McGill student groups

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

McGill student groups, represented by Spiegel Sohmer senior partner Neil Oberman, served McGill University and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese with a demand for security and safety on campus, seeking to bar Albanese from speaking at the university’s Moot Court Nov. 4. The university was given a deadline of 2 p.m. Nov. 1 to reply or face possible further legal action.

“Our clients plan to hold McGill University liable for the damages they suffer due to the failure to ensure a safe and secure environment,” the demand letter says.

The McGill talk was cancelled at the Moot Court, and instead took place at the student union building, which was not served and over which McGill has no authority. Albanese also ended up cancelling at another Montreal event Nov. 2 after the letters were served. Oberman referred to that event as a “Hate Conference” for including virulent anti-Israel and antisemitic speakers, such as Charlotte Kates of Samidoun, recently designated by Canada as a terrorist entity. Oberman refers to the McGill conference as the “Hate Lecture.”

Oberman, representing 21 students, Chabad McGill, Hillel McGill, the Jewish Law Students Association of McGill (“JLSA”), Israel on Campus McGill and other organizations, demanded that McGill “stop Ms. Albanese from promoting hatred on campus” and “restrict Ms. Albanese from using McGill premises to spread hate speech.” The demand also calls on Albanese herself to “refrain from coming to the university campus to spread any offensive, hateful, or discriminatory language or messages.”

McGill is accused in the letter of failing “to act in accordance with the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, the Civil Code of Quebec and the Consumer Protection Act.”

Oberman’s demand letter conveys to McGill President Saini that, “as the custodian of the university, it is your obligation to ensure that all students are always, while on campus or participating in university activities, safe, secure, and protected regardless of their race, religion, and/or ethnicity. These obligations extend to our clients’ civil rights, particularly those guaranteeing them safety and the ability to be free from discrimination.”

Oberman pointed out that promoters of the McGill conference included Independent Jewish Voices Canada Inc., “an organization which is currently the subject of contempt of Court proceedings and was the subject of a provisional interlocutory injunction in another Court matter as recently as October 2nd, 2024, for its illicit campus activity at Concordia.

“They also include ‘LawStudents4Palestine’, an unincorporated, unregistered and purposefully anonymous entity which is not a registered student club with the LSA. These groups remain anonymous to evade accountability for spreading hatred and discrimination, including at times committing unlawful acts of physical aggression and property damage.”

“It is unacceptable that McGill University allows such activities on its campus,” Oberman’s demand letter says.

Native Montrealer Hillel Neuer of the organization UN Watch, speaking at Hampstead Park Sunday before the weekly Bring Them Home Montreal walk for hostages, slammed Albanese for saying the world “has to understand the context” of the Oct. 7 attack from the Palestinian perspective, and for accusing Israel of aggression on that day.

“Yet, despite this, she was invited to Montreal. I’m a proud graduate of McGill law school, where she was invited to speak. McGill [said] they’re not involved, it’s the students. Would McGill law school give its lecture hall to students hosting a speaker who was internationally condemned for racism against Black or Indigenous people? I don’t think so. If you’re going to host them, at least speak out.” n