B'nai Brith Canada announced on Thursday that it had asked the Ontario Government to investigate potentially discriminatory aspects of a recent deal made by the University of Windsor to end an anti-Israel encampment on its campus.
In its official letter of complaint, B’nai Brith cited potential violations of Ontario’s Discriminatory Businesses Practice Act (DBPA) and demanded that the Hon. Todd McCarthy, Ontario’s Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement, appoint “unbiased investigators” to launch a probe.
“The agreement UWindsor signed onto contains provisions against doing business with Israeli institutions and companies that do business in Israel,” said Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “If implemented, that condition would be discriminatory and contrary to the DBPA.”
The University of Windsor came under fire over the deal, formalized July 10, which Jewish groups said provided blanket immunity to participants in the so-called “Windsor Liberation Zone” illegally set up May 13.
In addition, it mandates “anti-Palestinian racism” trainings for students, faculty, and staff, while entirely omitting any mention of Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks on Israel.
“B’nai Brith will take every step necessary to protect UWindsor’s Jewish community from further marginalization,” Robertson said. “By acceding to the demands of radicals, the institution has not only embarrassed itself but has seemingly violated provincial legislation. We will continue to fight this problematic agreement.”
Anti-Israel encampments such as the one at the University of Windsor have been set up on campuses across the US and Canada.
Two weeks ago, pro-Palestinian Arab protesters who had been occupying King's College Circle on the University of Toronto (U of T) campus for more than 60 days cleared the encampment.
They did so a day after an Ontario judge ordered the pro-Palestinian Arab encampment to vacate the area.
U of T turned to the courts in late May in an effort to clear the encampment. B'nai Brith Canada later announced it had filed to intervene in the legal efforts to disband the encampment that has been stationed at the campus since May 2.
