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Montreal Gazette
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Housefather hopes to heal division in Mount Royal riding
Canadian Politics By Days after winning a fourth term as MP of the Mount Royal riding, Anthony Housefather said he will work to heal a divided community. With 51.1 per cent of the vote, Housefather won with a comfortable majority, with a margin of more than 5,000 votes over his Conservative opponent Neil Oberman, who received 40.5 per cent of the vote. However, it was the issue of the Jewish vote that weighed heavy in this campaign, as both candidates acknowledge that many from the majority Jewish city of Côte-St-Luc and town of Hampstead voted Conservative. Official results from Elections Canada were not available as of publication. Housefather said despite the rhetoric from many people on social media, the results showed the Jewish community didn't overwhelmingly reject his candidacy. 'I didn't lose the Jewish vote by massive amounts,' he said. 'I won the advance polls in largely Jewish areas, and on election day, I won many polls where Jews form the majority. Now that the election is over, my hope is that in the next election, I will win back all communities, and prove through my work as an MP that I deserve their vote.' Though Mount Royal has been Liberal for 85 years, it's not the first time the Jewish community rejected the Liberal party in this riding. Housefather's predecessor Irwin Cotler said he too lost the Jewish vote during the last two of his three terms. 'It's very similar to 2015, where Stephen Harper was very popular with the Jewish community,' Housefather said. In the months leading up to the election, many on social media expressed anger against the Liberal government for what they perceived as inaction against rising antisemitism. Housefather said he has no problem accepting criticism of his party and his record, but he found this campaign more difficult than others. He said there was a concerted effort on social media to attack his character. 'On a daily basis, there were some in our community who would post things attacking me five or six times a day,' he said. 'For someone who served the community for 30 years, whether people like what I've done, I think I've always done my best, and I think I delivered for the community. It was deeply hurtful and I have to now get over that and I have to try to bring everyone together and I am going to try to do that.' For his part, Oberman said he's proud of the campaign he waged. His 40.5 per cent of the vote was the largest share by a Conservative candidate since 1958, according to statistics from the Library of Parliament. 'I think we sent a strong message to the Liberal Party of Canada that the Jewish community will not tolerate being disrespected, or not being heard,' Oberman said. 'What I think we need to see from the federal government is leadership, and it needs to come by ensuring our streets are removed of those who wish to break the law and attack minority communities. We need to make sure university campuses are protected by ensuring laws are applied.' He said he will continue to fight for the community, and that he's 'not going anywhere.' At the Côte-St-Luc Shopping Centre this week, many of those who voted on Monday said they were pleased with the result. 'I'm happy that Anthony Housefather won,' said a Ruby, a Jewish woman who lives in Côte-St-Luc. 'He's a good man, very honest; he's straightforward, and he's a very hard worker.' She added she didn't think the anger against Housefather was warranted. 'Why were people angry? You have to ask them.' Another woman said she was disappointed with the result. 'We were hoping for a change, and I was surprised,' said Katie, who is also Jewish. 'I feel there was no support to try to (combat) antisemitism. I was disappointed. I don't think (Carney) supports or cares, while (Pierre) Poilievre was very expressive in support of the Jewish community in his promise to defund universities that have (problems with antisemitism).'
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Bedford man accused of sexually assaulting a girl over 20 years ago
BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Bedford man is in jail after a woman came forward to state police claiming he sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions over 20 years ago. Troopers said they spoke to the victim in November 2024 when she accused Charles Wayne Oberman, 40, of raping her when she was eight and nine years old between 2001 and 2003. Oberman would have been 17 and 18 years old at the time of the alleged assaults. The woman told state police she lived in South Woodbury Township in the early 2000s where she said most of the incidents occurred. According to a criminal complaint, the first incident happened when the woman claimed she and Oberman were playing video games in her parent's bedroom. POLICE: Bedford man caught with 'numerous' child pornography files She alleged that Oberman told her that he would give her a present if she won the next level but if she lost 'she would have to give him a gift,' the affidavit reads. The woman explained to troopers she didn't understand what Oberman was referring to and thought it meant like a gift on Christmas. When she won the level in the game, the woman claimed Oberman told her to lie on her parents' bed before he performed a sexual act on her. According to the complaint, the two continued to play the game and Oberman allegedly forced her to perform a sexual act on him when she failed to complete the next level. Troopers noted this incident was believed to have occurred in the Fall of 2001. The woman described another alleged incident in the Spring of 2002 when Oberman wanted to 'play house.' She claimed Oberman covered her mouth with his hand while he forcefully assaulted her. During the Summer of 2002, another sexual assault allegedly occurred at the woman's relative's house. She told state police Oberman made her touch him inappropriately before going swimming in a pool. According to the complaint, Oberman later assaulted and then raped the girl on the pool patio. The woman claimed she blacked out during the assault and then remembered Oberman splashing her with water. The woman detailed two other incidents that happened in the late Summer of 2002 and the Summer of 2003. Both assaults involved Oberman allegedly forcing the then nine-year-old to perform a sexual act on him. Immediately after the 2002 assault, the woman claimed Oberman threatened her that if she told anyone what happened 'he will start doing this to her sister,' according to the affidavit. Oberman was arraigned Thursday morning before being taken to Bedford County Prison where he's being held on $300,000 bail. He was charged with one felony count of rape of a child, five felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, two felony counts of aggravated assault of a person less than 13 years of age, and nine misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
