Inaccurate framing on investigation by Minister Pascale Déry

"For accuracy and transparency, I urge you to revise your terminology in future coverage of the investigation, referring instead to "the war on Gaza." An on-air correction is also warranted to address the impact of this misrepresentation on your audience, particularly Montreal's Arab and Jewish communities."


December 4, 2024

Dear CBC Radio Montreal newsroom,

I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concerns regarding your December 4th morning broadcast, specifically the 7:30 a.m. segment on the investigation ordered by the province into two CEGEP campuses. The report contained a factual inaccuracy and lacked critical context, particularly regarding the phrase "the conflict in the Middle East." I’m genuinely stunned by the framing of your report over this investigation which feels intentionally vague. 

For context, Minister Pascale Déry, in her Radio-Canada interview, stated in French:  « On sait que le conflit au Proche-Orient est [un sujet] très sensible. On sait très bien que les deux communautés, qui sont prépondérantes dans ces campus, ont de la difficulté à cohabiter.»

In French, Proche-Orient translates to the Levant (including Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Israel and Jordan), and not the broader “Middle East.” The latter term is in French, encompassing a wider region. While in English, the Middle-East generally encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq, it does not have the same meaning in French. This may seem fastidious on my part, but your newsroom should understand how referring to a “conflict in the Middle East” is imprecise and passive, potentially referencing any of numerous conflicts. Minister Déry specifically referred to "la guerre au Proche-Orient"—the war on Gaza—yet your reporting generalized it as "the conflict in the Middle East." 

For accuracy and transparency, I urge you to revise your terminology in future coverage of the investigation, referring instead to "the war on Gaza." An on-air correction is also warranted to address the impact of this misrepresentation on your audience, particularly Montreal's Arab and Jewish communities.

Moreover, while I appreciate CBC Radio One Montreal providing perspectives from the student and teacher unions at Dawson, your report featured lawyer Neil Oberman without sufficient context. Oberman is not just a lawyer, he’s also a candidate for the Mont-Royal riding in Montreal, aiming to challenge incumbent Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, and who has a very public record of pro-Israel advocacy through his legal work.

Neil Oberman's legal actions have been perceived by students in the Palestine solidarity movement as antagonistic towards student protesters due to his efforts to limit pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments on university campuses.

In January 2024, he filed a legal letter on behalf of a Concordia University student, demanding an end to harassment against Jewish students and urging the university to dismantle groups promoting antisemitic discourse. While he argues that this was intended to combat antisemitism, such actions have been interpreted by student groups as attempts to suppress pro-Palestinian activism.

In April 2024, Oberman filed an injunction on behalf of two McGill University students to prohibit demonstrations within 100 meters of the university's buildings, aiming to dismantle a pro-Palestinian encampment in order to suppress peaceful protests and stifle criticism of Israel. 

Given these legal interventions, Oberman's actions cannot be reported on without contextualizing his clear attempts to silence Palestinians and allies of their movement.

While I don’t expect a morning broadcast show to include this extensive record, your radio newsroom needs to clarify that Oberman clearly holds a pro-Israel stance to prevent misrepresentation and ensure that your listeners receive a more nuanced understanding of his motivations.

To conclude, I recommend that CBC Radio One Montreal make these corrections either on air or in future coverage of this ongoing investigation.

Sincerely,

Anthony Issa

Media Analyst

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East