B’nai Brith Canada has requested the Ontario Party remove candidate Nikolaos Balaskas before the Ontario election. .“The Ontario Party must demonstrate that it will not tolerate antisemitism and take immediate action to terminate his candidacy,” said B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn in a press release. .“We are unsure of how this candidate was vetted by the Ontario Party, but inaction is not an option and is an insult to the memories of the 6-million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust.”.Balaskas said Jews control the media, claimed the Holocaust is a response to “Zionist partisans/resistance fighters,” and described Zionists as “haters of God and His children.” Balaskas has shared memes accusing “Jewish-Bolsheviks” of murdering millions of people and promoted a website about Holocaust denial. .He made these claims on social media while working as a laboratory technician at York University six years ago. He was fired by York after B’nai Brith Canada revealed these comments, which led to media coverage of the incident. .A union representing him filed a grievance, but an arbitrator upheld the decision to fire him. .Balaskas is running in York Centre, the riding with Ontario’s second-largest Jewish population. .“Holocaust distortion and denial must never be tolerated in the political process,” said Mostyn. .“The Ontario Party must drop Balaskas as its candidate immediately.”.The Canadian government is looking into passing a bill that would criminalize Holocaust denial. .B’nai Brith Canada has put forward some ideas to the Senate about how to improve Canada’s proposed law about Holocaust denial. .“Antisemitism may take many forms, but as this legislation recognizes, Holocaust denial and distortion remain go-to staples for antisemites,” said B’nai Brith Canada director of legal affairs Sam Goldstein. .Balaskas and Ontario Party Leader Derek Sloan could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
B’nai Brith Canada has requested the Ontario Party remove candidate Nikolaos Balaskas before the Ontario election. .“The Ontario Party must demonstrate that it will not tolerate antisemitism and take immediate action to terminate his candidacy,” said B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn in a press release. .“We are unsure of how this candidate was vetted by the Ontario Party, but inaction is not an option and is an insult to the memories of the 6-million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust.”.Balaskas said Jews control the media, claimed the Holocaust is a response to “Zionist partisans/resistance fighters,” and described Zionists as “haters of God and His children.” Balaskas has shared memes accusing “Jewish-Bolsheviks” of murdering millions of people and promoted a website about Holocaust denial. .He made these claims on social media while working as a laboratory technician at York University six years ago. He was fired by York after B’nai Brith Canada revealed these comments, which led to media coverage of the incident. .A union representing him filed a grievance, but an arbitrator upheld the decision to fire him. .Balaskas is running in York Centre, the riding with Ontario’s second-largest Jewish population. .“Holocaust distortion and denial must never be tolerated in the political process,” said Mostyn. .“The Ontario Party must drop Balaskas as its candidate immediately.”.The Canadian government is looking into passing a bill that would criminalize Holocaust denial. .B’nai Brith Canada has put forward some ideas to the Senate about how to improve Canada’s proposed law about Holocaust denial. .“Antisemitism may take many forms, but as this legislation recognizes, Holocaust denial and distortion remain go-to staples for antisemites,” said B’nai Brith Canada director of legal affairs Sam Goldstein. .Balaskas and Ontario Party Leader Derek Sloan could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
