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Sunday, July 6, 2025

Library worried cancelling pro-Hamas comedian would “insult” Muslims, violate Charter

By
Andrew Lawton
-
Bronnenco Construction

A public library’s refusal to cancel a controversial Palestinian comedian’s booking was influenced by a desire to avoid offending the city’s Muslim community, documents reveal.

Jewish groups raised concerns with the London Public Library in London, Ont. over its decision to rent theatre space for a May 20 performance by comedian Amer Zahr.

“To cancel the program because of concerns raised by a very small, but well-organized minority would be an insult to the London Muslim community (I realize I’m making an assumption that all of the Muslim community is behind this performance, but it reflects the opinions of those I’ve contacted),” said library CEO Michael Ciccone in a May 19 email to the library’s board.

“If we were to cancel, we would be in breach of contract and possibly be in violation of the performer’s charter (sic) rights – both high risk possibilities.”

The library rejected the calls from groups including B’nai Brith and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal and allowed the event to proceed in the library’s Wolf Performance Hall.

While the library claimed it “re-evaluated” the booking when it first learned of concerns about Amer Zahr, documents obtained by True North under freedom of information laws show the library, in fact, sought messaging guidance from Zahr’s manager to counter the cancellation calls.

“Is there a rebuttal statement from the management team of Amer Zahr that we can use to address the concerns listed below?”, wrote library branch operations director Nancy Collister in an email to the event organizer sent May 19.

On May 17, B’nai Brith CEO Michael Mostyn told Ciccone that the Jewish community was “deeply concerned about this upcoming event due to Zahr’s concerning views regarding the Jewish people and the State of Israel, as well as his glorification of convicted terrorists and listed terrorist entities.”

Zahr’s past comments include a call to “stop condemning anti-Semitism” because doing so is “playing their game.”

Zahr, who did not respond to a request for comment from True North, also lauded designated terrorist groups in a 2017 speech in Dearborn, Mich.

“We say very proudly that we stand with every resistance against Israel and every resistance against the occupation… whether it’s called Hamas, whether it’s called Hezbollah.”

He also tweeted support for Leila Khaled, who hijacked an American plane in 1969, calling her his “#PalestineValentine.”

The records released by the library do not contain any responses to the Jewish groups raising concerns, though Ciccone did reply to several people who sent in messages of support for Zahr’s show.

The only critics to receive a response were two key library donors.

Fred and Karen Leitner, the son-in-law and daughter, respectively, of the Wolf Performance Hall’s namesake said it was “profoundly embarrassing for the Wolf family to have its name associated with this individual,” urging the library to “consider the impact of this event on the local Jewish community.”

In its reply to the family, Ciccone said the library saw “no clear evidence that a comedy performance by Mr. Zahr would violate the (library’s events) policy.”

Internally, Ciccone worried about losing the family’s financial support.

“While I understand the concerns expressed by the Wolf Family, they have no authority to demand what rentals we allow or deny in the Theatre,” he wrote to colleagues. “That said, if we move forward with this performance, we jeopardize their sponsorship and possibly forfeit a possible $50K donation currently being offered.”

Weeks earlier, the London Public Library had denied a rental request for the same venue from the Society of Academic Freedom and Scholarship for a talk by British author and academic Joanna Williams, set to take place the day before Zahr’s performance.

The library said Williams’ talk on “sex, gender, and the limits of free speech on campus,” would pose a risk of property damage or injury and violate its policies on workplace and sexual harassment.

The internal documents show library officials were concerned about how they’d defend the double standard of allowing Zahr but not Williams.

“I’m supportive of proceeding with holding the Zahr event…. I agree that we will need positioning on the differences between the two events are (sic) – namely a performance versus lecture – and which may / may not be more performative,” one board member said.

In reply, Ciccone said London city councillor Sam Trosow, who sits on the library board, had “relayed his support for the approach suggested below.”

Trosow did not respond to a request for comment.

