Greetings, friends. My name is Jess McLean, and I'm here to provide you with some blueprints

of disruption. This weekly podcast is dedicated to amplifying the work of activists, examining

power structures, and sharing the success stories from the grassroots. Through these discussions,

we hope to provide folks with the tools and the inspiration they need to start to dismantle

capitalism, decolonize our spaces, and bring about the political revolution that we know

we need. Why did the YMCA give me the YMCA Peace Medal for diversity and inclusion, and

then take it away about seven, eight days later. After assuring me that they would be working

with me because I'd made them aware that the Zionist lobby would not stop. They would not

stop. How it started, how this constant attack on me, that I have become a target. because

it falls on the shoulder of the NDP. That was Rana Zaman. And in a moment, we are going to

get an answer to that question and find out just how the NDP laid the groundwork for what

she's going through right now. If you're a longtime listener, this story will probably not surprise

you. It's another grassroots activist targeted for their Palestinian solidarity work, another

faux progressive institution bending to the will of Zionists. another candidate thrown

under the bus. And although this is as personal as it gets, you'll hear in Ronna's voice just

how deep this cuts. It would be a huge mistake to dismiss her story and others like it as

mere examples of individual grievances with the party. In part because the consequences

of this kind of behavior that you're gonna hear about, pure cowardice, are felt way beyond

the betrayed. They're helping to reshape the political landscape for the worse. Every time

the NDP or an organization like the YMCA, even unions, fail to defend their members from these

attacks, they provide fuel to our enemies. They validate those smear campaigns and help

isolate the very activists they pretend to celebrate. And they do it in the name of strategy. A losing

strategy, one rife with capitulations that has pushed the Overton window to the right

and broken the trust of membership. But a strategy they keep deploying nonetheless. But hey, if

this is all very shocking to you, there's a playlist linked in the show notes you need

to check out called Inside the NDP. Let's get to Rana's story, shall we? Welcome. Can you

introduce yourself to the audience? Hi, Jessa. First of all, thank you so much. Thank you

so much for giving me this opportunity to share my story. As you know, mainstream media will

never share it in its entirety or from the perspective and viewpoint as a pro-Palestinian activist.

And saying that, you want me to introduce myself. Whenever I meet people, they say, what do do?

I say, oh, I'm just a community volunteer. And that's what I see myself as. uh That's what

I do. I volunteer in the community in uh many different ways and with a lot of diverse organizations.

You were recently recognized for that work. The YMCA honored you with their Peace Medal.

They've since rescinded it. But the story is a lot deeper than that. So let's hear it

from your perspective. I got the award October 3rd. They emailed me. had a phone call and

I was shocked. I was shocked because again, the past context, I have been pretty much

boycotted from media. I told the Y, I'm really shocked. Are you sure you're giving it to me?

And at that time they assured me, yes, you were nominated by community. The committee

is a community committee and they uh saw your work and they uh awarded you that. So you are

being this award from the community. And what was it for? What did they cite as the reason

you were publicly cite the reason you were getting the award? Last year, someone from

another community, a newcomer, had nominated me um because of the work I did with them

and I supported and helped. And then they and I empowered, uplifted, and they saw the work

I was doing and they got to know me and they saw firsthand everything I was doing in the

community that no one was aware of. So based on that, they nominated me. I met with uh the

Y staff and the Y leadership because when you're a nominee, the nominator and nominee get to

meet at a meet and greet like a tea party to celebrate. And I got to meet them and I said,

you know what, this is such an amazing thing because this is my first recognition or award

or even recognition, acknowledgement. of my existence and my work since I've been cursed

since 2019. And I feel like the evil eye has been lifted thanks to my friend here who nominated

me and of course for you to recognize and then accept it. And they were like, no, no, we're

amazed at what you're doing and everything and we're so sorry you are definitely deserving

along with everyone else here. But it was a really super hard decision. um but we're so

glad you could join us and you're one. So they got to know me. But this lovely lady, she's

Palestinian, uh she nominated me and shared everything she knew about me. And when the

Y received it, they're like, when they said, yeah, Rana, this is the second time in a row

you've been nominated. Now it's clearly obvious that you are working with diverse communities.

Then they announced it on their page, on their YMCA page, and they had three pictures, which

one of them was mine. under the Diversity and Inclusion Peace Medal, and then they had the

other two recipients. And after that, they were doing individual stories of each person. I

hesitated because at that point, as soon as they put it out there, Benai Brith started

campaigning against me and put my picture out there on all their social media accounts. And

the Atlantic Jewish Council got involved. They actually got involved and probably informed

them, oh, look what's happening to this local person. And then apparently other organizations,

I think someone mentioned CJA as well, when I spoke to the Y, they did give me specific

names that we received communication from these organizations and they're concerned about giving

you the award. So I said, okay. And so I waited because I thought, well, they've done the campaign,

they're going to rescind it. So I'm now putting anything out there, right? And I myself did

not post that I received it. until down the road and I was given assurances that no, you

are receiving it despite the pushback we're getting and we're handling it right now. And

then apparently it did escalate to a much greater level where national board got involved. The

local Y, I have to give credit to them. They stood their ground, the staff, the committee,

the board, after speaking with me, addressing the concerns of when I breathed, CJ or AJC

because he's saying these are their concerns and I'm like everything that you heard either

their lies or they've taken it out of context. That little picture of that tweet or of that

little excerpt they gave is completely out of context out of the whole thing. We know

how they work. We a million times over. It's a playbook that they've used against you and

it makes me so angry. that you were never really able to enjoy getting that award, you know,

because you knew really what was going to come down the line because you'd already experienced.

