FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, September 17, 2017

Montréal, QC – Tonight, the Board of Directors of the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) ratified the ruling of its Judicial Board on the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. 

The ruling, issued in June 2016, had found that the BDS campaign is a form of discrimination on the basis of national origin and therefore directly contradicts SSMU’s own mandate to represent the entire student body.

In response, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs-Québec (CIJA-Québec) applauded the SSMU’S Board of Directors for ratifying the Judicial Board’s ruling that declares that BDS violates the SSMU’s Equity Policy. CIJA-Quebéc’s Co-Chair Rabbi Reuben Poupko issued the following statement: 

“The Judicial Board’s ruling, one of several defeats of the BDS campaign in North America and Europe, reflects the broad consensus among the McGill community leadership, faculty members, and students that there is no place for BDS at McGill. Indeed, over the past three years, three BDS resolutions were presented to the SSMU General Assembly and each one was flatly defeated by McGill students. 

“The SSMU Board of Directors and Judicial Board should be commended for recognizing that the BDS movement creates a discriminatory environment for Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus that ultimately undermines academic freedom and dialogue for all.

“The leadership demonstrated by the SSMU to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all students should inspire student governments across Canada to adopt a clear and principled position against the divisive and regressive politics of BDS.” 

Information:

David Ouellette
Deputy Director, Public Affairs (Québec)
514-294-4420