Just days after spending a night in jail and being charged with mischief, emergency room physician Dr. Tarek Loubani climbed on top of a riser at Parliament Hill and called for a “Free Palestine,” while demanding the government of Canada push for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
“I will not go back to sewing children’s heads without anesthesia,” said Loubani, 41, who has volunteered in Gaza over the past decade. “We must make our voices heard here and tomorrow … Ceasefire is not enough. We must have a free Palestine.”
The London, Ont., doctor spoke in front of thousands of protesters on Saturday, aware that his activism in a politically charged climate puts his job at risk.
He has emerged as a prominent voice, advocating for human rights for Palestinians since Israel declared war on Hamas.
According to the Israeli government, about 1,200 people were killed in the Oct. 7 attacks. In the seven weeks since then, at least 14,800 Palestinians — mostly women and children — in Gaza have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health.
“These things shouldn’t happen. That’s why you see a lot of fighting back against the weaponization of antisemitism to include any criticism of Israel,” Loubani said in an interview with CTV News ahead of his speech on Parliament Hill.
On Nov. 16, London police arrested Loubani and charged him with mischief for allegedly vandalizing the office of a member of Parliament. Last month, the front door and porch of London MP Peter Fragiskatos’s constituency office was defaced by squirts of ketchup.
While he has continued to speak out since his arrest, Loubani’s criminal charge has triggered an investigation by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Loubani said he knows at least five Gazan physicians who have been killed by airstrikes, and dozens of other health workers who have been injured.
“We come from a place of privilege – but people there are losing their family members. The catastrophe continues and cannot be stopped unless there is a ceasefire and a just solution to this conflict,” Loubani said.
In addition to Dr. Tarek Loubani, at least three other physicians are under investigation for their social media posts in support of Palestinians. Critics have accused them of antisemitism. (Judy Trinh/CTV News)
CONDUCT OF 5 ONTARIO DOCTORS UNDER REVIEW
Loubani is one of at least five medical doctors in Ontario being investigated for potential professional misconduct after sharing their views on Israel and the Palestinian territories publicly or through social-media posts. Four of the doctors under scrutiny expressed solidarity with Palestinians, while one is pro-Israel.
James Turk, director of the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said he has reviewed some of the social media posts that led to the investigations.
He said he is concerned universities and hospitals are capitulating to pressure from lobby groups.
“As far as I know, none of them engaged in illegal speech in Canada. It was simply that people who disagreed with their views were able to put pressure on their employers to take actions against them. There’s no place for that in a democratic society,” Turk said.
At the time of publishing this story, none of the five doctors under scrutiny for their political views on Israel-Gaza faced concerns about their medical expertise.
According to records from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, there were no complaints from patients about their medical care.
“There’s no suggestion they’re treating Jewish patients or Arab patients or Muslim patients any differently than anyone else. So in that sense, it’s not a question of their professional behaviour,” Turk said.
“The real allegation is that patients who disagree with them politically may feel uncomfortable going to them. We can’t silence people because others may be troubled.”
CTV News reached out to the doctors and none agreed to be interviewed, other than Loubani.
Dr. Ben Thomson, nephrologist. (Submitted)
DR. BEN THOMSON
Nephrologist Dr. Ben Thomson was initially suspended on Oct. 13 for a month from Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital after he questioned information posted by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs on X, formerly Twitter.
Thomson’s suspension was confirmed to CTV News by hospital staff who did not want to be identified because of the ongoing legal matter.
Thomson wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Oct. 10: “No babies were beheaded, there have been no confirmed reports of rapes. You repeat this nonsense out of racism.”
When Thomson made the post, unverified reports of decapitated babies were widely posted on social media. The claims involving mutilated infants still remain in dispute, according to fact-checking by the Poynter Institute, a non-profit journalism school and research organisation.
Following his post, Thomson was doxed, threatened and accused of antisemitism on social media.