OP-ED: Antisemitism is a-okay to the DEI industry

By
Ari Blaff
-

In the hours after the tragedy of October 7 began trickling out to world media, and gruesome videos of butchered bodies from the Nova music festival, Sderot, and Kibbutz Be’eri circulated online, one of Ontario’s premier diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) firms justified the beheadings, immolations, kidnappings, and massacre of Israeli civilians.

“Whenever Black and Brown people resist oppression, we are cast as violent, aggressive, and riotous. But, the oppressors are silent about the violence they’ve enacted, typically for generations. This is how colonization works. Rewriting history is central to this process,” Tana Turner, a social justice advocate and founder of the Turner Consulting Group, wrote Oct. 8.

The underlying note was written by a self-described “Genderflux, lesbian, abolitionist, professor” with “(they/them)” pronouns. Turner’s account maintains that retweets “are for information, not endorsement.” The equity consultant did not respond to True North’s request for comment.

What kernel of wisdom was buried in the post’s justification of slaughtering pregnant mothers and stealing children is left for the reader to determine.

Reconciling the mass atrocity of Jews through the lens of oppression, colonization, and racism fits comfortably within Turner’s worldview, through which Hamas bears no mention despite mounting evidence that the terrorist group instructed operatives to target, torture, and kidnap civilians.

At least Turner hasn’t obscured where she feels Jews fall in the progressive hierarchy of oppressed peoples.

Screenshots shared on X (formerly Twitter) in April show Turner conducting a Zoom slideshow listing various “Systems of Oppression” without mentioning antisemitism.

Apart from the classic bogeymen – patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism – Turner highlights group-specific concerns, including “anti-Indigenous racism, ableism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and Cisgenderism.”

How an equity consultant and academic at York University overlooked the simple fact that Canadian Jews remain the most targeted religious group in Canada – and thus seemingly deserving of inclusion in a presentation about oppression – should strain credulity.

But it doesn’t. If anything is certain about the events of October 7, it is that the smokescreen of equity specialists caring about Jews and antisemitism has finally cleared. The winds of Hamas’ destruction of Jewish life have irrevocably shown DEI specialists simply pantomimed sympathy for Jews.

Turner’s fellow York student union leaders released a statement after 10/7 referring to the atrocities in “so-called Israel” – the largest mass death of Jews since the Holocaust – as “justified and necessary.”

Fittingly, the leadership was comprised of Middle Eastern students well-versed in “structures of marginalization and oppression,” “committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces the diverse backgrounds and experiences,” and research interests including “equity, inclusion, and belonging of non-white migrants and minorities.”

That activists steeped in DEI found common cause with an Islamic fundamentalist group whose explicit goal was to massacre civilians underscored the moral rot that had metastasized within the industry.

“I don’t tell anyone I’m Jewish anymore,” Susan, a DEI professional, told True North on conditions of anonymity.

“The dead girl in the truck just killed me,” she added, referencing a concert goer abducted by Hamas and taken to Gaza, where her body was paraded and spat on. “ She could have been my daughter.

“These academics and equity consultants never deal with antisemitism.”

In May 2021, as Hamas and Israel traded blows once again, Kike Ojo-Thompson, the founder of the KOJO Institute – the group tied to the controversial death of Toronto teacher Richard Bilkszto – echoed Turner’s argument demanding Jews be held to a different standard than their Muslim neighbours.

“Who will hold Israel accountable?” she asked on X after Israel targeted an office building it accused of doubling as a Hamas operation base. “I’m still trying to figure out the way forward re[garding] advocacy, but Jewish friends and accomplices, your voice, worldwide, is extremely important right now. #GazaUnderAttack”

Why didn’t Thompson ask Muslims worldwide to implore Hamas to renounce its charter calling for the genocide of Jews or uphold any basic recognition of human decency when it comes to women, the LGBT, or religious minorities?

The simple logic of Thompson and Turner is that Jews don’t count. They are part of the powerful, capitalistic, white oppressor class. No nuance or flexibility is afforded this scorched-earth view of humanity. Israeli civilians can never be victimized, and Palestinians cannot be held to account.

