"I request that the Canadian Press update their article with context from IJV Halifax’s statement, providing a more balanced representation of Jewish Canadian perspectives on Ms. Jakeman’s public tweets. I believe it is also critical that the Canadian Press make it clear that she was pressured to step out of the race after a mounted campaign by pro-Israel groups."
November 13, 2024
To:
Cassidy McMackon, Reporter, Canadian Press
Andrea Baillie, Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Press
Tim Cook, Assistant Managing Editor, Canadian Press
Dear Ms. McMackon, Ms. Baillie, and Mr. Cook,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concerns about your article titled “Nova Scotia NDP candidate out after criticism for ‘troubling’ posts about Israel,” published on November 10, 2024. The article lacks balance, and I take issue with the exclusion of perspective in your story.
The article largely presents criticisms from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), a pro-Israel advocacy organization, against former NDP candidate Tammy Jakeman, who in 2023 retweeted posts highly critical of Israel’s brutal military siege in Gaza. While I understand the inclusion of CIJA’s views in your article, they represent only a segment of Jewish Canadian opinion. Presenting CIJA as the sole representative of the Jewish community is misleading. Jewish Canadians hold a wide range of perspectives on Israel and Palestine, with some groups vocally critical of Israel’s policies in Gaza and the West Bank. I demand your update the article clarifying CIJA's role as a pro-Israel group.
Furthermore, given that the Jewish Canadian community is not a monolith, I’m disappointed that Ms. McMackon didn’t include other voices within Canada’s Jewish community, especially those who are part of the growing Palestine solidarity movement. In the context of this specific story, the Canadian Press should include the press release of Independent Jewish Voices Halifax (IJV Halifax). IJV Halifax expressed full support for Ms. Jakeman, condemning what they described as a “smear campaign” against her by CIJA and the Atlantic Jewish Council. They affirmed that “nothing she wrote was remotely antisemitic” and warned against conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism, especially when addressing Israel’s documented human rights abuses.
It’s notable that while the Canadian Press excluded this information, the Halifax Examiner did not. As you can tell from the Examiner’s headline alone, the story is more complex than the Canadian Press presents.
By not including these diverse viewpoints, Canadian Press failed to meet the journalistic standards set by the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), which emphasize fairness and diversity in reporting. According to the CAJ, diversity is essential to fair reporting, and voices from all segments of society—including minority views within communities—are necessary to uphold public trust and understanding. Solely conveying the opinions of CIJA doesn’t accurately and fulsomely reflect the experiences of the entire Jewish Canadian community of Nova Scotia. It is the responsibility of the Canadian Press, to ensure full understanding of community dynamics.
I request that the Canadian Press update their article with context from IJV Halifax’s statement, providing a more balanced representation of Jewish Canadian perspectives on Ms. Jakeman’s public tweets. I believe it is also critical that the Canadian Press make it clear that she was pressured to step out of the race after a mounted campaign by pro-Israel groups. For your reference, Ben Sichel, a representative from IJV Halifax, is available to provide additional insights and can be reached at 902-817-3826 or via email at [email protected].
Thank you for considering these points. I hope the Canadian Press will review this feedback in good faith by adding needed context to this story.
Sincerely,
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East