Take action, send a letter to Toronto City Council members.

Once again, pro-apartheid Councilor James Pasternak has asked his fellow council members to condemn those who support Palestine. This time it is Roger Waters.

On the agenda for the October 11 City of Toronto Council is an administrative inquiry item, entitled: IA11.2: The Pink Floyd Exhibition at the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place from August 18 to October 1, 2023

Read the full statement that Councilor Pasternak has submitted.

Let Toronto City Council know that this frivolous attempt to discredit Roger Waters is filled with falsehoods and does a disservice to all of us.

Best put in Roger Water’s own words

All my life I have used the platform my career has given me to support causes I believe in. I passionately believe in Universal Human Rights. I have always worked to make the world a better, more just and more equitable place for all my brothers and sisters, all over the world, irrespective of their ethnicity, religion or nationality, from indigenous peoples threatened by the US oil industry to Iranian women protesting for their rights.

That is why I am active in the non-violent protest movement against the Israeli government’s illegal occupation of Palestine and its egregious treatment of Palestinians.

Those who wish to conflate that position with antisemitism do a great disservice to us all.

Pasternak fails to note that in fact the German court case he references was won by Waters.

In regard to the film references, as Roger Waters says:

People need to know about the CAA (Campaign Against Antisemitism ), the organisation that made this film. Following complaints to the Charity Commission the CAA is facing scrutiny. Its core purpose is waging partisan political campaigns against critics of the state of Israel. ….

The CAA film manipulates footage and quotations to serve its agenda and is seriously misleading in many respects. What it says about my latest tour,  This Is Not A Drill, repeats a series of falsehoods that have already been debunked, many times, not just by me, but in the German courts, after attempts were made to have my show banned there. The offensive words I referenced in quotes in an email 13 years ago, were my brainstorming ideas on how to make the evils and horrors of fascism and extremism apparent and shocking to a generation that may not fully appreciate the ever-present threat. They are not the manifestation of any underlying bigotry as the film suggests.   Quite the opposite.  I have been trying to expose the evils of fascism ever since learning of my father’s death fighting fascists in World War II.

In summary, the film is a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda that indiscriminately mixes things I’m alleged to have said or done at different times and in different contexts, in an effort to portray me as an antisemite, without any foundation in fact.

Pasternak has a history of smearing those who speak out for Palestine and attempting to use city permits to preclude actions in support of Palestine. He seems to be suggesting that Toronto anti-discrimination policy precludes support for the rights of Palestinians. This is anti-Palestinian racism.

Residents of Toronto are also encouraged to contact the Mayor's Office and their Council Member by phone and/or email. Find information here.

Make contact prior to the October 11th 930 am City Council meeting.

Read the statement on The Pink Floyd Exhibition being considered by Council here.

Initiated by:

Canadian Foreign Policy Institute

Just Peace Advocates

Palestine House

Photo in the graph is from May 1, 2019 Toronto City Council. Read article.