The events of the last week simply clarified what many have long suspected about the kayfabe DEI charade. Fittingly, it was the proponents of inclusivity and equity that marched in the streets of London, Toronto, New York, and Paris, where chants of “Gas the Jews” and “We are all Hamas” rang out.

Unsurprisingly, neither Thompson nor Turner voiced any consternation when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited a Nazi to speak before the House of Commons in late September. Would they have ignored a Ku Klux Klan member speaking? We all know the answer.

More troublingly, what does it tell us about a field where folks like Thompson and Turner become industry leaders, win government contracts, and signal which institutions are onside (and which are off) in the ever-changing goalposts of progressivism?

DEI’s implicit directorate has always forsaken Jews of any colour or nationality, a grave oversight in Susan’s view. She bemoaned how DEI had transformed into a cottage industry of division and shaming. “What’s missing is compassion. I think what’s missing is compassion and empathy from both sides,” she said exasperatedly.

Cyber attack launched against Canadian MPs linked back to China

By
Quinn Patrick
-

A series of “spamouflage” cyber attacks on Canadian politicians has been linked to China, which has operated numerous bot networks responsible for leaving thousands of comments on the social media accounts of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) published a statement about the swarms of comments that were leveling nefarious accusations at a variety of politicians, revealing that it was detected through Ottawa’s “Rapid Response Mechanism” (RRM).

The RRM subsequently traced the online campaign back to China.

The campaign went after MPs across the country as well as political party lines, posting comments in English and French to their social media accounts. 

It first began in early August and continued, “accelerating in scale” through to September.

According to the RRM, comments involved accusing MPs of criminal and ethical violations which included the “likely use” of AI-generated videos.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and several cabinet ministers were among those targeted by the campaign; however, the GAC concluded that these online attacks posed no safety threat to the politicians themselves.

The government stated that “spamouflage is a tactic that uses networks of new or hijacked social media accounts to post and amplify propaganda messages across multiple platforms.”

The purpose of the campaign is to “discredit and denigrate” MPs by presenting the comments as authentic posts from other users, said the team responsible for monitoring online spaces for foreign interference. 

The full extent on how many Canadian government officials have been targeted remains unknown, acknowledged Defence Minister Bill Blair, however cybersecurity experts are looking into the situation.

This isn’t the first time that bot networks have been used to spread disinformation, Conservative MP Michael Chong was previously targeted by a foreign interference campaign on the Chinese instant messaging platform WeChat. 

Chong has been critical of the RRM, which was created by the Trudeau government for not doing enough to keep Canadians protected from “threats of authoritarian governments” here at home. 

“From foreign police stations illegally operating here to interference in our elections, these foreign interference threats have disproportionately targeted diaspora communities. It’s time the Trudeau government put the safety and security of Canadians first,” said Chong in a statement to CTV News.

The GAC is currently working with officials at Meta and X to remove the posts and said they will continue to monitor the situation.

MPs who were targeted have since been made aware of the spamouflage campaign by federal officials who offered them a briefing on how to better protect themselves in the future.

The federal government has not presented any further plans on how they will combat future spamouflage campaigns thus far, however they did mention that a public inquiry into Chinese election interference remains ongoing.

Ratio’d | Canada set to legalize MAID for drug addicts

By
Harrison Faulkner
-

When Canada expands doctor-assisted suicide — or medical assistance in dying (MAID) —  next year to people whose sole condition is that they struggle from severe mental illness, it is looking increasingly likely that the government will also allow people who are addicted to drugs to qualify as well. Many have described this latest dystopian move in Canada’s increasingly expanding MAID regime as eugenics.

As the government appears to make every effort possible to make it easier for Canadians to get addicted to dangerous drugs and to keep them addicted to drugs, the government is now opening the door to letting them take their own lives at the hands of the state.

We are rapidly descending the slippery slope of doctor-assisted suicide in this country.

Tune into the latest episode of Ratio’d with Harrison Faulkner.

Surge in asylum applicants after Liberals waive visitor visa requirements

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-
Source: Flickr

A recent surge in asylum applications at Canadian airports is being attributed to a quiet policy change by the Liberal government relaxing certain requirements for visitor visa applicants. 