mean, we had intended to tease the audience with it a bit, but you're right. Like there

is no telling this story without your previous experience with these same types of lobbyists

and these same types of tactics with unfortunately kind of similar results. So I actually spoke

to Brian in person two nights before the award. Before then I was dealing with other staff

and they were giving me assurances and everything. And I think when national got a push, that's

when they reached out to the CEO. And then it was, I believe, luck to him to speak with me

and see how best to move forward. And I had two sleepless nights because Brian called me

one day and we had a conversation. And he said, after speaking with you, Rana, and then

your personality, everything that's coming through, I see you as the way you've been written about

through the nominations. It is who you are. And that seems like the person who is deserving

of this award. said, the information I've been getting from other side, plus when I go and

see the post, some of them are quite harsh. And I'm like, in what way? I said, as a mother,

basically, I'm going to say to you. you guys as a mother of three as as a person with a

soul or even an iota of humanity it's going to shock and when the shock wears off it's

going to turn into anger and rage because we feel helpless as human beings watching small

children being blown to bits and then literally starved in front of our eyes innocent women

pregnant women being shot, killed, like, killed my sniper. And men running just to get food

for their families and being shot saying, yeah, you can come and get food here and then use

this target practice. The rage is there. So my posts seemed harsh, not vulgar. I didn't

use disrespectful language. And I said to him, I said, What have you seen? Is any of it inaccurate?

Are they uh untruths? I have shared it from sources that are on the ground, journalists,

um other organizations. And then, yes, I used my wording. My wording isn't going to be love,

la la la, love, love, sweetness. It's going to call out. the harm, the atrocities being

committed in language that people can understand. And also the decades long propaganda of Palestinians

are the problems. Palestinians are the hay-filled ones. Palestinians are animals, dehumanizing

them. And then are, you know, their favorite Hamas, Hamas, Hamas. Hamas didn't come into

exist until the 80s, but apparently Hamas has been the problem since 1948, right? Everything

is Hamas. So when I saw especially the pictures of the hostages that were released, the Israeli

hostages that were released by Hamas and the Palestinian hostages that were released by

Israel, basically I did a comparison and I said, Hamas didn't rape, torture, um abuse, violate

their hostages. They came out smiling, thanking them, hugging them. whereas the Palestinian

hostages, I can't even describe, starved, beaten, raped, abused, eyes gouged out. Some of them

have been there for years. For years, with no charges. With no charges whatsoever, just in

detention. And they're worried about the language you use to describe this. They are worried

that I, when I said, who are the real terrorists? Yeah, they don't like that. Who I said is

Hamas the real terrorist or who? Tell me again Hamas are the terrorists. There would be peace

and harmony on earth and Palestine and Gaza and floral flower reeds everywhere and happy

healthy glowing children with no checkpoints with no apartheid with no um wall creating

a barrier if Hamas wasn't there. I just wanted to kind of bring us back to your specific experience

a little bit and because it is astonishing that like folks worry about language, but as a front

facing organization, some of these institutions are very worried about optics and it doesn't

surprise me that they're policing your language or like we're foreshadowing a little bit

again, but knowing your work. having your social media available to peruse and giving

you the award. But then it wasn't so much what you said or did, but the pressure that they

feel. The pressure they feel from the lobbyists, it's unrelenting. They're very good at, you

know, phone banking and inundating with emails and pressuring uh folks from high up. And

they feel this pressure and they cave quite often. So Let's go back to the YMCA who like

know you're good people, right? They give you an award and now they start to feel this pressure.

And um this is bringing back a lot of feelings for you today because like I reached out because

of that post that you made on Facebook, you know, today or yesterday, I lose track of time,

um especially on social media. But it drew those parallels where, you know, you think

you're kind of in being accepted, um valued, and you have to deal with that kind of uh

disappointment from from institutions that you've kind of wandered into. Absolutely.

Do want to tell us like what it felt like when you finally realized you're kind of your your

fears have been confirmed that they weren't in fact going to give you that award or rather

they were going to take it back. And that was the worst part because I had pleaded with them.

really have. said, listen, do not, do not give me this award and then take it away. Oh no.

I said that to them. I am so sorry. Because I said to them, I've been through this now

twice. And it's not about the award or what it represents. It's opening me up. to such

a degree of violence and attack and abuse publicly and privately. And maybe when I was younger,

I had more stamina and I could take it. And I took it twice. I said, I'm much older now.

I have major health issues.

