Jewish Groups Demand Apology from Toronto Mayor for ‘Genocide in Gaza’ Remarks

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is facing intense backlash from Jewish organizations across Canada after referring to Israel’s war against Hamas as a “genocide” during a public speech on Saturday night. Her comments, made at a gala for the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), have drawn accusations of defamation, historical distortion, and fomenting antisemitism.

“The genocide in Gaza impacts us all,” Chow said, before comparing the suffering of children in Gaza to that of her own mother during Japan’s invasion of China in World War II. Her remarks were met with applause but the reaction from Canada’s Jewish community has been swift and outraged.

The Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation condemned Chow’s comments, calling them “inexcusable” and demanding her immediate resignation. “The only Gaza genocide was the massacre perpetrated by Hamas and its allies against Israelis on Oct. 7,” the foundation said. “Chow’s remarks defame Israel and insult the nearly 200,000 Jews in the Greater Toronto Area.”

The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) labeled her statements “reckless, divisive, and dangerous.” In a formal letter to the mayor, CIJA warned that her language “distorts fact and law,” and provides rhetorical ammunition for those “spreading malicious libels” and intensifying hostility against Jewish Torontonians.

The backlash comes as Canada continues to experience a sharp rise in antisemitic hate crimes, particularly in Toronto, which has seen unprecedented levels of intimidation, vandalism, and violence against Jewish residents since the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.

Amir Epstein, director of the civil rights group Tafsik Organization, called Chow’s remarks “a slap in the face to Jews in Toronto, across Canada, and around the world.” He announced that Chow is “no longer welcome” at any Tafsik events and called for her “permanent rejection” from Jewish communal spaces.

B’nai Brith Canada has taken formal action, submitting a complaint to the city’s Integrity Commissioner, urging an investigation into whether Chow’s remarks violated the City Council’s Code of Conduct, which requires elected officials to maintain a work environment free from discrimination and harassment.

The Canada-Israel Friendship Association echoed these concerns, accusing Chow of promoting “an antisemitic blood libel.” By presenting a legally disputed and highly inflammatory term as fact, the organization said, she has undermined trust in public leadership and endangered Toronto’s Jewish community.

As pressure mounts, the Jewish community is calling on Mayor Chow to publicly retract her comments, issue a full apology, and take concrete steps to rebuild trust. At a time when antisemitism is surging, they say, Toronto needs leaders who promote unity not inflame division.

Stand against misinformation and antisemitism. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more coverage of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.