Coalition of Over 80 Groups Demands Accountability After University of Toronto Conference Features Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

TORONTO — Over 80 community organizations, academics, faith leaders, and human rights groups have issued a joint statement demanding immediate institutional accountability from University of Toronto President Melanie Woodin following a September 15 campus conference.

The conference, titled “A Canary’s Song: Antisemitism in Our ‘Free and Democratic Society’,” was opened by President Woodin, who expressed delight in hosting the summit and reaffirmed university partnerships with Israel. Coalition members state that by opening the event, the university administration granted institutional authority to speakers who engaged in explicit anti-Muslim stereotyping, anti-Palestinian discrimination, genocide denial, and attacks on anti-Zionist Jews in violation of university anti-discrimination policies.

Yaser Haddara, Chairman of the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, criticized the administration for giving institutional credibility to collective suspicion against Muslims and called on the university to explain its standards and uphold its equity policies. During the proceedings, speaker Raheel Raza received a standing ovation after declaring that “Muslims are the problem” and equating Palestinians with terrorism, while keynote speaker Deborah Lipstadt dismissed public concern over anti-Muslim hatred. Panelists Naya Lekht and Casey Babb warned of internal “threat actors,” speaker Mark Sandler denied that genocide was occurring in Gaza, and Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation President Michael Teper disparaged Haredi Jewish families.

Molly Kraft, spokesperson for the Jews Say No to Genocide coalition, stated that the event extended far beyond academic debate and urged the university to stop legitimizing hate.

Endorsed by organizations including the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council, Jews Say No to Genocide Coalition, Arab Canadian Lawyers Association, Independent Jewish Voices Canada, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), CUPE 3902, and Canada’s former Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, the coalition issued four core demands:

• Publicly apologize for the Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian, and antisemitic rhetoric platformed at the event.
• Explain President Woodin’s decision to open the event and detail the institutional oversight and standards applied.
• Disclose all administrative, financial, and facilities support provided by the university for the conference.
• Meet directly with impacted students, faculty, and affected community groups.

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