Jeremy Searle
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Jeremy Searle | |
|---|---|
| Montreal City Councillor for Loyola | |
| In office 22 November 2013 – 5 November 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 February 1953 Bristol, England |
| Died | 25 October 2025 (aged 72) |
| Party | Independent (2013–2017) |
Jeremy Searle (18 February 1953 – 25 October 2025) was a Canadian politician who was a Montréal city councillor in the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce[1] district of Loyola.[2] He was the city councillor for Loyola district from 1994 to 2005, and from 2013[3] to 2017. He was defeated in the municipal elections of 5 November 2017. The Gazette summarized his second term and his defeat thus: 'Also of note was the distant third-place showing in Loyola of councillor Jeremy Searle, whose last term was marked by erratic behaviour during borough meetings, when he appeared to be drunk, and for controversial remarks that were viewed by many to be anti-Semitic'.[4]
Searle conceived of a citywide Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Reeducation Plan in 2001.[5] In response to his work for the city he was made head of the Transport Commission from 2001 to 2003. Searle conducted research, sensitized people, created new cross walk designs and held popular public consultations where he addressed all sorts of issues from parking restrictions to the introduction of red light cameras.[6][7]
In the course of Searle's time as head of the Transport Commission during 2003, he proposed the provincial-wide law to make smoking in taxi cabs illegal.[8] This law was soon implemented.
'Jewish guilt' comments
During a council debate over a proposed housing project, Searle railed against the "Jewish guilt approach" he alleged was being used to force the project. "The Jewish guilt approach, we see a lot. Not as much as we used to, that's when an argument is put forward without foundation, the notion being because we said it's Jewish, we can't say anything against it," he was recorded as saying. "It's a role taken on by the Jewish community and used for all its worth."[9]
During the 2017 Montreal municipal election, Searle was asked about his "Jewish Guilt" comments in an email from a constituent on 15 October 2017. He reacted with angry emails to the constituent, by calling the constituent at 4:00 AM (EDT), and leaving voicemails (one of which was reproduced on YouTube and replayed on local TV news) for him in which he accused the constituent of being a "fascist," working for the Chabad, and being part of a conspiracy to undermine his re-election campaign.[10][11][12]
On 20 April 2023, Searle reiterated his Jewish guilt remarks while running for election to Pointe Claire city council in a by-election.
"I simply told the rabbi off and told him that we had gotten past all that and the Jewish guilt argument is old and finished," he said. "Get over it. It doesn't matter whether it is Jewish or Iranian or Arabic or whatever," then added "That's why I make the 'You can't use the Jewish guilt argument' thing."[13]