CTV News has also heard a recording of a voicemail that referred to Thomson as a “disgusting human being” and threatened him and hospital staff with violence unless his social media post was removed.
Thomson is the co-founder of Keys of Health, a charity that places doctors from developing nations into specialized training programs in Canada. Most recently, Thomson has helped several physicians from Gaza and the West Bank secure fellowships.
Dr. Christian Zaarour, anesthesiologist. (Submitted)
DR. CHRISTIAN ZAAROUR
On Nov. 17, Honest Reporting Canada, a pro-Israel advocacy group, flagged a post it claimed was from Dr. Christian Zaarour’s personal Instagram account.
Zaarour is an anesthesiologist with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
The post quoted Musa al-Sadr, a dead Iranian-Lebanese cleric, and stated, “We consider Israel to be absolute evil. There is nothing worse than Israel. If Israel and the devil fight each other, we will stand with the devil.”
On its X account, Honest Reporting Canada asked: “Would any #Jewish person feel comfortable getting treatment or being taught by him?”
Without naming Zaarour, SickKids said in a statement that “any forms of racism are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” and would be investigated under its code of conduct.
The hospital said one of its physicians was on voluntary paid administrative leave while an investigation was being completed.
Dr. Yipeng Ge, fourth year medical resident. (Submitted)
DR. YIPENG GE
Dr. Yipeng Ge, a fourth-year public health and preventative medicine resident with the University of Ottawa faculty of medicine, was suspended following pro-Palestinian posts he made on social media, after another physician, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, called them antisemitic on his blog.
Freedhoff posted screenshots allegedly of Ge’s Instagram account showing posts supporting a “Free Palestine.”
The screenshots show a repost of a quote from Harvard law student Tala Alfoqaha, which stated: “If the phrase ‘from the river to the sea’ makes you feel uncomfortable then you probably believe that Palestinian freedom is an inherent threat to Jewish safety. The issue isn’t how we articulate our demands for freedom, it’s that your comfort is predicated on our lack of freedom.”
Freedhoff claimed on his Substack page that Ge’s post “equates Zionism with the genocide of Palestinians.”
More than 92,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org calling on the University of Ottawa to reinstate Ge and issue an apology for denying him his “fundamental right to free expression.”
According to Ge’s LinkedIn profile, he sits on the board of the Canadian Medical Association and was a member of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s anti-racism advisory committee.
Hamilton cardiologist Dr. Eva Lonn’s social media behaviour is under review after she made a post on LinkedIn calling for the deportation of supporters who marched in a pro-Palestinian march in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Submitted)
DR. EVA LONN
Although most of the doctors in this story who have been sanctioned support Palestinians, there is at least one case of a pro-Israel doctor under investigation.
In late October, Dr. Eva Lonn, the medical director of cardiac health and rehabilitation at McMaster University, commented on an article about a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Brooklyn, N.Y.
The Hamilton doctor wrote in a LinkedIn post “deport them all to where they came from.”
A Charge.org petition called on the university to act and McMaster said it is reviewing the matter.
Without naming Lonn, McMaster said in a statement the post does not align with the university’s “values in advancing inclusive excellence or responsibilities as health-care educators and professionals.”
McMaster says it does not discuss employment matters and did not answer questions about whether Lonn’s hospital or teaching privileges have been suspended while the investigation is underway.
At this time of heightened concerns over antisemitism and Islamophobia, employment lawyer with Samfiru Tumarkin, Aaron Levitin, says all workers should review their workplace policies around social media.
“Employees should be mindful of what they are posting because it could have a significant impact in terms of their employment,” Levitin said. “And employers need to monitor to make sure they are keeping their workplace safe for all staff and clients.”
CENSORSHIP CARE
In response to questions about whether the above doctors were acting responsibly on social media, one Jewish human rights organization, B’nai Brith Canada, said physicians should not publicly voice their political concerns.
