HALIFAX — B’nai Brith Canada has strongly condemned the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Greater Halifax and Dartmouth for selecting Rana Zaman as the recipient of its 2025 Peace Medal despite her documented history of antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories. Zaman, a former New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate, has promoted unfounded claims that Israel was responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks and denied Hamas’s sexual violence during its October 7, 2023, attacks in Southern Israel.
Paola Samuel, Quebec and Atlantic Canada Regional Director for B’nai Brith Canada, criticized Zaman’s rhetoric as dangerously misleading and damaging to Jewish communities facing unprecedented levels of hate and violence, including in Nova Scotia. B’nai Brith Canada called on the YMCA to withdraw Zaman’s name from the award and reaffirm its commitment against antisemitism, racism, and hatred.
Richard Robertson, Director of Research and Advocacy at B’nai Brith, warned that honoring Zaman normalizes extremist views and undermines efforts to combat hate in Canadian society. Despite their concerns, B’nai Brith said the YMCA had not yet issued a substantive public response at the time of reporting. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 22, a site of great significance as the historical entry point for thousands of Jewish immigrants to Canada.
Zaman’s controversial profile is well known. In 2019, she was stripped of a Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission award after public backlash over her inflammatory social media posts. At that time, her social activism and advocacy work were overshadowed by accusations of antisemitism, which she and her supporters have contested, framing the criticism as politically motivated.
The controversy reignites a broader conversation within Canadian society and the Jewish community about the boundaries of legitimate criticism of Israel versus hate speech and the importance of safeguarding communal respect and safety. Community advocates stress that awards and honors must reflect values of peace, coexistence, and rejection of all forms of hatred.
The ongoing dispute highlights the rising vigilance of Jewish organizations like B’nai Brith Canada in confronting antisemitism across public and institutional platforms and their call for clarity and accountability among partnering organizations and sponsors.
B’nai Brith Canada has pledged to continue engaging with the YMCA and other stakeholders to ensure that future award recipients embody principles of tolerance and inclusivity.
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This article is based on verified information from B’nai Brith Canada statements, local news reports, and official correspondence.