However, the segment only quotes CIJA. This is unbalanced reporting. In the interest of balanced reporting, the segment should have included other perspectives as well.
To CityNews Toronto,
I am writing on behalf of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) regarding the TV segment that aired today at 9:03:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time.
The segment referenced criticism from the pro-Israel lobby group CIJA regarding Project Montreal’s motion to have the city cut ties with Israel, including CIJA's statement that council should remain focused on issues such as housing, infrastructure, and public safety.
However, the segment only quotes CIJA. This is unbalanced reporting. In the interest of balanced reporting, the segment should have included other perspectives as well.
For example, Zev Saltiel from the Montreal chapter of Independent Jewish Voices Canada, a grassroots advocacy organization, described the motion as “a huge historical moment to see words like genocide and apartheid being explicitly named in a piece of proposed legislation.” He also highlighted the importance of recognizing historical and ongoing genocides, noting Montreal’s connection to Holocaust survivors, and explained that “passing the motion at the municipal level will have a ripple effect, pushing politicians at the provincial and federal levels to cut ties with Israel.”
Including IJV's perspectives would have provided viewers with a more complete and balanced understanding of the anti-apartheid motion, as well as the range of voices and perspectives involved.
Please keep these concerns in future coverage of the motion and ensure that pro-Palestinian perspectives are represented.
Regards,
Media Analyst
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East