“It’s not about picking sides,” says Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith’s manager of research.
“Doctors have a responsibility to remain apolitical to ensure they can retain the confidence of all their patients.”
Now back in London, Loubani continues to work in the emergency room. He says he’s committed to using his medical training and skills to treat all patients.
“In reality, we all have biases and those biases do not interfere with our ability to care for our patients. This is a simple oath I took. I did not go into medicine to discriminate against patients. I care deeply about people. I care deeply about my patients.”
But outside the hospital, Loubani says he will also continue to protest against the war and speak for Palestinians, even if his advocacy continues to result in complaints.
“The victims from Ukraine or Palestine or wherever always tells us – we don’t want you to be silent.”
TORONTO – Needing three points to keep their playoff push alive, Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio and Deandre Kerr stepped up with first-half goals against Austin FC on Saturday with goalkeeper Sean Johnson doing his bit at the other end.
A 76th-minute goal by Austin’s Owen Wolff made for a nervy ending but TFC hung on for a 2-1 win.
While Toronto (11-15-3) remains on the Major League Soccer playoff bubble in eighth place in the Eastern Conference (the eighth- and ninth-place teams in each conference square off in a wild-card playoff with the winner facing the top seed in the conference), other results went their way.
Seventh-place Charlotte, 10th-place Atlanta and 11th-place Philadelphia all lost while ninth-place D.C. United tied.
Toronto midfielder Alonso Coello called it “a game we had to win.”
“It’s a big win … To see that fight tonight was important,” added coach John Herdman.
Austin (9-12-7) came into the game in 11th place in the West, two points below ninth-place Minnesota. The Texas side has won just one of its last six league games (1-4-1).
Austin outshot Toronto 7-6 (6-2 edge in shots on target) in the first half but found itself trailing 2-0 at the break as Toronto took advantage of its chances and the visitors didn’t in their first-ever visit to BMO Field, before an announced crowd of 25,538.
Toronto had a dream start, catching Austin on the counterattack in the seventh minute. A sliding Austin player dispossessed an onrushing Kerr, who had been set free by a long ball from Coello, but the ball bounced to Osorio, who beat goalkeeper Brad Stuver with a rising shot.
It was the Toronto captain’s second goal of the season in league play and his 65th for TFC in all competitions. Only Sebastian Giovinco (83) and Jozy Altidore (79) scored more in Toronto colours.
TFC went ahead on another counterattack in the 30th minute after an Austin giveaway. Osorio found Richie Laryea outpacing his marker and the wingback unselfishly sent a perfect low cross across goal for Kerr to knock home for his third of the season.
Wolff, the son of Austin head coach Josh Wolff, made it interesting with his late strike. The 19-year-old U.S. youth international, controlling a long ball, beat defender Raoul Petretta and then waited out Johnson before slotting it home for his first of the season.
Toronto survived a nervy six minutes of stoppage time as Austin pressed for the equalizer. Austin outshot Toronto 14-9 (8-3 in shots on target) and had 52.5 per cent possession.
The win evened Toronto’s home record at 7-7-0, while Austin slipped to 3-8-3 on the road.
It was a costly evening for Austin with defender Brendan Hines-Ike, midfielder Jhojan Valencia and star attacker Sebastian Driussi allpicking up cautions to miss Wednesday’s game with Los Angeles FC due to yellow-card accumulation.
Toronto defender Shane O’Neill will miss Wednesday’s game against visiting Columbus for the same reason. Toronto could be short mid-week, too. The hope is veteran centre back Kevin Long, who missed Saturday’s game after tweaking his hamstring in training, will be good to go.
Toronto has five games remaining, including three more at home as it looks to return to the post-season for the first time since 2020 when it lost to Nashville after extra time at the first hurdle.
It is a challenging road.
TFC hosts Columbus, the New York Red Bulls and Inter Miami while playing away at the Colorado Rapids and Chicago Fire. All but Chicago are in playoff positions.