And I don't have that capacity, neither mental, emotional, and especially physical, to go through

that abuse again. I said, so please don't do that to me. And I was assured that as long

as when they set their criteria and I did not break what the values of the Y and the Peace

Medal represented. I didn't go against those values and that that medal would not be taken

away. And I was also sure that we would be working together and taking it one day at a

time because I said, you know, you're setting precedence. I said, you are setting precedence

when B'nai B'rith has pushed and you said, no, community is the one who's given our the award,

not us. community and we are honoring all these diverse communities. We understand your concerns

as another part of community, but we cannot overlook all this, you know, configuration

of greater community because of one community, smaller communities concerns. Now I don't

want you to have to, uh, I mean, if you feel like you need to, defend yourself or explain

a tweet. I don't want you to have to do that. It makes me mad actually that you feel like

you need to, but I understand why you do because it's inundated. This is what people are reading

about you. um But I will assure you that the audience listening is absolutely familiar with

the smear tactics of the Israeli lobby, of the Zionist lobby. And um they know that I have

been at that end from the NDP themselves as well. They kicked me out of the party using

very similar tactics. I will link that episode so we don't have to go over that again. But

the audience, may have remembered Sean McIlvary coming on the show and telling your story when

we talked to him about he's just kind of getting out of the party, giving up on being pragmatic,

trying to reform it from the inside. And he often cites your story from 2019 as his

awakening moment kind of in the party to see the suppression of pro-Palestinian voices,

most specifically, but also just anyone not willing to toe the company line absolute, right?

Faces, similar treatment. So let's let the audience in on that story as well, as similar

as it is to the YMCA, similar to how you told it on Facebook the other day, um becoming a

candidate and how that, or your quest to become a candidate and how that ended up unfolding.

And I want people to also keep in mind the process of vetting and nomination and control.

and these themes are, we are seeing again in the leadership race, right? As Ronna tells

her story. So in 2019, you thought, I'm going to run for the NDP. I can make a difference

somehow. We all have our story. I mean, you can share your reasoning. I did it too twice

and I, you know, we all were there, thought we could do good, thought maybe the institution

was good. And what happened, Ronna? So I'm not a political person. I hate the word when people,

try to malign me saying, she's a politician. That's a dirty word. It is. I'm not a politician.

If I was, I would have been far more successful by now. I am a people person. And I also believe

in being very transparent and open. Having built that transparency and trust by doing community

work, fundraisers, helping out those in need, I came to the attention of the NDP and other

parties, they're saying, oh, here's a Muslim woman of color doing great work and she's being

recognized with awards. That she's up and rising in that level, right, publicly. Gary Burrell

was the provincial NDP leader and someone invited me to have a meeting with him. We talked about

different things. He's a minister. I had come back from Hajj and I was on my path of devoting

my life in the name of God. for the betterment of others and bringing uh unity and harmony

to our community. That was my goal since I did my pilgrimage in Mecca. Okay, so now we're

talking 2016 roughly, that I meet Gary Burl. In that two years, I had started being in

so many organizations that I just didn't know who to say no to. So I thought my path was

I wasn't supposed to say no to anyone and just continue. So at one point I ended up on 13

different organizations and committees, volunteering. But that built the bridges that set the groundwork

for all of the networking and the bridge building and the great community work that we did together.

So I regard nothing of that. And after that meeting, felt, here's a person whose faith

has understands a path and I believe dignity, moral dignity and integrity. And I did lay

it out very flatly. This is the kind of person I am and I'm a team player, but if you ask

me to jump, I'm not gonna say how high, I'm going to say sure, but why? More or less,

this is the conversation we had. If that's some kind of personality you can handle in

a person, ah then definitely I consider it. And he said to me, goes, Rana, not only will

we ask you to join the party, we will actually ask you to run. Believe him, hands. joined

the party, ran for the nomination. And this is very interesting, signed up people. My first

uh contested nomination was in Dartmouth North. I was part of that. And I go to that mosque.

That was my mosque. And I signed up people from there. Before even that nomination, I started

working, volunteering with the NDP, and I met all of these people, and I consider them now

family and friends, my new tribe. I was so excited. had never been part of, and I'll be very honest

with you, a Canadian tribe. I've always kind of been the oddball out. I say I'm not white

enough to fit in the white community and black enough to fit in the black community. When

I came here in the 70s and we lived on Brunswick Street and so Gargent Street was my playground.

And frankly speaking, because now as an adult, I grew up here, my mentality isn't pure Pakistani

either. So I don't fit in the Pakistani community. So I really am the oddball out. it seems like.

But in a way that also makes it good because I also then embrace all communities. Hence

the diversity of word. Hence the diversity part. And so as a result, I love them. They

were my new family. They were the people I felt when I never felt I belonged anywhere. I finally

belong somewhere. And I felt I was wanted and appreciated. just for being me. I ran for that

nomination oh and Susan ran for it with zero animosity. When I went to doors, they're like,

we're supporting Susan. I said, oh, she's amazing. She's a wonderful person. said, no matter who

wins, it's going to be a win-win for the NDP. Real team player. You understand? That is how

I handle things. So I lost that nomination. The slight disappointment was there, absolutely.

But what was more uplifting to me to see a room full and I will never forget this image. And

I will say, and please don't mind, you know, I'm using the word, the color words, but this

half of the room was all white people. And this half of the room was mostly, it was brown

people, diversity from different backgrounds. was diversity. And that had not happened before

in that area. That level of unity, that togetherness to that level degree had never happened. And

we made it happen together, Susan and I. So when they brought us up on stage, as Susan

was walking in front of me, I tried to reach out, I grabbed her hand and I grabbed her hands

like, let's walk up together. So then we walked up together, held hands, held each other like

sisters, and they made the announcement and her name came up and I gave her a big hug and

I was joyous and I said, this is not a love. lost. We did not lose anything. said, look

around the room. We have won. We have become a family. I guess it was so moving. And I didn't

know this lady personally, Megan Leslie, she reached out to me. And later on, people told

me she spoke very highly of me saying we need to support her and we need to get her voice

out because it's just amazing what she's bringing. And she said to me, it's absolutely touching.

to hear you speak and amazing. And I just want to give you a hug. They convinced you to run

again, to try again. Well, the nomination was different. So I ended up running for the

provincial election in Clayton Park. And in Clayton Park, as we know, is a dead end zone.

