Jewish members feeling betrayed by unions' anti-Israel stances

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OTTAWA — Abandoned, alone and bullied into silence.

That’s how Jewish members are reacting to the involvement of Canadian unions in nationwide demonstrations last week commemorating the Oct. 7 terror attacks.

Numerous unions encouraged their employees to attend rallies on Saturday — two days before the anniversary of last year’s brutal terror attack that saw Hamas militants conduct a campaign of murder, kidnappings and sexual assault against thousands of Israeli men, women and children.

CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn, wearing a black and white keffiyeh around his neck, was one of the many union officials recorded on video attending Toronto’s Oct. 5 rally, surrounded by people waving flags of various unions, including various CUPE locals and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU.)

Lindsay Gilbert, of the Canadian Jewish Labour Committee, claimed to the Toronto Sun that the demonstrations were clearly meant to intimidate, cause pain and celebrate the attacks.

“Videos and photos of this event featured calls for the annihilation of Israel and explicit support for resistance and martyrdom of known terrorist entities,” alleged Gilbert, who is also a member of OPSEU.

“As far as I know, terrorism support incitement is a Criminal Code offence. OPSEU tacitly supported this by attending the rally and waving union flags.”

Marion Haas, who spent years as a member of Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE,) told the Toronto Sun there’s no place for Canada’s unions in international political advocacy.

“This is not your issue,” she said of her union’s preoccupation with Middle Eastern affairs.

“Don’t support foreign policy platforms that you have no control over, and that Canada doesn’t really play a leading role in in the first place. It’s a false narrative.”

Emboldened by disinterested — and in some cases complicit — politicians and law enforcement officials, Canada has seen an explosion of overt antisemitism since the Oct. 7 attacks.

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While the demonstrations were not facilitated or organized by unions, protesters openly chanted “we are Hamas and we are Hezbollah” during marches earlier this week, along with “death to Canada, death to the United States and death to Israel.”

Fearing an increase in hate-related attacks, GTA police services announced enhanced patrols and security in and around Jewish neighbourhoods, synagogues and community centres on the eve of the Hamas attack anniversary.

Anti-Israel rallies are also seeing increasingly unchallenged displays of support for listed terrorist organizations. Although the allegations have not been proven in court — Ahmad Sheikhani, of Oakville, and Hamad Khalid Menshed, of Mississauga, were charged with hate crimes after allegedly flying Hezbollah flags during a demonstration earlier this month. 

Like other Jewish union members, Haas told the Toronto Sun the situation has left her feeling alone and marginalized — and that many in organized labour are treating the Oct. 7 attacks as a call to action rather than an atrocity perpetrated against innocent Israelis.

“I thought people would respond with the same feeling I felt (after Oct. 7), but that was not the case,” she said. “That scared me.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume