CJPME Factsheet 245, published June 2024: This factsheet explores various facets of anti-Palestinian racism (APR), detailing how it manifests at institutional, structural, and systemic levels within Canadian society. It underscores the absence of formal definitions of APR in federal policy, highlighting instances where Canadian institutions perpetuate discriminatory practices against Palestinians, impacting their rights, immigration policies, and public perception.

Montreal, March 3, 2023 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is calling on the Park West School and the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) to immediately issue an apology for their racist ban on the Palestinian traditional scarf, or Kufiyah. During a cultural event at Park West School, students celebrating their Palestinian heritage by donning the Kufiyah were told by their school principal to remove the scarf, claiming it “represents the colours of war.”

Montreal, November 14, 2022 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) and Canadians United Against Hate (CUAH) are calling on the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) to take accountability for an incident of anti-Palestinian racism that occurred when it issued its school dress code on Oct. 31.  In the on-line FAQ for the new school dress code, a “Free Palestine” t-shirt was used as an example of school dress which would “promote or incite… violence.”

CJPME Factsheet No. 227, published July 2022: This factsheet provides an overview of the Anti-Palestinian Racism framework that was recently introduced by the Arab-Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA). It looks at the importance of defining anti-Palestinian racism, and provides real-life examples of Palestinians and their supporters who have been subjected to this form of racism. 

Montreal, May 18, 2022 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) welcomes a ground-breaking new report on anti-Palestinian racism which was published this month by the Arab-Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA). Based on extensive community consultation, the ACLA report provides, for the first time, a working description of anti-Palestinian racism which can be used as a starting point towards identifying and challenging its manifestations throughout Canadian society. The report discusses anti-Palestinian racism as a “distinct” form of racism which impacts Palestinians and non-Palestinians, and which “aims to censor and erase Palestinians and their narratives from the public sphere.”

Montreal, March 25, 2022  — Below is a letter from CJPME to McGill University. The letter raises concerns over McGill University's threat to terminate its Memorandum of Understanding with the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU). Click here to download a PDF of the letter.

Montreal, October 8, 2021  — Below is a letter from CJPME to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The letter raises concerns over how supporters of Palestinian rights have been mistreated by the TDSB, while pro-Israel lobby groups have been given an opportunity to shape curriculum. Click here to download a PDF of the letter.

Montreal, September 30, 2021 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is extremely concerned about a pattern of anti-Palestinian racism in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) after a series of instances in which the board has reprimanded or disavowed voices who spoke about Palestinian human rights. Most recently, the board apologized for causing “harm” after journalist and activist Desmond Cole spoke about Palestinian rights during an event about anti-Black racism. CJPME is also deeply troubled that TDSB intends to hire a pro-Israel lobby group - with a history of trying to silence academic critics of Israel - to design classroom resources on “anti-Palestinian and anti-Israel sentiments.”

CJPME Factsheet No. 222, published March 2021: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Nakba

Montreal, January 20, 2021  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) released today its submission to the University of Toronto’s External Review process, which is investigating allegations of inappropriate conduct in the University of Toronto’s hiring process for the directorship position of its International Human Rights Program (IHRP). In its submission, CJPME criticizes the UofT’s alleged revocation of a job offer to Dr. Valentina Azarova based on her scholarship on Israel’s occupation. CJPME’s submission also explores this incident in the context of broader campaigns to shut down critical scholarship on Israel-Palestine.