It was like a 40 year hardcore liberal rioting. So I knew I was sent to a dead end rioting,

where there's no potential of winning. But I still gave it my all. I gave it my all and

I didn't do too badly. People who saw what I was doing, they were so impressed. I was reached

out and said, Rana, you should really consider running for the federal party. And you can

do it in your own writing because that's a winnable writing because it's 50 % NDP chance and 50

% liberal. So with that support, encouragement, I ran for the nomination. Now here's where

I felt a huge change. So as you know, the vetting process, the tweeting, I felt during that

whole process, something was off already. When I would go to the EDA meetings and everything,

I didn't feel the warmth. you know, and the embracing that I felt before I was going to

now run for this area. Long story short, they vetted me. I got it. Started the whole process

of signing on people and then had started doing the meeting brief, putting that out. And I

started noticing many things. Sorry. The process is simple. All the leadership is told that

they are supposed to be unbiased. They cannot take any candidates side, right? So they

have to be fair. Sure. And what I started noticing was to my meet and greets, none of the hierarchy

would be coming. But elected officials were going to the other candidates meet and greets.

Then I also noticed on various NDP pages, including these elected officials, the other candidates

profile or their link to their pages was shared. including other EDAs and including um nationally

as well. They were promoting her. Mine was not being promoted anyways. Any articles she did,

interviews were being promoted. If I did anything, nothing was being promoted. And then I also

got warnings. Rana, there's machinery working against you. And this was decent of them because

I was still so naive. I didn't catch on to everything until they gave me this warning. When I say

the NDP machinery, that is from the EDAs, certain EDAs, to leadership, the elected officials,

and God knows from behind the scenes what was going on. And I think once I was warned is

that's when I started noticing all these discrepancies before I was in my, we are family delusional

world, and this is a fair and square, you know, uh contestant. Democracy. For democracy. And

I just have to do the right thing. I have to sign up people. I have to convince people

I am the right person. I have to show them my genuineness and my sincerity and my willingness

to work for them. That's what I believed I had to do. And I did it with all my heart. And

my question was, but I don't understand why would they do that? I like what's wrong with

me. You internalize it all. I said, I said, I said, what have I done wrong? I said that,

I said, what have I done wrong? And it's like, it's not you, Rana. It's sad to say it's not

you. And I'm sorry to say in other conversations, my color, my background, my diversity was

possibly an issue with some of these higher ups. And they felt the other person who I will

say was white. would probably have a better chance of winning or that's who they felt supporting

because it represented in their minds more of what a an NDP candidate for MP should look

like at that time. This area, this is in this area where I'm living is what I'm speaking.

I'm not speaking on behalf of any other areas or provinces, but this is what the feedback

I got. And this is obviously then the feeling I started getting, which was only enforced

when I tell you how really thrown under the bus, ignored by all of them, left alone to

fend for myself in the worst time of my life that was created by them. I said, okay, I'll

double down. I'll do the way things are doing and sign up people or convince people. Lo

and behold, I won that nomination. I beat them at their own game. I went against their machinery.

and came out the winner. And that night, you should have seen the room. Whereas the first

time I lost, we spoke about family, unity, we're all one, and there was joy and jubilation at

the end of it. This was completely different. My side of the room, which was full of diversity

and to my deepest gratitude and appreciation, some very old school, well-known NDP, people

were also on my side. So I had won the hearts of real ND peers. You know, I'm going to say

it, white people. I don't know how else to say Even convince some settlers. I'm going to

say it. And I won. And that other side of the room was silent. Like the shock, the disappointment.

And I don't know how to say it, but resentment, I had this wave of resentment coming from there.

And the proof was their side didn't get up to congratulate me. That's awful. Usually you

at least put on a bit of a face um in politics, right? Like, and that's still your writing

and it's still your party. And, you know, the idea is you're still going to help them

try to win that seat. um That's awful. And that's how I perceived it, that we were a family and

that's how we behave. No, no, I didn't feel that warmth and acceptance from that side that

night. And everybody also noticed it. So much so my husband, when um we spoke at home, he

goes, well, you must be happy you won. And I said to him, I said, you saw that room. They

were not happy. And I think it's just a matter of time. They're going to find an excuse to

get rid of me. I said that to my husband that evening. And lo and behold, 30 days later,

a tweet from 2017, a year and a half ago, that had been vetted and approved, that never got

a single like or a retweet or an acknowledgement or anything, now became very problematic because

of two words I have used on it. When I retweeted a tweet from Jews Against Genocide, which no

one ever brings up. And if I have to say this, because people say, well, oh my God, what did

she say? Okay, go ahead. and I'm not going by full memory, paraphrasing, at the raid,

because it was the 10 steps of genocide, right? And I said, well, at the raid they're going,

do they plan on killing more than six million Palestinians? And to me, that was a recognition

and homage to the Holocaust that happened to the Jewish people in remembrance. So I said,

I'm sharing that to let them know you've lived this horror. Yeah, no, I don't want to devolve

into trying to defend because that is again, that's another stupid that no comparisons are

allowed to be made that the Holocaust is off limits. didn't object to that. I said at the

the rate that they're going, do they plan on killing more than six million Palestinians?

Something like are Israel the Nazis or something like this really? And is Gaza the new Auschwitz?

You know, now I say to people down the road, because I'll tell you with the human rights

award. because they're constantly picking up things. um Even people with a PhD on anti-Semitism

don't know when they're going to come up with something else and claim that's anti-Semitism.

And the comparisons are valid. We know that they are fucking quoting gopals and they are

using models learned from the Nazis in their treatments of Palestinians. But again, like

Yes, they found a tweet that they could definitely had some trigger words that they could use.

what I'm trying to keep driving home though is you know it's not your tweet, right? You

know it's really not the tweet. Although, yes, from a PR perspective, there are some

tweets that I might not leave up as a candidate because they're just going to be a headache

down the road. But inherently, there's nothing wrong with those tweets and you're not attacked.

for those tweets, they were looking for something, right? Somebody wanted you out of the way,

right? Like not in any kind of conspiracy theory kind of way. You're a problem. You are outspoken.

You don't back down. You're pro-Palestinian. You're a Muslim. And this was a problem

for people. And so like they targeted you. Because I feel like, you you'll probably spend

your whole life maybe trying to defend this, that, and the other thing when there's nothing

wrong with them. Not at all. It's the goodness about you and the, you know, steadfastness

that you, they claim to like about you, which makes you appealing to grassroots activists,

which is why, you know, good people that do exist in the party supported you, right? But

those are also the reasons why the folks who actually run the party and A lot of white settlers

who are actually more liberal minded than they are uh left politically minded would not like

you, right? Would see you as a threat um to them maintaining power and their status quo.

And I'm sorry, I know I just keep saying that, but I do get a guess a lot coming on telling

these very similar stories. And they always feel the need to be like, you know. this was

the wording and you must understand like this is where we're at in the genocide and of course

I'm upset and everyone is like, oh fucking of course, like of course, why are people so focused?

But then that's how they pivot this discussion, right? They're forcing you to then defend this

tiny little tweet amidst your body of work, right? And the real issue of the genocide and

all the other issues that you work towards, right? Or against. and that's very frustrating.

I was genuinely taken aback that I had disrespected. They asked me to contact, because I said,

I don't know what I did, what have I done wrong with these two words? They're like, you

need to talk to the Jewish people. And I'm like, I talked to Larry in Judy Haven, I talked to

other people of Independent Jewish Voices and Other, and they're saying it's not anti-Semitic.

They're like, well, you know the Jewish community is divided. Their words, you know the Jewish

community is divided. Remember that. Because what do we do? They acknowledge the community

is divided, but who have they been bowing down to from day one? The pro-Israel lobbyist Zionists

who are supporting genocide. Okay, I need to get that out there. So the political parties,

everybody knows the Jewish community is divided. They are not unified in their voices. It's

interesting how majority of Holocaust survivors are actually pro-Palestinians. They're pro-Palestinian.

And I thought, you know what? I don't believe in advocating for one group by causing harm

or disrespect to another. So I will be mindful of my words that can cause harm as long as

I'm aware and not use the word Auschwitz or Nazis again. I honored that. I was mindful,

I was respectful, and I kept on advocating for Palestine. I kept on posting. And that's why

I'm a thorn in their side. So when I got the email effective immediately, your nomination

has been rescinded. Interestingly enough, not my membership. My membership is not rescinded.

My nomination is rescinded. I'm welcome to be part of the NDP and continue on. uh Pay your

dues. paying my dues, volunteering, bringing in diversity, representing, being their token

diverse person. The next day they took away my nomination and the shit storm that followed.

And they never warned me, prepared me, or said anything. Because when they withdrew your

nomination, this provided ammunition, validation. to the Zionist lobby that you were in fact

a bad person that deserved to be, you know, embarrassed in this way, right? Not embarrassed,

ostracized, humiliated, degraded. I was told there's a special place in hell for people

like you. And I looked at it. I didn't kill anyone. I didn't lie. I didn't steal. I didn't

cheat. I didn't even yell. But there's a special place in hell for me. But here are these people.

This was the tweet was on the right of return of March, peaceful protest. They shot children.

As a mother of three, I spoke up with that tweet because I was incensed with the killing of

innocent children at this peaceful protest. But I'm the person there's a special place

in hell for. That was just one of many. And then the memes that they came out with, the

tweets, the body shaming, everything you could imagine. Call me a effing prostitute because

of my hair. Look at her hair, she must be a prostitute. Oh, all kinds of things. You effing

terrorists. All these years later, you remember some of the exact language of that trash. I

think some people think like we get it so often, people get it so often, especially now like

pro-Palestinian advocacy. is just a magnet for it on social media, but it has fucking

impact, right? Like we can, that was years ago. People will think this happened just because

of the way we're talking. Sounds so familiar to now, right? But we're talking 2019, so that's

like six years ago. There's more. And by the way, right now for the why, if you go under

C. Benai Britt on their, I think Instagram page, there's lovely. ah They uh smear her with pig's

blood, that fat sow. She's getting her an award and the Y should be ashamed of themselves.

