Article uses misleading language regarding Indigenous justice advocacy
"It is extremely disappointing that your article did not include any of this context or background information. The parallels between the oppression and discrimination that Palestinians and Indigenous Canadians have experienced and continue to experience is obvious and could have helped readers understand that the advocacy needed for both groups is based on common values of justice and human rights."
Read moreCanadian Mennonite publishes CJPME letter defending article on Palestine
On June 30, 2023, The Canadian Mennonite published a letter by CJPME Director Media Advocacy Jason Toney in defence of a June 15 article entitled “Not talking politics in the Holy Land.” Columnist Randy Haluza-DeLay faced an avalanche of blowback from a pro-Israel lobby group for describing his experiences during an organized tour of Israel and Palestine and drawing comparisons to the oppression of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Toney wrote:
I’m aware that the article has come under attack by HonestReporting Canada. Our organization firmly disagrees with, and contests, their characterization of the article.
I believe Haluza-DeLay’s piece is an honest, fair assessment of his experience and I applaud his courage in speaking openly about it.
I was particularly struck by the conclusion of the article, which compares Canada’s settler-colonial history with Israel’s: “We Canadians are familiar with our own history claiming terra nullius (empty land), and the Doctrine of Discovery, that legitimized oppression of Indigenous residents.” Perhaps, in a similar vein, Canadian Mennonite would be interested in covering CJPME’s recent report “Heartbreaking Disparity: Child Detainees in Canada vs. Israel.”
The erasure of Palestinian narratives should be challenged. We applaud this effort, which succeeds in raising the Palestinian perspective in a critical context.