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B’nai Brith Canada Calls for Joel Harden’s Ouster from Ontario NDP Caucus

Joel Harden (left) with Peter Larson – (DocumentingAntisemitismCA on Twitter)

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Nov. 21, 2022

OTTAWA – B’nai Brith Canada is demanding that the Ontario NDP expel from its caucus Joel Harden, MPP for Ottawa-Centre, for his continued track record of demonizing Israel, excusing Palestinian terrorism and holding Jewish-Canadian communities individually responsible for the acts of foreign states.

A letter to that effect has been sent by B’nai Brith to NDP acting leader Peter Tabuns.

Harden had in 2019 attracted major media attention for calling on Israel to release a suspected member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – a designated terrorist entity – and was rebuked by then NDP leader Andrea Horwath. His comments, previously made on a broadcast hosted by Peter Larson, have deeply offended the Jewish community and stray into overt antisemitism. Please click HERE to see Documenting Antisemitism’s summary of the offensive remarks on Twitter (@AntisemitismCA).

In his most recent display of absurd anti-Jewish remarks, Harden said Israel unquestionably is the “single greatest” origin of violence in the Middle East and spoke of “asking many questions of Jewish neighbours here about how much longer we should put up with this.” Additionally, he spoke about attending demonstrations with antisemitic protestors.

“Mr. Harden should have the decency to resign, but we doubt he will,” said Marvin Rotrand, national director of B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights. “We want to see a motion in the Legislature to condemn this man’s remarks.”

B’nai Brith is contacting the House leaders of all the parties in the Ontario Legislature to urge them to collaborate on a text to repudiate Harden’s remarks.

“Mr. Harden’s implication that Jewish-Canadians are responsible for the actions of the State of Israel is deeply disturbing,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “He implies dual loyalty, one of the oldest and most vile antisemitic tropes. Our organization is adamant that the NDP caucus must act firmly and swiftly to eject Mr. Harden for his history of antisemitism and apologism for terror groups, and the Ontario Legislature must publicly condemn and repudiate his dangerous comments.”

Mostyn concluded: “The Ontario NDP can no longer afford to have him in its ranks.”