Chow beneath hearth for lacking Oct. 7 vigil, claims she did not get invite

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Make {that a} hat-trick for Mayor Olivia Chow’s “outrageous” snubbing of Toronto’s under-siege Jewish group.

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Lacking the Oct. 7 commemoration can’t be glossed over. For a mayor to not attend Toronto’s candlelight vigil to recollect the 1,200 folks slaughtered by the hands of Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 is seen as disrespectful to Toronto’s Jewish group.

Some 20 hours after the unique inquiry into her non-attendance there, the mayor despatched a press release to The Toronto Solar 

“I remorse lacking the occasion as a result of I would like the Jewish group to know I care about their security within the metropolis. That’s why I issued my assertion early on Friday, and that’s why I sit up for assembly with UJA.”

The issue is the harm is finished.

“It’s fairly telling that the mayor couldn’t trouble to be there,” mentioned Councillor Brad Bradford. “The (Israel) flag-raising she characterised as divisive, and he or she didn’t go to stroll for Israel (as a result of she was busy).”

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However this was not one thing any politician would by no means miss.

All people knew the date. The very fact the mayor wasn’t noticeable on the Toronto vigil to commemorate the one-year-anniversary of the evil Oct. 7 mass slaughter in Israel by Hamas was observed.

The tens of 1000’s who gathered to recollect the slain, wounded, kidnapped and lacking knew the mayor was absent.

“The mayor was not there,” Councillor James Pasternak instructed the Solar. “I didn’t see her, and he or she wasn’t within the elected official’s tent. I used to be there from 5 (p.m.) to 9 (p.m.). I did ask her final week whether or not she was coming, and he or she didn’t know.”

The mayor’s workplace mentioned the mayor didn’t obtain an invite to the memorial on the Barry and Honey Sherman campus of the United Jewish Enchantment Basis at Bathurst St. and Sheppard Ave.

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However Premier Doug Ford obtained his and was there. Former Mayor John Tory, too. Amongst the numerous elected officers have been Liberal Chief Bonnie Crombie; provincial cupboard ministers Stephen Lecce and Peter Bethlenfalvy; MPs Kevin Vuong, Marco Mendicino, and Ya’ara Saks; and Councillors Bradford, Josh Matlow and Dianne Saxe.

So the place was Chow?

On Oct. 4, she put out a press release expressing concern over rising anti-Semitic hate crimes and wrote, “hate in opposition to any folks practising their religion shouldn’t be welcome right here. Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, hate and violence in all its types, will not be welcome right here.”

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Actions at all times converse louder than phrases. Like Toronto Law enforcement officials who have been upset the mayor didn’t come to the hospital when one in every of their very own was shot, many within the Jewish group gained’t overlook this snub.

However Chow’s spokesperson denied it was a snub.

“We don’t have an invite,” mentioned Arianne Robinson, including “we didn’t obtain an invite.”

However Michelle Inventory, a vice chairman with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs — which dealt with the invites on behalf of the UJA —  mentioned, “the denial by Mayor Olivia Chow’s workplace that she was not invited is categorically false.”  She shared with the Solar a replica of the invitation emailed to the mayor’s employees on Sept. 23, which mentioned “I’m writing to follow-up an e mail despatched to Mayor Chow inviting her to attend UJA’s Oct. 7 Commemoration Occasion.”

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Inventory mentioned the mayor’s workplace had contacted the UJA Tuesday suggesting they didn’t obtain the invitation however “the mayor was completely invited to the Oct. 7 occasion and was despatched an invite on a minimum of three separate events. Our authentic invites have been despatched via a mass e mail distribution service we commonly use for most of these occasions and have been obtained with out difficulty by many politicians . . .The primary e mail was despatched on Sept. 3, and a follow-up was on Sept. 10. After receiving no reply to these, on Sept. 23, a follow-up e mail was despatched to the mayor’s govt assistant to verify the primary two emails have been obtained by the mayor’s workplace.”

Robinson blamed technical points for not getting the emails: “The majority e mail and forwards of the majority e mail didn’t come via to our workplace. We have now created a number of new factors of contact with CIJA so we don’t miss invites to vital occasions.”

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However excuses for lacking Jewish occasions to commemorate the lifeless or kidnapped shouldn’t be sitting properly with the group. It’s not the primary time this tactic has been seen.

When she missed the stroll of Israel in June, Chow nonsensically instructed Newstalk 1010 morning man John Moore, “there was the fireplace (at St. Anne’s Church)” and “I simply can’t be in all places on the similar time.” Chow’s social media exhibits she manages to get to, and gown up in costume for, many occasions, together with this previous weekend’s Nuit Blanche celebration.

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The mayor missed one thing very particular on this vigil in that it was a peaceable instance of excellent folks coming collectively for the betterment of all society.

In contrast to at Queen’s Park the place folks, on the very day to recollect the slain, have been masked up like villains and thugs from a horror film — and letting off smoke canisters whereas chanting concerning the finish of Israel — right here was a collective of Torontonians praying for the protection and happiness of all humanity. All of it occurred beneath the safety of a heavy police element, offering a reminder of the hazard Jews face.

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As an alternative of being at this occasion, the mayor was on the Crooked Cue on Bloor St. W. in Etobicoke, assembly with members of Steadiness on Bloor from 4 p.m. to five:30 p.m. Organizer Cody MacRae mentioned each the mayor and Councillor Amber Morley have been there for the total 90 minutes listening to considerations of residents in search of an alternate plan to placing bike lanes on roads there.

On till 9 p.m, there was loads of time to get to the vigil, with or with out an invite.

“Naturally, we have been disenchanted that the mayor didn’t attend,” mentioned Pasternak. “This was an occasion of sombre mourning and remembrance and was not a political occasion.  The Jewish group has been beneath siege and focused for a 12 months by indignant mobs, and there have to be a robust assertion in opposition to this harassment.”

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The mayor must step up and be there for the Jewish group right now.

“This begs the query as as to if Mayor Chow actually desired to take part and attend or whether or not they have been in search of an excuse to not attend and needed to disclaim receiving an invitation,” mentioned Inventory. “Regardless, we did ship an invite, and we definitely won’t apologize for an e mail despatched to her employees that remained ignored. Sadly, this isn’t the primary time CIJA has requested conferences with the mayor and haven’t obtained a response. Regardless of this incident, we stay dedicated to participating along with her and her workforce in assist of creating Toronto a secure area for the Jewish group and tackling anti-Semitism.”

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It’s going to take a number of work to restore what was damaged right here.

Bradford referred to as Chow lacking the vigil “outrageous,” saying he feels it was a dereliction of obligation.

“You’ve got to point out up and bought to be the mayor for everybody,” mentioned Bradford. “You’ve got to point out up for all of your residents and there have been 20,000 Torontonians there final evening who have been grieving and struggling and there is a component of consolation if you see the folks main town.”

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Bradford added that politicians needed to ship a message that “you aren’t alone; you aren’t forgotten, and we stand with you. Her absence sends the precise reverse message.”

Chow in spite of everything has managed to make it to every thing from Caribana to grilled cheese festivals with no difficulty.

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