MP Salma Zahid Statement on Student Protests on University Campuses Across Canada

We are seeing young people across Canada, concerned about the events happening in Gaza and the death of over 35,000 Palestinian civilians, many of them children, taking action in the form of protests at university campuses.

I understand the concern and the trauma these young people are feeling. I have had many conversations with young people in my riding. They are watching a famine unfold before their eyes and they feel not enough is being done to stop it. They feel the need to do something. They feel they are not being heard.

They are choosing to exercise their Charter of Rights-protected freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly. The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental part of any democracy and is something we must protect in Canada.

All students also have the right to be safe on their university campus and in their community. Words of hate and promotion of violence, antisemitism or terrorism have no place in Canada and must not be tolerated.

However, protesting the death of innocent civilians is not hateful speech. Neither is protesting the actions or policies of a government.

I am deeply worried by the rising levels of anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab racism and attempts to slander any pro-Palestinian speech as hate speech. This is wrong. Attempting to marginalize and silence those who are trying to speak for an oppressed minority is wrong.

As I said in the House of Commons last week, we need to find a way to disagree peacefully. To lower the incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism. To listen to each other. To understand where we are each coming from.

I thank the students who are engaging in peaceful protest for raising their voices. I believe the way forward, as we have seen on some campuses recently across North America, is peaceful dialogue and conversation.

As I have said consistently, my call is for an immediate cease fire, unimpeded humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages and prisoners to their families.