According to the Globe and Mail, data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveal that, between January and September this year, over 26,000 individuals have submitted asylum claims at airports, a 54% increase over the same period last year. 

This uptick coincided with two significant events – the much publicized March 2023 closure of Roxham Road, a well-known illegal border entry into Quebec, and the federal government’s secretive implementation of a temporary policy in February 2023. 

The immigration policy change essentially eliminated the need for visitor visa applicants to demonstrate proof of financial resources and an intent to leave Canada upon visa expiration – making room for visa overstays and otherwise previously ineligible applicants to enter Canada. 

The change, which wasn’t publicly disclosed until June 2023, was intended to expedite application processing and reduce the backlog, which stands at over 2.6 million cases in IRCC’s inventory. 

This policy is in effect until the end of this year.

Critics of the policy argue it has created a loophole for potential asylum seekers, enabling them to enter Canada as visitors and subsequently submit asylum claims at airports. 

“(It) makes our immigration system seem unreliable,” immigration lawyer Zeynab Ziaie Moayyed told the Globe and Mail. 

“(This is) a short-sighted way to reduce that backlog, but creates all kinds of other problems.”

They also contend that IRCC is not conducting thorough security and eligibility checks on visitors, which jeopardizes the integrity of Canada’s immigration system. 

Some also question the rationale behind this policy, particularly given Canada’s ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions. 

When contacted by the Globe and Mail, IRCC brushed off the concerns and attributed the spike in asylum applicants to “global migration” patterns. 

“In the current reality of increasing global migration, Canada, like many other countries, is experiencing a rise in the number of people claiming asylum,” said an IRCC spokesperson. 

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy recently called for a border wall along the U.S.-Canada 49th parallel, citing concerns about illegal immigration and asylum spillover from Canada. 

His proposal follows New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu’s establishment of a Northern Border Alliance Task Force to monitor the state’s border with Canada.

Clean tech crown corporation funding companies tied to its board members

By
Noah Jarvis
-

Companies connected to members of a federal crown corporation’s board of directors have received tens of millions of dollars in funding from the organization tasked with investing in new clean technologies.

A review by True North shows that Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a foundation established and funded by the Canadian government, has been doling out money to companies its board members own or work for.

SDTC operates at arms length from the government but is funded by Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Its mandate is to advance clean technology innovation by funding clean tech companies and their projects. 

However, an ISED report conducted by the consulting company Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and leaked to True North found that the members of SDTC’s board have been funding companies with which they are directly involved.

Following the report, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government was temporarily freezing SDTC funding, though the crown corporation denied any wrongdoing.

A review by True North found several members of the SDTC board have vested financial interests in the companies the crown corporation has given seed money to in the last seven years. 

Andrée-Lise Méthot

Andrée-Lise Méthot was a member of SDTC’s board from July 2015 to September 2021, serving on the Project Review Committee, which reviews and approves funding projects before sending the proposal to the entire board.

Méthot is also a managing partner for the venture capital firm Cycle Capital, helping to found the firm in 2009.

During Méthot’s time on SDTC’s board, the crown corporation funded seven out of the 25 firms in which Cycle Capital is invested. These companies include MineSense Technologies, Spark Microsystems, GreenMantra Technologies, Concentric Agriculture, Polystyvert, and VueReal.

On May 2, 2017, SDTC’s board approved $2,250,000 in funding for Spark Microsystems. That same day, SDTC also approved $2,278,949 in funding for GreenMantra Technologies and $2,536,904 in funding for Concentric Agriculture.

On May 1, 2018, SDTC’s board approved $4,000,000 in funding for MineSense Technologies. 

On June 27, 2018, SDTC’s board approved $8,500,000 in funding for VueReal.

On September 15, 2021, the same month that Méthot left SDTC’s board, SDTC approved $3,500,000 in funding for Polystyvert. 

Companies in Cycle Capital’s portfolio, such as Agrisoma, Tantalus, EOCYCLE, and Airex Energy received money from SDTC before Méthot was appointed to the board.

