View this statement in pdf format. Montreal, Apr 18, 2024 — The Anti-Racism Program of the CJPME Foundation (ARPCF) is deeply alarmed by the recent decision to ban the wearing of Palestinian keffiyehs within the Ontario Legislative Assembly (OLA) at Queen’s Park. This policy, affecting all legislators, staff, and visitors, was confirmed by Speaker Ted Arnott after word of the ban had spread for days online, and has been publicly challenged by leaders across political lines.  Speaker Arnott announced in an email that the keffiyeh is no longer considered non-partisan cultural garb but is an "overt political statement," alleging that such symbols conflict with the legislative decorum.  ARPCF rejects this explanation and urges the keffiyeh ban to be immediately reversed. 

View this report in PDF format. In early March, 2024 a member of the Hillel Waterloo Laurier student group donned a costume that exaggerated Arab features and sparked controversy. This outfit, worn by a student during a Purim event for the Hillel group, included a Palestinian keffiyeh styled to mimic an Arabic headdress, and a type of robe with stuffing to suggest a large belly.  The student also appeared to hold either 1) what seemed to be a dagger, or 2) what appeared to be a trigger for a suicide bomb.  In either case, this costume invoked deeply ingrained and offensive Orientalist stereotypes. After protests, and after first refusing, the Hillel group eventually removed the image from its Instagram account.  The University said it would look into whether this incident violated the student code of conduct.