WINDSOR — The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs has filed a motion with the Ontario Court of Appeal to challenge the dismissal of its legal case involving the University of Windsor. CIJA is appealing the October 29 ruling of the Divisional Court. The court had dismissed CIJA’s request for judicial review of the Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement’s decision not to act on CIJA’s complaint about the university’s agreements connected to the 2023 anti-Israel encampment.
CIJA maintains that the academic boycott provisions in the University of Windsor’s agreements constitute discrimination under the Ontario Discriminatory Business Practices Act. The organization argues that the Divisional Court did not adequately assess the law’s intended purpose, which is to prevent discriminatory business practices, especially when they target a specific nationality or place of origin.
The agreements that ended the encampment required the University of Windsor to halt academic partnerships with universities in Israel. CIJA states that this action singles out Israeli institutions alone and therefore meets the definition of discriminatory conduct under provincial law. According to CIJA, the ministry’s refusal to intervene sets a concerning precedent at a time when antisemitism is rising across campuses and public institutions in Ontario.
In its appeal materials, CIJA argues that the case raises an issue of public importance because it affects how the province interprets its own anti-discrimination legislation. The organization also notes that the university’s concessions, which followed pressure from an extremist encampment, demonstrate how anti-Israel activism can directly influence institutional policy in ways that harm Jewish students and faculty.
“The agreements are discriminatory and signify a dangerous capitulation to extremists,” said Richard Marceau, Senior Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives and General Counsel at CIJA. He said the University of Windsor must rescind the agreements to restore confidence among Jewish members of the campus community who experienced heightened fear and hostility during the encampment period.
CIJA states that the incident at the University of Windsor reflects a broader trend across post-secondary institutions in Ontario. Officials at CIJA have reported increased concerns from Jewish students regarding safety, classroom climate, and the growth of activism that promotes boycotts, delegitimization, and narratives that erase Jewish indigeneity in Israel, including in Judea and Samaria.
Legal counsel for CIJA, Jonathan Lisus of Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb, is leading the appeal effort. CIJA’s leadership has expressed confidence in the legal basis of the case and emphasized that the discriminatory nature of the agreements is clear because no other country or group is subjected to the same exclusion.
The organization also stresses that academic boycotts contradict core academic principles, including open engagement, collaboration, and access to global research networks. CIJA argues that cutting ties with Israeli universities undermines legitimate academic exchange and isolates Jewish and Israeli scholars.
While the University of Windsor has not issued new public comments following the filing of the appeal, the institution has previously stated that its encampment agreements were intended to restore calm and address student concerns. Critics say that this justification does not excuse discriminatory content within the agreements.
The Ontario Court of Appeal will determine whether the Divisional Court erred in its analysis of the Discriminatory Business Practices Act and whether the issues raised by CIJA merit further judicial review. A hearing date has not yet been announced.
CIJA continues to call on the province to take a stronger role in addressing cases where institutions implement policies that unfairly target Israel or impact Jewish communities. The organization says that protecting students from discrimination and ensuring equal treatment across academic institutions remains a core priority.