Méthot has also been a corporate director for the biofuels and renewable chemical product company Enerkem since November 2014. 

On February 2, 2016, SDTC’s board approved $12,000,000 in funding for Enerkem. 

It is worth noting that SDTC had approved Enerkem for $63,600,000 in funding on November 28, 2014, the same month Méthot was added to the Enerkem board, though it was eight months before being added to the SDTC board.

Méthot did not respond to a request for comment from True North.

Guy Ouimet

Guy Ouimet, an SDTC board member since 2018 who is also on the Project Review Committee, is also a managing partner at the venture capital firm Celtis Capital. 

As a venture capitalist, Ouimet sits on the board of Lithion Technologies, a company that received $3,842,000 in funding from SDTC on August 29, 2018, just one and a half months after Lithion was incorporated. 

When asked to comment on SDTC funds granted to Celtis Capital’s holdings, Ouimet said “​​I can only refer you to SDTC communications service.”

Ellen McGregor

Ellen McGregor, an SDTC board member since 2015 who is also on the Project Review Committee, is the CEO and principal owner of Fielding Environmental.  

Fielding is a founding partner of GreenCentre Canada, who collaborates with clean tech companies, helping them with research and hastening their arrival to market. 

One such company GreenCentre collaborated with was Li-Cycle, which was granted $2,708,488 in funding on August 29, 2018 with GreenCentre listed as a “consortium member.” 

Li-Cycle was also given $4,000,000 on August 17, 2020, though GreenCentre was not listed as a consortium member. 

Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Li-Cycle’s Kingston, Ontario battery recycling plant in 2023. 

The Raymond Chabot report noted that the board almost always unanimously supports projects, and there is no evidence of disagreements, challenges, or vote mix.

Records from the meetings are not public, so it is not clear which committee members, if any, recused themselves.

The Raymond Chabot report also found that SDTC President and CEO Leah Lawrence had failed to declare a conflict of interest with a consultant, as both the consultant and Lawrence had ties to the clean tech firm Innovation Asset Collective. 

According to the report, Lawrence created a backdated conflict of interest declaration between herself and the consultant under the advice of her external legal counsel.

In a statement to True North, SDTC said that its board members proactively disclose conflicts of interest according to the organization’s conflict of interest policy.

“SDTC’s Board Directors proactively disclose real or perceived conflicts of interest, and recuse themselves from discussions as appropriate. Please see our conflict of interest policy on our website,” the statement said.

However, the report by Raymond Chabot Grant Thorton said this policy has been “inconsistently applied.”

The “conflict of interest policy appears to not have been consistently followed for Seed Funding,” the report found, also noting that it “does not require board members and employees to declare conflicts with consultants, expert reviewers and other companies providing services.”

A third of Canadian restaurants operating at a loss: report

By
Quinn Patrick
-

A new report from Restaurants Canada reveals that a large number of restaurants across the country have been operating at a loss for the past six months.

The annual report, released Monday, projects Canada’s total food service sales year. The industry is estimated to take in $110 billion in total sales by the end of 2023, up from $100 billion in 2022.

In 2019, total food service sales was $95 billion. 

Despite the rising number, 34% of restaurants have been operating at a loss since March 2023, compared to only 7% in 2019, the report found.

Another 17 % of restaurants said they were only breaking even.

Restaurateurs are facing higher bottom line costs in all directions from wages and ingredients to insurance.

“This is directly related to the hangover, or the aftershocks, of the pandemic,” said Restaurants Canada president Kelly Higginson. 

“We’ve got operators with a heavy amount of debt. We’ve got operators having to negotiate the same interest rate challenges that Canadians are managing on a day-to-day basis. And we’ve got heavy, heavy inflation that has just smacked the industry.”

In order to combat that inflation, restaurant owners are raising menu prices at an unprecedented rate, however it’s still not enough to keep up with the rate of inflation seen at grocery stores. 

According to Statistics Canada, menu prices in Canada rose 6.4% in March 2023, but the cost of food at grocery stores also went up by 9.1%.

