Perspectives from Palestinian Canadians and alternative Jewish groups are notably absent. As such, the article is one-sided and fails to meet journalistic standards of fairness and balance laid out in the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines.
To Mark Hamm and Rob Roberts,
I’m writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME, https://www.cjpme.org) to express concerns about the article titled “Jewish board member resigns over Nakba exhibit at Canadian human rights museum/CMHR” published in the Winnipeg Sun and the National Post on June 22, 2026.
Firstly, this article about the resignation of the only Jewish member of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights board quotes largely from pro-Israel lobby groups like B’nai Brith Canada and Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). Perspectives from Palestinian Canadians and alternative Jewish groups are notably absent. As such, the article is one-sided and fails to meet journalistic standards of fairness and balance laid out in the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines.
Secondly, the article paraphrases Noah Shack, the CEO of CIJA, who states “that the museum consulted with political activists during the exhibit’s development, including one who, he alleged, had described the Jewish community’s identity as ‘a disease to be destroyed’”. However, Shack’s statement (taken from a CIJA press release) is factually incorrect. Elsewhere, CIJA has shared a screenshot showing clearly that the statement from local activist Ramsey Zeid specified that “zionism” is “a disease that must be destroyed.” This was correctly reported in a National Post article “Kevin Klein: Human rights museum can no longer avoid questions over Nakba exhibit” published on June 19, 2026. The article has therefore copied a misquote and mischaracterization from an opponent of this project, which has important implications for how readers will understand this story. Zionism is a political ideology associated with the State of Israel which cannot be equated with or reduced to “the Jewish community’s identity.” The implication of replacing “Zionism” with “the Jewish community’s identity” is to turn a statement about political ideology into an attack on the Jewish community. Moreover, according to a 2024 poll, only 51% of Canadian Jewish people identify as Zionist. Further, the Canadian Jewish group Independent Jewish Voices, is explicitly anti-Zionist, and the Jewish Faculty Network of Canada stresses that political Zionism should not be conflated with Jewish identity, religion, or culture. Both of these groups form part of the Jewish community in Canada.
I therefore request that the National Post and the Winnipeg Sun add perspectives from Palestinian-Canadians and alternative Jewish groups, and correct the clear mistake from Shack’s statement to specify that Zeid’s comment was about Zionism, in order for this article to align with the standards set out in the Canadian Association of Journalists ethics guidelines.
Sincerely,
Jason Toney, CJPME