Dufferin Roblin, Prime Minister of the Province of Manitoba, and Gildas Molgat, leader of the Liberal Party’s Opposition in the Manitoba Legislature, denounced in the Provincial Parliament here the practices of an unnamed club in this city which discriminates against membership by persons who are Jewish or Ukrainian, “I personally,” said the Premier, “have refrained from Joining the club for exactly this reason. As head of the Government, I have made this principle clear.”
The criticisms of the club’s practices came up after Ed Schreyer, a member of Parliament representing the New Democratic Party, tried to introduce a bill forbidding the payment of government money for official events held at the club. The club is used by some Ministers for official entertainment of prominent visitors.
Premier Roblin, denouncing the discriminatory practice, asked Mr. Schreyer, nevertheless, to withdraw his proposed bill. He said that at the present time such a motion would do “more harm than good.” Mr. Molgat also announced that he has refused to ‘Join the club because of its bias. Mr. Schreyer withdrew his motion, but said he would reintroduce it next year if fees for the club were in the Government budget.
Three years ago, Saul Cherniack,a leader of the Jewish community here, who was at the time an alderman, introduced a bill in the Winnipeg City Council, to cut off membership in the club for city officials. At that time, officers of the club admitted there were no Jews among the members, but maintained that the organization’s constitution “does not bar them.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