Customers are not happy when menu prices go up, noted Higginson.

“The scary part of increasing prices is the way you find out that you’ve pushed too far is that people stop coming back,” she said.

In Calgary, the owner of Annabelle’s Kitchen Leslie Echino spoke with the Globe and Mail about her experience navigating the post-pandemic economy.

Echino said that the price of cauliflower – an ingredient that she needs for one of her signature dishes – was around $3 several years ago and is now up four times that.

“I saw the price, it was over $12 per cauliflower. I almost had a heart attack,” said Echino. “I was like, ‘guys, this is only $15 on the menu.’”

The spike in prices has forced her to cut out certain menu items altogether.

“We’re not putting a steak on the menu right now because I don’t want to have to charge guests $45 for a steak,” she said. “That price point scares me.”

The pain of inflation can be better handled by restaurants that are chains as opposed to independent small businesses.

Market-research firm Circana recently published data showing the number of chain restaurants in Canada has risen since the pandemic, while the number of small independent restaurants has dropped by several thousand. 

Federal data found that insolvency filings are highest amongst the food services and accommodation sector, with 70 fillings just in the month of August. 

“We’ve had operators take out second mortgages,” said Higgison. “They have been maxing out lines of credit, credit cards. That can only go on for so long.”

NDP booted MPP Sarah Jama from caucus as she’s censured in legislature

By
Noah Jarvis
-

Hamilton-Centre MPP Sarah Jama was kicked from the NDP caucus for refusing to retract statements she had made expressing anti-Israel sympathies including denouncing Israel as an “apartheid regime” and claiming that it’s committing “atrocities” in the Gaza strip. 

Jama refused to retract a statement she had made on October 10, accusing Israel of practising “apartheid,” and participating in so-called “settler colonialism” while ignoring Hamas’ attack against Israel that killed upwards of 1,400 Israeli civilians. 

Ontario’s Legislative Assembly voted to censure Jama and strip her of her privilege to be called upon by the House Speaker, calling her statements “antisemitic,” “discriminatory,” and in defence of Hamas terrorists.

Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles issued a statement saying that she and Jama had originally reached an agreement to keep her in the caucus under the condition that she work in good faith with the NDP caucus with “no surprises.” 

However, Stiles says that Jama had operated independently to undermine the NDP’s collective work and had contributed to an unsafe work environment for some NDP staff. 

“Our caucus and staff have made significant efforts to support her during an undoubtedly difficult time,” says Stiles.

“Since then, she has undertaken a number of unilateral actions that have undermined our collective work and broken the trust of her colleagues. Some of Ms. Jama’s actions have contributed to unsafe work environments for staff.” 

Jama doubled down on her anti-Israel comments in the Legislative Assembly, as the House was debating a motion to censure the Hamilton-Centre MPP. She claimed that Israel had begun a “horrible siege” against Palestinians, and that Israeli forces were killing Palestinians as a form of “collective punishment.”

“Since I made this statement, Israel has only escalated its assault on millions of Gazans,” said Jama. 

“The unspeakable destruction continues and represents collective punishment against all Gazans in retaliation for attacks by Hamas.”

Jama went on to condemn Premier Doug Ford’s government for their motion to censure Jama and for refusing to speak on “atrocities” committed by Israel.

“The Ford government has done nothing meaningful to say about these atrocities and has now targeted me to distract from its own scandals, and those of us committed to Palestinian life refused to be distracted,” said Jama.

Last week, Jama threatened to sue Premier Ford for libel after Ford accused Jama of having a “history of antisemitism.” Jama’s lawyer claims that Premier Ford’s claims sought “to do serious harm to Ms. Jama’s reputation.”

The Legislative Assembly voted to censure Jama and strip her of her privileges to be called upon by the House Speaker until Jama retracts her “antisemitic” statements and makes an apology in the House.

The NDP voted against censuring Jama, calling the motion “an extreme step that will disenfranchise the voters of Hamilton Centre.” 

The NDP had previously abstained from a motion in the legislature expressing support for Israel’s right to defend themselves and condemning Hamas.

