"Yakabuski defames Lewis and his team by portraying them as inherently antisemitic simply for being allies of the Palestinian movement. Mr. Yakabuski also portrays support for Palestinian rights as inherently suspect or extremist, by implying that the presence of Palestinian symbolism, such as flags or keffiyehs, at the NDP convention is indicative of antisemitism within the party. To be clear, I believe these passages constitute forms of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association. This includes 'defaming Palestinians and their allies with slander such as being inherently antisemitic' in order to silence their narratives and advocacy."
To the Globe and Mail editorial newsroom, and Mr. Yakabuski,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) to express concern regarding your recent opinion piece titled “The NDP has an antisemitism problem.”
While opinion writing allows for interpretation and argumentation of facts, it must still adhere to fundamental journalistic standards of accuracy, fairness, and responsible framing expected of Canadian news outlets. I don't believe that this article meets these standards.
The article repeatedly conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism without providing evidence.
The assertion that “to be an anti-Zionist in 2026 is to deny Israel’s right to exist”, statements such as references to a “global surge in antisemitism” leaving “ Jews everywhere, including in Canada, living in fear,” or the claim that “to be an anti-Zionist in 2026 is to deny Israel’s right to exist at a time when radical views have permeated the discourse of left-wing parties in Western countries, fuelling political polarization and violence against Jews unseen since the Holocaust,” are all presented as fact rather than opinion.
These assertions do not meet the Canadian Association of Journalists’ standard requiring journalists to clearly distinguish between verified facts and commentary. Without proper sourcing or qualification, these claims mislead your readers.
This framing erases political dissent and opposition to Zionism within the Jewish community, specifically ignoring organizations like Independent Jewish Voices which both Lewis and the new NDP president, Niall Ricardo are members of. Mr. Yakabuski claims the two perpetuate antisemitism, yet their critiques of Zionism and Israel are based on political and moral grounds due to the state’s awful record on Palestinian human rights, its system of apartheid, and the genocide it is currently waging in Gaza.
Furthermore, Mr. Yakabuski defames Lewis and his team by portraying them as inherently antisemitic simply for being allies of the Palestinian movement. Mr. Yakabuski also portrays support for Palestinian rights as inherently suspect or extremist, by implying that the presence of Palestinian symbolism, such as flags or keffiyehs, at the NDP convention is indicative of antisemitism within the party. To be clear, I believe these passages constitute forms of anti-Palestinian racism, as defined by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association. This includes 'defaming Palestinians and their allies with slander such as being inherently antisemitic' in order to silence their narratives and advocacy.
I demand that the Globe and Mail review this article. In order for this op-ed to be fair, I believe that Mr. Yakabuski elaborate the distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. I also believe that your newsroom must address the anti-Palestinian racism riddled within the article, and ensure that assertions are properly sourced or clearly identified as opinion. Lastly, I also request that the standards editor review the piece for compliance with established journalistic standards regarding accuracy, fairness, and balance.
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Media Analyst
