elected opposition member with whom it disagrees,” Jama said in an email to CBC News.

“The courts are requesting I resolve this issue through political means. However, that would require me to fulfill the request of the Speaker of the Legislature, who has advised that before I can again be recognized I must disavow the statements that got me censured.”

Jama apologized for the post but refused to take it down, leading to her being censured by Ford and removed from the Conservative Party.

She also sued Ford after he posted that she had “a long and well documented history of antisemitism.” That case has yet to be heard.