Moxie’s apologizes after employees cheered on pro-Palestinian protest

By
Quinn Patrick
-

The restaurant chain Moxie’s has issued an apology after several employees came out of a Toronto location to show their support for the National March for Gaza on Saturday.

Independent journalist Caryma Sa’d posted a video showing several employees cheering on the protest with the caption, “Restaurant workers show solidarity with National March for Gaza.”

Moxie’s responded to the video saying “the actions of our employees do not reflect our company views.”

“We are deeply committed to a safe & respectful space for our team, guests & community. The actions of our employees do not reflect our company views. Participating in demonstrations is not permitted in uniform/on premises, and is certainly not reflective of our corporate culture,” wrote Moxie’s on X (formerly Twitter).

“We sincerely apologize to anyone impacted negatively by these actions. We ask that our team behaves respectfully & demonstrate empathy & sensitivity & can assure you that a formal investigation has been launched & appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken for all involved.

“Moxies condemns any forms of violence, and our hearts are with the innocent civilians who are suffering and those in our communities who are hurting.”

The National March for Gaza was held over the weekend in major cities throughout the country, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg, to protest against the Israeli airstrikes which have been ongoing as a result of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

During the initial Hamas attack, more than 1,400 Israelis were killed. An estimated 5,000 Palestinians have since been killed under Israel’s counter attack, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. 

Hamas still has many Israelis being held hostage and the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) is expected to carry out a ground operation in the coming days.

Social media reaction was largely critical of Moxie’s and the employees.

“ask them just any one single question about the history of the conflict – how many documentaries, books, lectures, interviews do we think they might have watched- listened to- read- … !? likely less a single hour.. if that !” wrote one X user.

“Entitled ppl will see no fault. Why? Freedom of speech? During work? While working you represent the company that’s paying you. Act accordingly or expect termination. Quit giving them second chances-they won’t learn. Hard lessons need to be learnt here & it’s not by coddling them,” wrote another user.

One X user pointed out Moxie’s history, starting out in Calgary in the 1980s as a deli.

“So, What will you do? As a Calgarian, I have spent many dollars at your restaurants, and it shocks me to no end, that a restaurant that started as a « Deli » serving many foods with a culinary Jewish history, could possibly have employees who cheer on the death of Jews. Shame!”

Former BC civil liberties leader praised Hamas’ “beautiful” attack on Israel

By
Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
-

The former executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) has sparked outrage after she praised Hamas for its recent attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 people and took hundreds of hostages.

Harsha Walia, who resigned from the BCCLA in July after tweeting “burn it all down” in response to Catholic church burnings in British Columbia, spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally in Vancouver on Saturday.

In her speech, Walia said: “How beautiful is the spirit to get free that Palestinians literally learned how to fly on hang gliders.”

“We are gathered here on land stolen by the Canadian colonialist terror state, Canada and Israel are settler colonial projects, we want the land back from Turtle Island to Palestine.” 

She was referring to the unprecedented use of hang gliders by Hamas militants who infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip and launched a surprise attack on a music festival near Tel Aviv on Oct. 7.

The attack, which was part of a larger offensive that involved bulldozers, motorbikes and rockets, resulted in more than 260 deaths at the festival and many more hostages taken by Hamas.

The Israeli government has condemned the attack as a “barbaric act of terror” and vowed to rescue the hostages and retaliate against Hamas.

Since the beginning of the hostilities at least 1,400 people have been killed in southern Israel and an additional 4,300 within the Gaza Strip. 

Walia’s comments were met with strong criticism from pro-Israeli groups and politicians, who accused her of glorifying terrorism and inciting violence

Walia’s speech was part of a series of nationwide protests that have taken place since the beginning of the conflict.

The protests, which were organized by various Palestinian groups, drew thousands of people in cities such as Ottawa, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver.

However, the protests also witnessed clashes between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators.

Some of the protests also featured controversial statements, such as calls to “free Palestine from the river to the sea”, which imply the elimination of Israel as a state.

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