"It has been common for voices in the media to assert that Samidoun is a “central” and leading force in organizing pro-Palestine activities in Canada — there is little evidence that Samidoun is significantly influential in Canada and this narrative results in an unfair delegitimization of the entire, overwhelmingly peaceful pro-Palestine movement in Canada."
October 17, 2024
To:
Anne-Marie Mediwake, News Anchor, CTV News Atlantic
Dear Ms. Mediwake,
I am writing to you on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express my concerns regarding the inaccurate accusations made against Samidoun during the news segment aired on CTV Morning at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, broadcasted by CTV News Atlantic. The inaccuracies presented in your broadcast are not only misleading, but also require immediate correction to uphold the integrity of journalistic standards.
During the segment, Christian Leuprecht asserted at [7:33:25] that Samidoun “aids and abets” the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). He further claimed, between [7:34:35] and [7:34:44], that the founders of Samidoun, Khaled Barakat and Charlotte Kates, “have a long history of advocating violent extremism and abetting extreme violence.”
I want to bring to your attention that while Public Safety Canada has designated Samidoun as a terrorist organization due to alleged ties to the PFLP, it has not accused Samidoun of providing material support to the PFLP. Notably, it is the United States that has claimed Samidoun funds the PFLP—not Canada. Listeners deserve to understand their government’s position on this matter.
Furthermore, while Kates has faced arrest for her violent comments made at a pro-Palestinian protests in Vancouver, such actions do not constitute credible evidence of material support for extreme violence, as Mr. Christian claims. The basis for claims that Samidoun funds the PFLP remains undisclosed, warranting skepticism regarding these allegations.
Given the above, I insist that your program issue an on-air correction to clarify that Canada has not stated that Samidoun funds the PFLP.
To be clear, this letter is not intended to “defend” Samidoun; rather, it aims to emphasize the necessity for basic journalistic standards to be upheld in discussions surrounding the organization. Further, it has been common for voices in the media to assert that Samidoun is a “central” and leading force in organizing pro-Palestine activities in Canada — there is little evidence that Samidoun is significantly influential in Canada and this narrative results in an unfair delegitimization of the entire, overwhelmingly peaceful pro-Palestine movement in Canada.
I look forward to your response and to seeing a renewed commitment to accuracy and integrity in future reporting.