"From the very first sentence, Mr. Passifiume, you present your opinion as fact. For instance, referring to groups that advocate for Palestinian rights on campus as 'anti-Israeli extremists' is not only a baseless editorialization but also defamatory. Your labeling pressures and stigmatizes Palestinians and their allies, effectively framing them as terrorist sympathizers. This characterization is not only inaccurate and harmful but also a form of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association."
August 21, 2024
To:
Bryan Passifiume, National politics reporter, Toronto Sun
Adrienne Batra, Editor-in-chief, Toronto Sun
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concern regarding Mr. Passifiume's recent article titled “Hillel urging universities to make campuses safe for Jews this September,” published on August 16, 2024. The article, labeled as news, is highly editorialized and one-sided, focusing exclusively on the experiences of pro-Israel students while omitting any perspectives from pro-Palestinian voices. This lack of balance does not meet the standards of journalistic fairness expected of professional journalists.
From the very first sentence, Mr. Passifiume, you present your opinion as fact. For instance, referring to groups that advocate for Palestinian rights on campus as “anti-Israeli extremists” is not only a baseless editorialization but also defamatory. Your labeling pressures and stigmatizes Palestinians and their allies, effectively framing them as terrorist sympathizers. This characterization is not only inaccurate and harmful but also a form of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association.
Moreover, this approach breaches the ethical standards of accuracy and fairness that professional journalists are expected to uphold.
For example, you claim that “universities across Canada hosted disruptive anti-Israel encampments over the summer, featuring compounds guarded by extremists preventing access to Jewish and non-aligned students, as well as problematic and hateful signs targeting the Jewish community.”
This sweeping accusation is factually incorrect and lacks evidence. It portrays the student encampments as inherently antisemitic without acknowledging their legitimate demands, such as calls for a ceasefire and their universities divesting from companies profiting from the occupation of Palestinian land. These demands are centered on justice and human rights, not anti-Jewish sentiment. In this case, the article fails to provide context as you label these students as “extremists” without providing context or verifying these claims. This not only fails to distinguish between assertions and fact but also disregards the requirement to offer balanced and contextualized reporting expected of the Toronto Sun.
Furthermore, the article predominantly features the perspective of Hillel Ontario and Jewish students, while failing to include voices from Palestinian students or those who may be critical of Israeli policies. The CAJ states that journalists should “make room for the interests of all: minorities and majorities; those with power and those without it; and holders of disparate and conflicting views.” In coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict, it is reasonable to expect that an organization like the Sun would interview Palestinians—a marginalized, stateless group enduring a 10-month siege that has killed 40,000 of their people at the hands of the majority group, Israelis. Failing to include these voices creates a one-sided narrative, violating the CAJ's guideline on incorporating a diversity of sources, especially in reports on contentious issues.
I request that the Toronto Sun either update this piece to include the voices of students advocating for Palestinian rights on campus or label the article as an opinion piece.
I urge you to consider my concerns and that your coverage is adequately corrected. Please be advised that CJPME is considering filing a formal complaint with the NNC regarding this problematic coverage as it breaches numerous ethical standards expected of Canadian journalists.
I await your response,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East