We expect this of Zionists. This doesn't make it okay and I feel awful that you had to go

through that and are gonna go through it and are still going through it. But I wanna go

back to how your comrades, how your family and your community inside the party let you

down. uh For the large part, and I know that you have some exceptions, some notable exceptions,

um but I went through a similar experience and that was the greatest pain for me, was

seeing how few people were willing to stick their neck out and say something when they

saw something so egregious happen to one of their comrades um from the bosses at the NDP

and folks in higher-up positions. Because... They were fellow activists. We had been in

the trenches. We had gone against bosses before conservatives. know, like we were in battle

together many times. And uh then when you're targeted like that, it can be very isolating.

um Do you want to talk about that a little bit? So, you, you are a dreamer. You wanted them

to come out and say something publicly. My dear, this leadership hierarchy didn't even come

out privately and sent me a little boo message. Are you okay? I'm sorry this happened to you.

So Gary Burl who brought me in, I looked towards him as my mentor. He brought me in. So I would

follow his lead. I would ask questions. I would ask for guidance. To me, that was my mentor.

People said behind the scenes, oh, that's someone Gary chose. Gary brought her in. Nothing from

him. Three weeks down the road after I'm going through this shit show, I run into him and

I'll never forget at the Multicultural Festival. You know, he's doing his round to show support

for diversity. Meanwhile, throwing diversity and ignoring her under the, under the bus

and letting her go through hell all by herself. And I also remember Christina was there. Christina

Solny. It was her. and Gary Burl. I ran into them. was like, Gary, where have you been?

I was like, Gary, do you know what's happened? It's like, I haven't heard from you. Where

have you been? And Christina doesn't even say hello or hi. She just takes a step back. And

I'm like, Gary, have you any idea what I've been through? Like, I haven't heard from you.

I was hoping to hear from you and get some guidance and support. And you know, you say, well, Oh,

Rana, I thought, you know what, it would be best for things to calm down first. And then

I thought I'd reach out and we could have a coffee together. Politicians are such cowards.

They're such cowards. I would wait for things to calm down and then I would reach out and

have coffee together. Sure, sure. Yeah, okay. And I looked at him and I became like shocked.

But Gary, I needed help. I needed advice. Do you know what I went through? If it wasn't

for one person who reached out from Montreal to prepare me what kind of shit show I was

going to be put through that they were going to use this to put my name through the mud

and tear down all the work I'd done up until now. They're saying the best we can do, Rana,

is get you to keep your head down and protect your reputation. And I love what they said.

I know you're a fighter, Rana. and you'll be tempted to defend yourself and talk and give

interviews. My friend who's PR is telling you, do not engage. Do not engage because no matter

what you say or do, they will twist it against you. That person gave me wonderful advice because

they recognize the harm I could have caused myself by talking more. And I followed that

advice. Gary Burrell and the EDA leaders and the EDA members did not reach out and give

me any such advice. They were ready for me to just drown and die and all the shit that was

being thrown at me. They were fine with that because now they were able to give their chosen

one the nomination. Doesn't matter what it cost. In hindsight, I know You know, it was crickets

from a lot of the membership, like most of the membership, but I think it caused ripples,

right, Ronna? Like, it almost felt a little bit of the beginning of the end of the NDP

in Nova Scotia. Now they might have had a bit of a resurgence, but they've lost a lot of

trust of the grassroots members from seeing that. And then they screwed over Tammy Jackman

in the last election with a very similar playbook. almost forcing her to withdraw. They'll dispute

that, I'm sure, but that's the impression Tammy gave, you know, that she was convinced by

HQ that she had no other choice but to step down because the Israeli, Zionist lobbyists

were coming after her in a very similar way. You know, it's just really depleted trust.

Like hearing this experience and hearing the letdown, And the fact you make the connection,

but maybe not explicitly like this helped lay the groundwork for what you're experiencing

now. Right. It's almost like if they had only stood up for you, then could we only imagine

where we'd be at now? I would be MP. I have no doubt I would be because like you said,

there was a ripple effect. Emma, she ran. She came in second. How many of those voters were

voters that were from that riding, that area who signed up and were so disgusted and disheartened

when they did that to their chosen candidate? Did not get that vote. How many? So yes, there

were repercussions, but within the membership, not the leadership, there are tight units.

Yes. Because here's how I'm going to put together why there are tight unit. Because then much

further down the road, they have to have these meetings with the EDAs where the MLAs are

there, know, the provincial leader is there. So Gary is there, Claudia Tender, Susan LeBlanc

at that time, these were the elected officials. There's a third, can't remember. I think it

was just the two of them. And I was part of Claudia Tender's EDA. And this is also very

hurtful. I was part of her EDA. So I met her regularly. I wasn't a stranger to her. Folks

who've been in a riding will know what you mean by like, it's a family. It's a close knit group

of progressives you found in your community that you can finally like fight alongside with

and stuff. And yeah, you have meetings, you eat at each other's houses a lot. um Yeah,

it's a close group usually. Yeah, yeah. And you know what that EDA did to me that day

during that riding meetings, I found the courage and I said, you know what, I'm going to go

and still try to clear the air, clear the air and maybe give them an opportunity to tell

me what I did wrong that made me such a pariah in their eyes. And were they given, was a note

sent out disengaged, do not talk to Rana Zaman, like every single person sent out was an email

sent out that you'll be fired or something will happen if you do. just, I was looking for something

to forgive them with or to at least understand. Right? Because I can't imagine so many people

would have something against me to the point they're okay with causing me that much harm.

Like they're all okay with it. I just can't, I can't, even now I cannot phantom it. Do you

understand? I do. People I worked hard with, I worked on their campaigns with them. um Lisa

Roberts was one of them. I worked on her campaigns with her. So anyway, I went there and I won't

forget Kendall. was on the mic ahead of me. God love Kendall. And he was talking, talking,

talking, and he his point across, and I was standing behind him. And then I got the mic.

And I said, I am here today to address all of you because, and I said, I thought we were

family. I believed we were family. When I joined in, you made me believe that I was welcome.

and we shared a cause, values, and we were in this together and that we were as a family.

But I'm here to ask all of you today, and I said, each and every one of you is a leader.

You are a leader of this party in a different capacity. Not a single one of you reached out

to me when I was thrown under the bus. I said, in fact, Jagmeet Singh even lied. and said,

oh, she refused to apologize when that's not true. I didn't refuse to apologize. And I actually

sent for using those two words, I sent that apology to the NDP. And I said, but forget

all of that. Those people don't know me, but you all know me. I held your hands like, like

you are my family. You are my tribe. said, why did I deserve this? Why did I do that? It was

so bad that I deserve to be treated like this. And if I'm controlling myself, you can hear

the emotion in my eyes. That day, because the harm was so fresh, the vulgarity, the brutality,

there were tears streaming down my eyes because I was reliving that nightmare and it was still

on going. And I said, I just want to know. I think that the mic was shut off, but it was

done. And then it was like, well, it's lunchtime now. Then the person got on the mic and said,

oh, Well, you know, it's time for a break. It's lunchtime. Yeah, yeah. The next day, their

person got on the mic and said, it's lunchtime now. Didn't address it. Didn't say anything

to me. So I was like, okay, I went to a table, sat down by myself. Everyone pretty much turned

their backs to me during lunch and started eating and talking with each other. And that is when

I realized you are all horrible, horrible people. You are heartless. Every one of you. You are

self-serving, selfish people and you are users. And only when Sean came up to me, he's the

one who came up to me and he came, I said, I had no idea this is how you've been treated.

I thought that you were getting the support and the guidance that anyone would get, you

know, and especially you would think your EDA is the first person to guide you and back you

up. But over time, when I finally had that meeting with Gary Burrell, I said, Gary, I don't understand

what happened. um Didn't you support me? Like, didn't you stand up? Because I said so and

so said, there's no reason for them to get rid of me. It's very minor. And the NDP can

withstand that. And you know what he said? He goes, well, know, Ronna, I thought they

made the right decision. And that's when I knew. uh they were all in on it. And that campaign

of them trying very hard to support the other candidate and get her to win, I had upset them

by winning. Yeah, you were supposed to get the hint, right? When everyone was lining

up against the chosen favorite there, you were supposed to get the hint and just lay over

and die. And you didn't. um Even though I have heard similar stories to this so many times

from right across the country from provincial and federal branches of the NDP, from different

leaders and different writing associations. uh I'll say like locals kind of break down

differently sometimes. I've heard really good heartwarming stories where folks have resigned

en masse when they've treated their local choice this way. um It breaks my heart to hear that

that wasn't your experience and that's definitely not the norm What you experience is closer

to what I how I see the membership as willing to allow some of this shit to happen over and

over and over again because they think They don't have another choice or they're close

to power their friends are passing the sniff tests they haven't been abused themselves

and They are just so afraid of being politically homeless or have no faith in other avenues

of politics. I don't know, but they are just willing to allow this stuff to happen. While

talking about equity, while talking about justice and all of these things, like activists, people

who can come across as really woke, just people will in this partisan environment act like

horrible human beings. And I'm experiencing it right now in this leadership race. Like

comrades that I know should know better are really wrapped up in this talking to each other

like in the most horrible, disrespectful ways and vilifying some of the more radical elements

that are also being demonized by headquarters. And the fact that people aren't lying, and

I'm talking about Eve, right? And actually he's gonna pop into the studio any minute, because

I have an appointment with him at five. But I'm talking about his campaign and the way

folks are reacting to it when it's really the only one that is pushing against the kind

of experience that Rana has. Like where the party is um hostile to folks like her. And

so although I was surprised that you even had an opinion on leader, right? Like I'm kind

of like. I wish you guys would just spend your energy somewhere else. um But you did endorse

Eve for the leadership. Why did you do that and just not tell people like, just cut your

losses and run? That it's just, it's not worth it. So the interesting thing is I have, I

don't trust the NDP and I never will. I never will. Fair. Because as I wrote in my post,

the real power is behind the scenes and they're still there. Every one of them. and I hold

each of them accountable for the way I was treated. There's absolutely no excuse on this earth

for not a single one of them to reach out to me privately, not publicly, privately as a

human being, from fellow human being to fellow human being, fellow NDPR to fellow NDPR and

just say, are you okay? That's it. Just ask me, are you okay? I know what you mean. Rana,

but sometimes those private messages would make me upset too though because it's like what

can... It would really help if you could be publicly supportive right now because you can

see me fighting for my life out here on social media and I know that you've experienced this

too. um So maybe if you could get... You know, I know what you mean, but like to not even

get that is something else. those sting too because it's like I thought you were brave.