The only previous meeting between Toronto and Austin was in May 2023, when Zardes scored a 91st-minute winner to give Austin a 1-0 win over visiting Toronto, which was then mired at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. That loss prompted a post-game outburst from Italian star Federico Bernardeschi about TFC’s drab play.
Then-coach Bob Bradley benched Bernardeschi for the next game.
Current coach John Herdman made four changes to his starting 11 with Bernardeschi and Osorio returning from suspension and Coello and Kerr also slotting in. Coello, who had missed the last eight league games with a hamstring injury, was impressive in his 59-minute return.
Both Toronto and Austin suffered home losses last time out going into the international break. Toronto was beaten 3-1 by D.C. United while Austin lost 1-0 to Vancouver.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
MONTREAL – CF Montreal is back in the win column after securing a 2-1 Major League Soccer win over Charlotte FC on Saturday night at Stade Saputo.
Montreal’s form had suffered of late, with just one win in MLS since July, but Laurent Courtois’ squad showed a level of poise and control over the tempo of the game that had not been seen since the beginning of the season.
“What we’ve changed in the last few weeks or months in terms of our methodology or coaching, is nothing. We did the exact thing, We had the exact same words, and we expressed them the exact same way,” said Courtois. “Today, everything just clicked.”
Caden Clark scored for the first time as a Montreal (7-12-9) player in the 23rd minute, in addition to Bryce Duke’s goal three minutes later that ended up being the winner, while Tim Ream found the back of the net for Charlotte (10-10-8).
Montreal had the first major scoring chance of the match after 15 minutes of play. With a free kick roughly 25 metres away from goal, Gabriele Corbo sent a near-perfect shot smashing off the crossbar.
Montreal would continue to dictate the tempo in the opening phase, finding first blood just seven minutes later.
Following a phenomenal triple-save from Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina, the ball fell to Clark who volleyed the ball into the wide-open net, picking up his first goal for the club.
“I think you don’t lose the feeling (of scoring), everything happens for a reason, you just can’t lose yourself in the chaos,” said Clark, who had missed a full season due to injury and was briefly without a club, but was grateful for Courtois’ confidence in him.
“(To have a coach’s confidence) is huge and is something I’ve had both ends of so you just can’t take advantage of that in the wrong way. I’m going to keep my discipline with the game plan and keep my head right.”
With momentum completely on their side, the home side doubled the lead just three minutes later. Montreal continued to build up play on the left flank and found a streaking Raheem Edwards in behind the defence who cut the ball back to Duke, sending the Stade Saputo crowd into a frenzy.
Just after the half-hour mark, Charlotte pulled one back through a set piece — something Montreal has struggled defending all season — as Ream rose above everyone at the back post to score his first with his new club.
The second half began in a similar fashion to the end of the first, with Charlotte pressing high up the pitch and forcing several turnovers in dangerous areas. After surviving the pressure, Montreal began to regain control of the game near the hour mark, enjoying the lion’s share of the possession while Charlotte looked to hit back on the counterattack.
“I think when we conceded that goal we were like ‘here we go again.’ 2-1 is a tough lead before halftime … and at the beginning of the half we kind of shot ourselves in the foot and they pressed a bit more, they moved a bit more forward and that opened some gaps,” said captain Samuel Piette.
“I was happy with that, it shows character. At the end of the day, we just wanted the three points and that’s what we got.”
As the game progressed, Charlotte pushed harder to find an equalizer but to no avail. With only one shot on target conceded, the second-worst defence in the league put up an impressive front and confidently rebuffed every single Charlotte attack.
“I’m a big fan of the back five’s performance in their discipline, competitiveness, and synchronization with balls in behind,” said Courtois.
“We can’t explain sometimes in a game it’s not there, they’re capable and today they showed it. Let’s see tomorrow.”
