The defeat of the Liberal Government in the Provincial elections held here this week is considered by many Jews a matter of serious concern. The Jewish community finds some consolation in the utter rout of the extremist Bloc Populaire – the party which has preached extreme nationalism, bigotry and race hatred.
The new provincial legislature may now be controlled by the Union National Party under the leadership of Marice Duplessis, but the Liberals will have a strong representation and will be able to curb any drastic changes or laws by the new government.
The Union Nationale party also contains elements who are unfriendly to the Jewish people and its leader has gained for himself notoriety by his oft-repeated use of the ill-famed “Roskowitz letter” which purported to expose a Jewish-Liberal conspiracy to flood the province of Quebec with 100,000 Jewish refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe. The Union Nationale party has elected 46 deputies, barely a working majority, and many express doubt whether it will be able to remain long in power. The Legislature of 91 will contain one lone Jewish deputy, Maurice Hartt K.C., who has been reelected in the St. Louis Division of Montreal.
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.
