Nearly 20 buses fail to take participants in Toronto to pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill, UJA says
Nearly 20 buses scheduled to carry community members in Toronto to Ottawa for a rally on Parliament Hill never arrived on Monday.
The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto had booked approximately 70 buses to provide transportation to the event but 17 of them did not show up.
Alternative travel arrangements were eventually made for those affected and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto President and CEO Adam Minsky said the community’s “voices will be more determined than ever.”
CTV News Toronto was not able to reach the bus company UJA had previously been in contact with and contracted.
“We were shocked that, of more than 70 buses UJA booked, 17 did not show up,” Minsky said. “Those 17 buses were the responsibility of a particular sub-contracted company. Despite charging in full in advance and confirming its participation, the company did not send a single bus and has declined all communications while refusing to provide any explanation.”
Prominent Jewish groups, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, are hosting the rally to show collective strength in the face of staggering antisemitism, the CIJA said.
At this point it is not clear why the buses did not show up.
In his statement, Minsky pointed out that the no-show comes after a “similar situation” last month where buses transporting supporters for a pro-Israel march in Washington, D.C. did not arrive as scheduled.
“Given the absolute silence of the sub-contractor and with no other explanation, we are driven to the view that this shameful decision is intended to disrupt our peaceful rally out of hatred toward Jews,” Minsky said.
He pledged to respond with “aggressive” legal action against the subcontracted company.
“Hate and discrimination against any community can never be tolerated in Canada,” he said.
A weeklong ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired over the weekend nearly two months after Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Deadly airstrikes have resumed and Israel is expected to expand its ground offensive in Gaza.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
As walking pneumonia rates drop among Canadian children, flu and RSV are back
Following a sharp rise, cases of walking pneumonia across Canada, particularly among children, seem to be dropping.
U.S. President Biden says 'the world is better off' because of Trudeau
U.S. President Joe Biden thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday, calling him a 'friend,' and adding 'the world is better off because of him.'
CRA to continue with capital tax changes despite prorogation: finance department
The federal government says the Canada Revenue Agency will continue to administer the capital gains tax, even though it hasn't passed in Parliament, which is prorogued until March 24.
Justin Trudeau's set to go after the Liberals pick his replacement, what now?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announcing Monday that he intends to resign as Liberal leader and prime minister as soon as his party names his replacement, has set a series of political machinations in motion.
Bank CEOs see mortgage risk easing as attention turns to political uncertainty
Canadian bank CEOs say they see the risks around mortgage renewals easing, while they prepare for rising risks around tariffs and political uncertainty.
Canada Post says most operations are back to normal, but some mail continues to be delayed
Canadians can expect full service for domestic parcels and on-time service guarantees, though Canada Post said some mail will continue to be delayed as it deals with a large amount of items.
Justin Trudeau steps down as Liberal leader. Who are the top contenders to replace him?
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's resignation as Liberal party leader, several well-known political faces may be waiting in the wings for their opportunity to take his place.
Canada could see a wave of mortgage renewals in 2025. Here is how some homeowners plan to navigate the payment shock.
At least 1.2 million Canadians are facing a mortgage renewal in 2025, and 85 per cent of those existing home loans were contracted when the Bank of Canada’s interest rate was at or below one per cent. Here's how some homeowners are planning to navigate the increased payments.
2 bodies are found in the landing gear of JetBlue plane at Florida airport
Two bodies were found in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at a South Florida airport, authorities said.