UP NEXT
Both teams are back in action on Sept. 18 away from home as Montreal will look to avenge a 5-0 rout against the New England Revolution while Charlotte visits Orlando City SC.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
CALGARY – The Calgary Stampeders ended a four-game losing streak and the Montreal Alouettes remained unbeaten on the road this CFL season with a 19-19 tie Saturday.
The two clubs traded field goals in overtime for the game to end in a stalemate.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 19 or 26 pass attempts for 204 yards and scored a rushing touchdown for Montreal (10-2-1) in his third start since he was sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury.
Montreal kicker Jose Maltos kicked field goals from 53 and 42 yards, and from 30 and 37 yards in overtime.
His Stampeders counterpart Rene Paredes was good from 14 and 16 yards, missed from 51 and 52 yards, and then made a pair of 42-yarders in OT in front of an announced 20,187 at McMahon Stadium.
Quarterback Jake Maier was 29-of-37 in passing for 236 yards for Calgary (4-8-1). He was restored to starter after backing up Logan Bonner in a 37-16 road loss to the Edmonton Elks.
Calgary’s Marken Michel had a touchdown catch and Dedrick Mills rushed for 122 yards.
The Stampeders led 13-10 when Paredes’ 51-yard try early in the fourth rebounded off the left upright.
The Stampeders worked the ball to Montreal’s 15-yard line with just over two minutes to go, but undid that work with two major penalties.
Paredes’ 52-yard attempt was wide right to give the ball to Montreal with just over a minute to play.
Fajardo marched the offence downfield and with a second remaining, Maltos tied the game with a 42-yard field goal.
Paredes’ 16-yard field goal gave the Stampeders a 13-7 edge, but the Alouettes continued to chase with Maltos’ 53-yarder late in the third quarter.
Calgary led 10-7 with five minutes left in the first half when backup quarterback Tommy Stevens — inserted for a short-yardage touchdown attempt — fumbled on the two-yard line and turned the ball over.
Fajardo then threw the ball out of Montreal’s end zone 50 yards to Charleston Rambo, but that drive stalled at midfield.
Montreal’s Mustafa Johnson recovered teammate Justin Sambu’s knock-down of a Maier pass and rumbled for the end zone as the clock ticked down on the half.
Stampeder running back Peyton Logan brought down the defensive tackle at the five-yard line to preserve Calgary’s three-point lead at the half.
Montreal’s Sean Thomas-Erlington blocked a Cody Grace punt and corralled the ball in the end zone early in the second quarter.
Instead of a touchdown, however, the Alouette was assessed a penalty for roughing the kicker.
But Walter Fletcher’s 55-yard dash up the middle set up Fajardo’s three-yard touchdown early in the quarter.
Maier threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Elks on Labour Day, which prompted the quarterback shuffle.
Maier threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Michel in the end zone Saturday on Calgary’s second possession.
The hosts didn’t convert Montreal’s fumble on the subsequent kickoff into a bigger lead.
James Letcher Jr. lost the ball on the Alouettes’ 23-yard line. The Stampeders settled for a 14-yard field goal by Paredes and a 10-point lead after the opening quarter.
PERPETUAL PAREDES
Calgary kicker Rene Paredes moved into a tie for second in all-time Stampeder games with his 224th on Saturday. He drew even with defensive back and kicker Larry Robinson (1961-75). Kicker Mark McLoughlin (1988-2003) is the all-time leader with 276.
INDIGENOUS NIGHT
Saturday’s Indigenous Night game was radio broadcast in the Blackfoot language by Butch Wolfleg and Jacob Leblanc, in addition to the customary English broadcast.
Stampeder players wore orange jerseys during warm-up and their helmets featured a special horse logo to honour and raise awareness of thousands of Indigenous children sent to residential schools.
UP NEXT
The Stampeders are home Friday to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Montreal Alouettes continue a run of three straight road games Saturday against the Ottawa Redblacks.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.
