Doug Ford says pro-Palestinian university encampments 'need to move'
Ontario's premier called for pro-Palestinian protest encampments to move off university campuses Monday even as one Toronto university suggested it was making progress in its talks with demonstrators.
Premier Doug Ford said he is "not in favour" of the encampments, which have cropped up on several campuses in recent weeks, adding he's getting messages from parents expressing concerns that their kids will be harassed or bullied because of them.
"They need to move. The university has to move these people along," Ford told reporters at the Ontario legislature.
The premier said some of what he's seen and heard about the protests is "unacceptable."
"I can't stand some of the nasty stuff I've been seeing out there," he said.
Ford's comments came as the University of Toronto said it sees "a way forward" after meeting with student protesters involved with an encampment on its campus.
Though the university initially gave protesters a deadline of 10 p.m. last Thursday to leave, administrators later said they wouldn't remove the encampment if its activities remained peaceful.
Sandy Welsh, the university's vice-provost of students, said in a statement Monday morning that members of the administration met with student representatives for the encampment over the weekend and the discussions "have been constructive."
The representatives and administrators are working together to address concerns about health and safety, as well as reports of threatening or hateful language, she said.
The encampment set up in an area known as King's College Circle last Thursday has seen protesters call on the university to disclose ties with the Israeli government and divest from Israeli companies.
Mohammad Yassin, a fourth-year student and one of the spokespeople for the demonstrators, said he was part of the group that met with administrators on the weekend.
The statement issued Monday was disheartening because it "perpetuates lies" about the demonstration, he said.
The administration's ongoing allegations that the protesters are not part of the university community or that they are engaging in hate speech are simply not true, Yassin said.
"During the second or third day of our camp, we had a Shabbat dinner that was organized by the Jewish faculty and community of our camp, while we were being accused of antisemitism," he said. "We shut down any forms of hatred, antisemitism, virulently. It's against our community guidelines, and we have processes to deal with people who promote this kind of hate."
The group went into the talks believing they would be discussing their demands soon, but instead the university has continued to focus on "trivial things" like the fence around the area and sanitation, he said.
"We are only going to talk about demands with the university going forward. ... It is not worth our time to be discussing fences when over 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed."
The International Court of Justice is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with a ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused the court of bias.
Israel's campaign in Gaza was launched after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 men women and children hostage in October. The Israeli offensive has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
Pro-Palestinian activists have also set up tents at McGill University in Montreal, the University of Ottawa, McMaster University in Hamilton and the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Mackenzie Hughes 'gutted' after falling short at RBC Canadian Open
Mackenzie Hughes had the dream scenario of winning the RBC Canadian Open in his hometown within reach but then it all slipped away.
Motorcycle doing wheelies, weaving in, out of traffic caught on Highway 417
A motorcycle driver is facing charges after being caught on Highway 417 doing wheelies and weaving in and out of traffic, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says.
Oilers advance to Stanley Cup final by beating Stars in Game 6
The Edmonton Oilers rode their special teams and goaltender to victory on Sunday, beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 to win the National Hockey League's Western Conference and earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers.
'Rotten rock': Climate change altering the face of Canadian mountaineering
The Abbot Pass hut stood for decades in a rugged saddle between two iconic peaks, overlooking the limpid turquoise of Banff National Park's Lake Louise — a destination for alpinists from around the world until the ground melted beneath it and forced its closure.
North Korea says it will stop sending trash balloons as South Korea vows strong retaliation
South Korea said Sunday it’ll soon take retaliatory steps against North Korea over its launch of trash-carrying balloons across the border and other provocations.
'The legacy I want to leave:' Mother with Stage 4 cancer advocates for survivors
People around the world are observing National Cancer Survivor Day, an annual celebration held to honour patients who have been through the often difficult and traumatic experience of living with cancer.
Driver missing after vehicle plunges into the Riviere-des-Prairies between Montreal and Laval
Emergency response crews are on the scene Sunday morning after a vehicle plunged into the Riviere des Prairies in Montreal.