OCDSB trustee wants school board to skip Capital Pride parade over pro-Palestinian comments

An Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) trustee is asking eastern Ontario's largest school board to join a number of organizations and the city's mayor to withdraw their participation from next week's Capital Pride festival over pro-Palestinian comments made by its organizers.

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OCDSB trustee Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth said she will not be participating in Capital Pride events after the organization released a statement expressing their solidarity with Palestinians and criticized the actions of the Israeli government amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

"For the whole Jewish community it's made it unsafe and that is very sad,” said Kaplan-Myrth.

The statement condemned the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, but also pledged to "recognize the ongoing genocide against Palestinians" in opening remarks at 2024 Capital Pride Festival signature events, and integrate the Palestinian BDS National Committee's boycott list in its review of current and future sponsorship agreements.

Ottawa's Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, CHEO, The Ottawa Hospital and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa have pulled their participation in the yearly event promoting the 2SLGBTQ+ community after the statement drew backlash from Jewish residents and advocacy groups.

"The Jewish community has said very clearly that we're not safe participating in Capital Pride because it's been co-opted as a geopolitical statement rather than it's an original intent," Kaplan-Myrth said in an interview.

Kaplan-Myrth says she is hoping to bring forward a motion at a special OCDSB meeting scheduled for Monday to request the school board pull its participation from the parade.

Board chair Lynn Scott says Kaplan-Myrth will require five other members to back her motion. Kaplan-Myrth says, so far, she has not received any.

"The notice of motion was not accepted," Kaplan-Myrth said.

“I'm hoping the director of education or chair will make the decision of their own volition. At this point I'm asking OCDSB to follow suit given the others and the mayor explaining it's not safe for Jews."

In an emailed statement, Scott says the decision to participate in the Capital Pride parade is an operational decision determined by the director of education and senior staff, not the board.

"I therefore advised Trustee Kaplan-Myrth that, in accordance with our by-laws, I would add her motion to the agenda if she had written support from at least five other trustees by this evening to deal with it at a Special Board meeting," Scott said.

"Given the developments over the past few days, the matter of OCDSB participation in the Pride Parade is still under discussion."

Kaplan-Myrth, a Jewish family doctor who was elected to the OCDSB in 2022, has been vocal about growing antisemitism in Ottawa and across Canada following the events of Oct. 7. She has received criticism for her presence on social media, which became the subject of a sanction by the board in December, barring her from sitting on five committees for a period of three months.

She filed a human rights complaint against the OCDSB, alleging she was subjected to antisemitic treatment online and in-person and that the board failed to address her complaints, despite multiple attempts to raise the problem with trustees and senior staff.

In February, a judge granted her an interim stay in the sanctions imposed against her by the board and all sanctions were lifted until a judicial review can be heard.

In a statement on Saturday, Capital Pride reiterated its previous comments on organizations and the mayor pulling out of its events, saying it is committed to fostering safe and inclusive spaces where everyone is welcomed.

"We are disappointed to hear through public statements that the Mayor will no longer be taking part in Capital Pride events. We invite Mayor Sutcliffe to listen to 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations about the importance of taking part in our city’s pride activities," Capital Pride said in an email.

"Capital Pride is, and always will be, committed to combating all forms of hate, discrimination and intolerance, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. As a community facing rising levels of hate-motivated crimes, we know all too well how hate erodes our cohesion."

The annual Capital Pride Festival begins Saturday and runs through next week. The Pride Parade will be held Aug. 25.