OTTAWA — A new report indicates that schools and employers in Canada are associating Palestinian culture with terrorism, leading to repercussions for individuals who speak out about the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Nadia Hasan, a professor at York University and head of the Islamophobia Research Hub, shared these findings during a news conference on Parliament Hill.

The report claims that public and private institutions are infringing on the speech rights of those who criticize Israel's actions in Gaza. It calls on all levels of government to officially acknowledge anti-Palestinian racism and to implement training programs aimed at identifying and preventing discrimination against this community.

Hasan noted that many Canadians have faced unjust consequences for their views. The report details instances where law students, educators, and healthcare professionals have undergone investigations or received reprimands for expressing their opinions on the Gaza conflict, with many later exonerated. One highlighted case involved Dr. Yipeng Ge from the University of Ottawa, who was suspended for social media posts deemed offensive by a Jewish colleague but was subsequently reinstated.

“The silence of many of our institutional leaders was really harmful,” Hasan stated. “It set a tone. A lot of people interpreted it as a threshold for what’s tolerable in their workplaces, in their educational spaces.”

The report also mentions that students have faced bullying or disciplinary actions for wearing traditional Palestinian attire or displaying Palestinian flags online. Nihad Jasser, representing the Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians, emphasized the emotional toll on students. “Students are being denied the ability to mourn their family, to mourn the death of their family members, just because they are Palestinian,” she said.

Jasser criticized what she described as a “Palestine exception” in diversity and inclusion policies, stating, “Institutions in our society will support all human rights — except Palestinian rights … all cultures except Palestinian culture.”

Amira Elghawaby, Ottawa’s special representative on combating Islamophobia, warned that the government's inadequate response to anti-Muslim hate could embolden violent actions. “Many of these are shocking in and of themselves. Taken altogether, they point to a system of oppression,” she said.

The report also urges the Canadian government to address foreign interference targeting Muslims in Canada. It references a March 2024 analysis by Meta, which found evidence of anti-Muslim narratives aimed at Canadian audiences that originated from Israel. The Israeli government has denied involvement in this campaign.

Additionally, the report criticizes corporate leaders for not addressing Israeli policies that have led to significant civilian casualties in Gaza. It points out that the Royal Bank of Canada expressed support for Jewish Canadians following the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 but did not acknowledge the rising casualties among Palestinians. A spokesperson for the bank declined to comment further.

Scotiabank also faced scrutiny for its donations to the United Jewish Appeal and the Red Cross without addressing the plight of Palestinians. The bank has been asked for a response.

Conservative MPs have opposed the idea of officially recognizing anti-Palestinian racism. The House of Commons justice committee had recommended such recognition last December, but Conservatives argued it could complicate discussions and create divisions. They cited concerns from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which claimed that recognizing anti-Palestinian racism could be misused by groups advocating for the destruction of Israel.

Hasan concluded that Canada should address both anti-Jewish and anti-Palestinian hate through constructive dialogue with affected communities.