The Media Accountability Project  

"I particularly commend your decision to center the lived experiences and concerns of demonstrators, including their chants, symbolism, and expressions of grief and outrage at the ongoing genocide and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza. By including direct quotes and outlining their motivations, you offered readers an authentic understanding of why so many Canadians are demanding that Palestine be treated as a core election issue. This is critical journalism that resists the silencing of Palestinian narratives."

"The reality is that most readers will not even make it that far into the article, such that you’ve effectively downplayed the very backlash this article is supposedly concerned with while amplifying the defense. The result is an article that is deeply unbalanced and fails to fairly report on its subject."

"I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised when I read your article that covered the open letter signed by almost 400 healthcare workers questioning their hospitals’ decision to withdraw from Capital Pride events. Your article not only gave voice to some of them but highlighted the double standard of the fact that hospitals have been silent on the genocide in Gaza but decided to take a stance on the Capital Pride events."

"According to Ms. Paling's findings, Canadian manufacturers could be exporting nearly $95 million more in military goods to Israel by the end of 2025, based on active permits currently held by Canadian companies. These permits, which total $107.7 million, include a range of controlled goods that could potentially be used in the current Israeli military siege on Gaza. It is also worth noting that several Canadian companies involved in military exports to Israel have sought to keep details of their export permits confidential through court actions."

"The article’s focus on the reactions of Ottawa’s Jewish community without mention of the broader context of the situation in Gaza, where the population is violently being assaulted and going through a genocide at the hands of the Israeli state, is not fair. This context is crucial to understanding the motivations behind pro-Palestinian support at Pride events. The now ten-month genocide in the Gaza Strip, marked by a devastating blockade and frequent military assaults, has galvanized many within the LGBTQ+ community to stand in solidarity with Palestinians."

"Blaff’s reporting seems intentionally irresponsible and deceptive.  I insist that Blaff and the Ottawa Citizen update the article to give a more accurate portrayal of the contents of the IPC’s May projection, notably “acute food insecurity” in Gaza.  If not, I may be required to take this issue to the National Newsmedia Council."

Israel’s continued violence and oppression against the Palestinian people only deepens the rift, and makes true justice ever more elusive.  While it may be difficult for Palestinians and Israelis to see beyond their immediate grievances, other voices – including Canada – must be better at bringing justice and reason to bear. 

On June 12, 2024, the Ottawa Citizen’s Editor-in-Chief informed CJPME that it would recategorize an inflammatory article by Canada’s Former Ambassador to Israel that questioned “what is a civilian?”

CJPME had written to the paper making the request, as well as launching an alert about the same article that appeared in the National Post. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, the National Post stands by the article that promotes genocidal rhetoric.

Given that this is a piece essentially advocating against protections for civilians in Gaza, an extremist position, I would urge Ottawa Citizen to clarify this is an op-ed. If not, this article constitutes numerous grave violations of journalistic standards.