Edmonton councillor says that Israel should not be represented at Heritage Festival

Despite criticisms from the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, Michael Janz won't back down on his criticism of the Israeli regime.

The Jewish Federation of Edmonton is calling upon Mayor Andrew Knack to rein in Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz. But, after a series of controversial social media posts, Janz doubled down and suggested the Israel pavilion be pulled from the upcoming Heritage Festival.

Janz’s support for an independent Palestinian state has never been in question. But, in the last week, a series of posts raised the hackles of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, and even Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams weighed in. In one post, there was this message: “If you have a newborn baby, right now, anywhere in the world, your brand new baby is statistically more likely to be killed by Israel than dying in any other way.”

Stacey Leavitt-Wright, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, said Janz has escalated his public comments in the recent couple of weeks, and it’s troubling with the Heritage Festival just around the corner. There’s already increased security at the Israel pavilion, and she’s worried what this sort of public messaging does ahead of the city’s big multicultural celebration. “He’s talking about something that’s really outside of the scope of a city councilor,” said Leavitt-Wright.

“It’s repeated. It’s escalating. You know, he’s supposed to be representing all Edmontonians.

So, when the Jewish community is flagging this and saying we’re concerned about what’s being put out there for various reasons, instead of taking a step back and reassessing or engaging in conversation, he’s doubling down, and and there’s real harm. “I’d want to see him stop, first of all.” She said Knack has to put a stop to it.

“Either he does that behind the scenes, or he does that publicly,” said Leavitt-Wright. “That’s up to the mayor to decide what leadership he wants to give to the situation.” Knack issued this statement.

“Councillors are all free to address any issue they choose but must do so with the knowledge that their words have an impact on the people we serve. I believe that it is crucial that everyone, especially elected officials, share information that is accurate and factually verified.” Leavitt-Wright echoed a warning from Prime Minister Mark Carney, in which he warned Canadians not to import ethnic hatred from overseas conflicts into this country.

“And that’s what this is doing — it is driving hatred against against our community, against Israelis, by a city councillor,” she said. “Some of what he is saying creates and foments an atmosphere of hostility towards the community that has both security risks and also pushes the community members to the margins, you know, ostracizes them, and that it’s a hate movement, and he’s parroting some of the narratives from that hate movement.” Janz said he’s heard from constituents who are uncomfortable with Israel being part of the Heritage Festival, which runs Aug. 1-3 at Hawrelak Park.

“I have been getting emails about why certain countries are allowed in Heritage Festival and why certain countries are not,” he said. “There’s countries that are bombing other countries that are at the Heritage Festival. Why are we allowing flags to be shown of countries in a public park that are committing war crimes against other countries?”

Janz said criticizing the Israeli regime is not antisemitic. He noted that in 2008 he was part of a Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs tour of the country. He’s toured former Nazi camps in Europe with Holocaust survivors.

And he said “never again” must mean “never again.” Janz said he’s received harassing phone calls and threats, but also many voices supporting his stance. He cited a June report from the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory that said the Israeli actions in Gaza caused “unprecedented death, injury and trauma of Palestinian children.”

“I think a lot of Canadians right now are frustrated by the inaction by the provincial and federal government,” said Janz. “I think it’s horrific. I mean, these are humans.

These are family members and relatives. All of us should be outraged and calling for justice here. And I wish people were more concerned about the horrors of war than they were about the dialogue on social media.”

Minister weighs in Williams took to social media to voice his offence to Janz’s posts. “This kind of fear-mongering, implying that globally our children are somehow — even in the most contorted and remote sense — threatened to be murdered by the state of Israel is deeply inappropriate public discourse,” Williams wrote. “I expect better of somebody elected to public office in the city of Edmonton, a city who rightfully prides itself in being welcoming and accepting no matter one’s religious, national or ethnic background.”

Coun. Mike Elliott made a statement on his Instagram account. “International conflicts are real and painful, but they fall outside our jurisdiction and our expertise, and elected officials weighing in publicly on them doesn’t change anything overseas — it only risks dividing the very communities we’re here to represent.”

Janz said he and Elliott have a good relationship, and that Elliott told him he’d be making a statement. But he said that, when Edmonton police Chief Warren Driechel accepted a trip to Israel to meet law enforcement officials there, Palestine was placed front and centre on city hall’s docket. “I wish he hadn’t gone,” said Janz.

“I wish his staff or others had briefed him that, ‘Hey, you’re going to be meeting with a secret police group that may be implicated in extrajudicial killings, and you may be going to areas that are in violation of international law.” The population of Edmonton’s Jewish community is estimated to be about 6,000.