(Montreal) The Quebec Superior Court has temporarily blocked a McGill University student union from advancing pro-Palestinian policies through an order that was recently approved in a referendum.
Posted at 8:57 p.m.
The order states that the McGill University Student Association (MSSA) has agreed not to ratify or implement its policy against genocide in Palestine until the matter is heard in court in March.
McGill students voted 78.7% this month in favor of the policy, which calls on school leaders to condemn what it calls a “genocidal bombing campaign” in the Gaza Strip and ties to “any company, institution or individual operating on.” genocide is involved.” Colonialism, apartheid or ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians”.
The measure was part of a series of measures in the student union’s fall referendum, which ended Monday with a 35.1 percent turnout.
An anonymous Jewish McGill student went to court to challenge the policy, which she described in court documents as “hate literature” that violates the fraternity’s bylaws and its anti-Semitism and fairness policies.
The documents say the student asked to remain anonymous because she had received threats on social media for speaking out against the policy. “The atmosphere on the McGill campus became tense and frightening for Jewish students,” court documents say.
“As a Jewish student, the complainant fears for her personal safety at McGill University,” it also reads.
The plaintiff wants the policy permanently terminated and is seeking $125,000 in damages. His lawyer made it clear in a telephone interview that the claim for damages would be heard at a later date.
The McGill University Students’ Union said in a written statement that it had agreed to suspend ratification of the policy but intended to fight the attempt to permanently remove it.
Lawyer Rémi Bourget stated that the student group also intends to challenge the complainant’s request for anonymity.
Defend Jewish students
Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada welcomed the court order but called on McGill University to do more to defend its Jewish students and hold the student union accountable.
“It is sad that a student had to go to court to seek justice in this matter because the university has repeatedly failed to hold its student organizations accountable for violations of its own rules,” said its president and CEO, Michael Mostyn, in a press release.
“Of course we welcome the court’s decision to suspend the referendum until a final decision can be made, but McGill does not have to wait until then to make the right decision,” he said. -he adds.
McGill University said in a statement it believes the proposed policy, if adopted, would “deepen divisions in our community at a time when many students are already in distress.”
School leaders also believe that adopting this policy would constitute a breach by the student association of its own charter – which includes acting in the best interests of its members as a whole – and its memorandum of understanding with McGill University.
“We have written to the president (of the association) to explain the consequences of adopting this policy,” the institution said, without giving further details.
The court order comes amid ongoing tensions over the war between Israel and Hamas, which began after militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel on October 7. Israel launched a retaliatory campaign that has left more than 12,700 people dead in the Gaza Strip, according to health authorities.