I thought I was talking to comrades, you know? No, they're not brave. They're not brave. They're

self-serving, um image loving, um power hungry. And I'm going to say that they will throw any

person under the bus if they think they can win one seat. This is what I have of the MVP

leadership, okay? um They have no values. They have no morals. They have no backbone. They

just don't. So why have I endorsed Eves over the others? Well guess who defended me in 2019?

Eve. Who approached Jagmeet Singh and called him out in 2019 about me? Eves. Okay. And even

now recently with the why, guess who just posted about me and what's been done to me? Yves.

I met Avvy, Avvy knows about me. I've met Heather McPherson, believe it or not. I don't know

if she remembers me, but she was part of the NDP when all this shit went down the first

time around. I again ask, where were all these candidates in 2019, number one, when it came

to me personally, but, but more importantly, when it came to Palestine. Where were these

people? I'll tell you where they were running very safe campaigns, saying very safe things.

And now they're all talking about Palestine and Gaza because now it's the popular thing

to do and reasonably safe. They had to be bullied into that position. It wasn't one that they

took right away. So I saw the kind of person he was years ago, 2019. I've been watching

the work he's been doing. He has been standing for uh the most vulnerable people that have

no voices, that no political people. And Eves wasn't political as far as I know at that time.

He was an activist, a journalist, an author. That's which is very political. So you mean

like partisan, right? You mean playing the game of electoral politics. So to me, being

an activist is not being political. OK. Well, to me, everything's political. So we'll have

to talk about that some other time. For me, if you are wanting a career in politics and

that's what you're gearing yourself towards, that's political. I never geared myself as

an activist to be a political person. I'm the most non-political person. I'm a community

volunteer. I just want to help people. And by the way, they lured me in by saying, well,

know, Rana, if you get not elected, either provincial or federally, uh this will um empower you to

do more for those people you want to help because you'll get funding. To to spend in your writing

to help those people. I'm like, oh really? Okay, you know, like I said, I'm very naive don't

feel bad No, no, I know we've all been there don't feel bad at all They've suckered so many

of us in and now currently what I see is and what I see When I commit compare him to the

others People now this is not my word people call him a shit-disturber this and that that

and I said, you know what? It's time. We need that We need to get away from the nice and

clean and neat status quo politics. We need to shake things up. We need to hear a different

perspective voice. And if the NDP is truly about democracy, then they should not try to stop

him from running. Let the membership decide. Well, you've got people like Sid Ryan arguing

that the membership aren't smart enough to decide for themselves, that it is a three-person vetting

committee that should be best trusted with that. ah But Ronna, I mean, we could talk

all day. We need to touch base again and just commiserate a little bit, just shit talk the

NDP for a bit, make ourselves feel better. But I do very much appreciate you kind of reopening

these wounds. I know what's going on with you right now is already kind of reminding you

because they are connected. You talked about precedence and that precedent has continued

to be set. right, in the wrong direction, where folks aren't standing up to the Israeli lobby

like they should and good people are paying the price. And it is a warning of what actually

goes on inside the NDP to pro-Palestinian activists in particular. Thank you so much

for your time and for your activism in your community as well. I hope you can keep that

up with your head held high. I will. I have a wonderful, wonderful support group this time

around. I really do. The most incredible people you already met, most of them. And I'm here

today because of one of them, right? And maybe two of them, you know, like Judy, Larry, Sean.

See how good people are connected. So now I have good people uplifting good people. So

thank you for this opportunity to bring my voice forward where I would not have it with the

regular media, with the mainstream media. So take care. Thank you. Before we completely

wrap on this, I'd like to play a little song of solidarity for you all. Ronna mentioned

Sean McGilvary in her interview. Here is her comrade singing outside the YMCA office, or

as he would put it, their front lawn. I've linked the song and other resources, as well as that

Inside the NDP playlist, in the show notes. Enjoy. heard the Palestine call, you know

Rana she wouldn't take it at all so she spoke up brought her haters abound and they tried

hard to take her down Rana we won an award but then Brian and the national board they

got cold feet When the Zionists came and they tried hard to steer her name Let's hear it

folks! They're so afraid of the YMCA She was betrayed by the YMCA They tried everything

to level runners them on Let's go show up on their front lawn It's a disgrace that the

YMCA You have no place at the YMCA They tried everything to embarrass us all But it's clear

that they've dropped the Let's go Brian when I called on the phone I was trying Just

to drive the point home. She's a hero And I think you will find this whole thing is a waste

of time old man So soon you'll have to retire I said old man your legacy's on the wire you

could save it But you don't have the guts There can be no ifs and or buts m on the face

of the YMCA! We were betrayed by the YMCA! They tried everything to muzzle on us, amon!

Let's go show up on their front lawn! It's a disgrace of the YMCA! You have no place

at the YMCA! They tried everything to embarrass us all! But it's clear that they dropped the

bomb! So, Muslims, there's something you should know I said Muslims, when you donate your

dough you may think that the Y is good for Zakat But I'm here to tell you it's not yallah

Yah, Bibi, let's go! I said, YAH! Let's let everyone know that these cowards are taking

Israel's side while we're watching a genocide! uh It's a charade at the YMCA It's such a shame

at the YMCA You got nothing to say when community calls Couldn't be that you drank that much

It's such a mess at the YMCA It's BDS for the YMCA It's a place to avoid when you donate

your bread Send your money to God the Ins... That is a wrap on another episode of Blueprints

of Disruption. Thank you for joining us. You can follow us on Twitter at BPEofDisruption.

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