Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) Condemns Removal of Sarah Jama from Elle Canada Trailblazers List

The decision followed attacks from pro-Israel commentators over her support for Palestinians. Elle Canada removed the reference to Jama in the article and added an editor’s note claiming the decision was made to “protect everyone’s safety.” However, Sarah Jama herself clarified on X, writing, “I haven’t received any threats so it wasn’t for my safety.”

“Scrubbing an article, effectively unpublishing a portion about a pro-Palestine activist, is a serious violation of journalistic standards and an act of anti-Palestinian erasure,” said Jason Toney, Director of Media Advocacy for CJPME. CJPME points out that the “excluding […] Palestinian perspectives, Palestinians and their allies” is an explicit form of anti-Palestinian racism defined in the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA) report, “Anti-Palestinian Racism: Naming, Framing and Manifestations. “The message sent by Elle Canada is that women will be disqualified from recognition as trailblazers if they stand up for Palestinian rights. It is shameful for Elle Canada to cave into the demands of bullies, especially at a time like this when Palestinians are facing genocide,” Toney added.

CJPME is alarmed that such decisions set a dangerous precedent in the Canadian media landscape, as they violate the recommendations of the Canadian Association of Journalists and their “Ethics of Unpublishing.” It is highly unethical to unpublish material, especially when the media is surrendering to political pressure and doing so in an explicitly racist fashion. The Toronto Sun published an article about Elle Canada’s decision, effectively piling on to the censorship campaign and providing justifications for the decision. CJPME has already successfully challenged decisions by the CBC and the Kingston Whig Standard which sought to unpublish material following attacks from anti-Palestinian activists. In both cases, the outlets later restored the content.

CJPME urges Elle Canada to restore Sarah Jama to their article and to issue a public apology. The ethical failings of unpublishing are well-established, and editors at Elle Canada must not erase history to evade criticism.

About CJPME – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is a non-profit and secular organization bringing together men and women of all backgrounds who labour to see justice and peace take root again in the Middle East. Its mission is to empower decision-makers to view all sides with fairness and to promote the equitable and sustainable development of the region.