The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) is urging the Brampton City Council to reconsider its support for the “Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge,” which is backed by a global network of anti-Israel activist organizations.
Last week, the council unanimously voted in favor of the pledge, making it the first municipal government in Ontario to do so.
In response, CAM Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz, who oversees CAM’s collaboration with mayors in North America, wrote a letter of condemnation – which can be read HERE – directed at Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and the ten council members. She described the vote as a “serious and profoundly misguided mistake” that would “cause real harm to Jewish residents of Brampton.”
The full text of the letter follows:
Dear Mayor Brown and Members of the Brampton City Council,
I am reaching out as Chief Government Affairs Officer of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), which partners with mayors and local leaders across North America to combat antisemitism and promote community unity.
Your council’s choice to adopt an “Apartheid-Free Community” resolution is a serious and profoundly misguided mistake that will harm Jewish residents of Brampton. We strongly urge you to rethink this decision.
Municipal governments exist primarily to serve their residents, ensure public safety, and build inclusive communities. They aren’t foreign policy bodies equipped to handle one of the most intricate geopolitical conflicts globally. By involving Brampton in an international political movement explicitly targeting Israel-the world’s only Jewish state-the council has prioritized symbolism over accountability and division over leadership.
The term “apartheid” when used regarding Israel isn’t neutral. It’s an inflammatory political slogan pushed by coordinated international boycott movements aimed at economically, culturally, and diplomatically isolating Israel. Using this language isn’t just about foreign policy; it sends a direct message to your own Jewish residents-many with deep familial, cultural, or religious connections to Israel-that their identity is being condemned by their own local government. This isn’t a message any mayor or city council should communicate.
This message is especially dangerous right now. Antisemitism isn’t some distant issue in Canada-it’s an urgent crisis. Jewish schools have needed heightened security measures; synagogues and community centers have been threatened or vandalized; many Jewish Canadians are reporting increased feelings of insecurity and isolation. In such times, municipal leadership should work to protect vulnerable communities rather than adopt rhetoric that further alienates them.
Your council’s action sets a concerning precedent. If Brampton City Hall becomes a platform for symbolic resolutions on foreign disputes, then we must question: why focus on this conflict? Why single out this country? There are numerous territorial disputes and human rights issues around the globe. Your council chose to target one specific nation-the sole Jewish state-and there’s a term for holding one nation accountable under standards not applied elsewhere: antisemitism. Your council should carefully reflect on its actions.
We encourage you to rescind this resolution and genuinely engage with Jewish community leaders in Brampton-not as mere formality but as true leadership action. The effectiveness of a municipal government lies not in weighing in on far-off conflicts but in safeguarding every resident so that no group feels singled out or neglected within their home city.
Brampton’s Jewish community deserves better than this kind of treatment. And what Brampton truly needs is leadership that brings its residents together instead of tearing them apart.
