"According to CTV News’ stated policies, your reporting is committed to accuracy, fairness, and completeness. However, this broadcast violated these principles by conflating separate events which led to a misrepresentation of facts. You amplified unsubstantiated claims of antisemitism without clear evidence. Furthermore, you failed to present a balanced narrative by excluding relevant voices and perspectives."
November 27, 2024
To: Mr. Charron and the CTV National News Broadcasting Team based in Ottawa
Dear Mr. Charron and the CTV News Team,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express serious concerns regarding your November 24 broadcast titled “CTV National News: Demonstrators Clash with Police.” This segment contains inaccuracies and misleading associations that fail to meet Canadian standards of ethical journalism, particularly in video broadcasting.
First, your report conflates two distinct events that occurred in Montreal on November 22, 2024: an anti-NATO pro Palestine protest and a student-organized pro-Palestinian academic boycott. Both shared thematic solidarity but were organized by different groups for different purposes.
In the Montreal published segment of the video, the anchor states at 00:07 that “pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO protests turned violent Friday night,” while Mr. Charron later describes escalations of “pro-Palestinian and anti-NATO protests” (00:50). However, there is no clarity on which event is being referenced. The academic boycott was a peaceful initiative demanding accountability from Quebec universities and CEGEPs for their ties to Israeli institutions amid Israel's siege of Gaza and Israel’s system of apartheid. These strikes occurred on Thursday Nov. 21 and Friday Nov. 22. It was reported by the Link newspaper, which is an independent student newspaper at Concordia University, that protesters attending the student strikes on Nov.22, were encouraged to also attend the protest against NATO parliamentary assembly’s presence in Montreal downtown. The anti-NATO protest, which occurred concurrently, was distinct in its focus and organization.
This failure to distinguish the protests is a factual inaccuracy that misrepresents the participants and objectives of both events. It undermines public understanding and perpetuates a misleading narrative. I urge your newsroom to issue a clarification distinguishing these protests to restore accuracy.
Second, the report further claims instances of antisemitism occurred during the anti-NATO protest on Friday. However, these assertions lack credible documentation. Montreal police (SPVM) Chief Fady Dagher explicitly denied evidence of antisemitic acts at the anti-NATO protest, stating that no such incidents were confirmed and that investigations remained inconclusive.
Your segment appears to conflate a documented incident of antisemitism at the student-led walkout on November 21—where a protester was reportedly filmed performing a Nazi salute according to CBC. This act of antisemitism is unrelated to the anti-NATO protest on November 22. This misrepresentation is not only inaccurate for your viewers but also unfairly tarnished the reputation of protesters exercising their democratic right to dissent during the anti-NATO protests. Your report also failed to distinguish acts of valid criticism of Israel’s policies from claims of antisemitism. For example, protesters burned a Netanyahu effigy. While this may be considered distasteful, labeling it as antisemitic without broader context oversimplifies the protesters’ message. International institutions, including the ICC and ICJ, have raised concerns about potential genocide in Gaza and have also issued an arrest warrant for Nertanyhu. Again, context that CTV omitted entirely. I urge you to clarify the actions at these events as separate to accurately contextualize your reporting.
Third, your segment amplifies political condemnation of the protests without presenting balanced viewpoints. At 00:27, the broadcast highlights Prime Minister Trudeau’s tweet denouncing alleged acts of antisemitism. At 01:40, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is quoted condemning “violence, hate, and antisemitism.” If CTV includes tweets from politicians denouncing the protests, why exclude opposing viewpoints, such as those from Alex Tyrell, leader of Quebec’s Green Party and an organizer of the anti-NATO demonstrations? Tyrell provided clear evidence, including photos, showing minimal damage—just six broken windows at the Montreal Convention Center (Palais Des Congres). He also refuted claims of antisemitism, citing SPVM statements in La Presse that no antisemitic acts were reported during the protests: “We have seen protests against NATO before, and they were not antisemitic protests.” Tyrell further denounced allegations of an “antisemitic hate mob” as manipulative and false, emphasizing that the demonstrations were strictly anti-war. Excluding such context undermines balance and fairness in your reporting. As the protests conclude today, it’s imperative that CTV includes perspectives from those directly involved to provide a more accurate and complete narrative.
According to CTV News’ stated policies, your reporting is committed to accuracy, fairness, and completeness. However, this broadcast violated these principles by conflating separate events which led to a misrepresentation of facts. You amplified unsubstantiated claims of antisemitism without clear evidence. Furthermore, you failed to present a balanced narrative by excluding relevant voices and perspectives.
In light of these issues, I urge CTV News to:
- Issue a public correction clarifying the distinction between the anti-NATO protest and the student-led walkout.
- Provide evidence for any claims of antisemitism or remove such allegations from your coverage.
- Include diverse viewpoints in upcoming coverage of the anti-NATO protests which end today.
Failure to address these concerns may prompt a formal complaint to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC).
I trust that you will act to uphold the integrity of your reporting.
I look forward to your response.
Anthony Issa
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME)