Howard Levitt: Olivia Chow owes Toronto's Jewish community some answers - National Post

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow speaks to media on March 8, 2025. Prof. Yang Meng writes that a speech made by Chow in November, in which she drew parallels between the Japanese invasion of China during WWII and the situation in Gaza, was hurtful to both Jewish and Chinese people. Photo by Christopher Katsarov / The Canadian PressArticle contentThere is a serious and growing fault line between Toronto’s Jewish community and Mayor Olivia Chow. In its time of crisis unmatched since the 30s, the fear is that, when we most need her, she is on the other team.

We judge politicians by their words, their actions, the causes they champion, the people whose approval they seek, those they are willing to offend and, most importantly, what they do when “doing the right thing” carries political costs.

That is the basis of my judgement of her.

The National Post newsletter that doesn’t hold back, giving readers the unvarnished truth on media, politics and culture.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Right? will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

And if I am wrong, she has made my conclusion difficult to rebut. Look at what happened this week.

Toronto’s mayor was invited to a mayoral debate about antisemitism and the safety of her city’s Jewish community.

She refused to attend. Her explanation was that she does not participate in candidate events before her campaign officially launched on Sept. 9.

The debate was Sept. 8. That would be an amusing technicality if the subject were not so serious.

It also belies common sense. The organizers had been communicating with Chow’s campaign for weeks without her providing that excuse. They offered to change the date, but she still refused to attend. Her opponents were attending. Jewish community representatives were to be there. But Chow did not. Imagine if there was an outbreak, accompanied by significant violence, of anti-black racism in the city. Or pick any minority group other than Jews. Can you imagine her not attending?

This is not a scheduling problem but a revealing political choice.

Toronto’s Jewish community is facing extraordinary violence and hostility. Jewish schools, synagogues and community institutions are being shot at, bombed and require security. Jewish businesses attacked. Many Jews are concealing any visible identity to avoid becoming a target. They are fearful in many cases of walking our streets.

Toronto Police reported that Jews were the targets of 82 per cent of religious motivated hate crimes in 2025, despite Jews representing about three of the population.