Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Calls for Resignation of CUPE Ontario Leader Sid Ryan

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 14, 2009) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, a UN-accredited NGO that works to improve Canadian society by countering hate and antisemitism, asks CUPE National President, Paul Moist and CUPE Ontario's membership, to call for the resignation of Ontario section president, Sid Ryan. This follows a series of blatantly antisemitic and discriminatory acts and comments by Mr. Ryan that cast doubt over his ability to lead the Ontario section of Canada's largest union. Mr. Ryan most recently issued a call to ban Israeli academics from Canadian universities.

Today, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center is issuing letters to Mr. Moist, national president of CUPE, select members of Government, CUPE Ontario leadership and the Center's more than 25,000 donors and supporters in an effort to encourage:

1. CUPE members to reflect on Mr. Ryan's recent behaviour, proposed academic censorship, blatant anti-Israel campaign and selective understanding of Middle East affairs and reconsider his ability to lead the union

2. Government to study CUPE actions at home while continuing its leadership abroad through calls for an end to Hamas rockets on Israeli towns and terrorist activity

3. Canadian citizens to learn more about campaigns to attack Israeli towns, murder its citizens, boycott its companies and bring about the country's demise

Mr. Moist has already issued a public statement confirming his belief that such a resolution is "wrong and would violate the anti-discrimination standards set out in the CUPE Constitution" - http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2009/13/c7052.html

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                           INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY                           


     Mr. Avi Benlolo, president of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center,     


  is available to speak to members of the press to discuss this important


                                   topic.


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January 14, 2009


Mr. Paul Moist
National President
Canadian Union of Public Employees
1375 St. Laurent Ottawa ON K1G 0Z7


Dear Mr. Moist,


As a proud Canadian and president of an organization representing more than
25,000 members of all religious and ideological persuasions, all of whom
are dedicated to the promotion of tolerance and social justice - worldwide,
I commend you for your public denouncement of Mr. Sid Ryan issued on
January 13, 2009. I respectfully ask you to go one step further and call
for Mr. Ryan's resignation.


This request is placed in the context of a series of unrestrained and
destructive comments by Mr. Ryan regarding the conflict plaguing all
peoples in the Middle East, and following his most recent tirade aimed at
limiting the freedom of academic institutions here in Canada and academics
from the state of Israel.


I assure you, Mr. Moist, that I would not place this request to you simply
to silence one person's right to voice an opinion. Like any Canadian, Mr.
Ryan is entitled to express himself freely. But rather, I am taking a clear
stance on this issue because of a repeated pattern and common underlying
theme linking many of Mr. Ryan's appeals - an unwavering and inextricable
blame toward the state of Israel in what is a very complex and intricate
issue - and due to his influential role within your organization. After
careful consideration and review of the facts (speeches, interviews,
letters etc.), I am convinced that Mr. Ryan's contribution to both your
organization and to our broader society is deconstructive, harmful and
either severely naive or terribly discriminatory.


On this last point I wish to expand.


Is simple naivety behind Mr. Ryan's anti-Israel crusade? Is it nothing more
than a common person - albeit with power and influence - unaware of the
plight of Israeli citizens, who are forced to live in fear of Gaza-based
rocket fire, suicide bombers, hate speech, calls for genocide and continual
threats from a well-known Gaza-based terrorist group? Or is this obsession
with Israel and its acts of self defence based on a deeper and more
perennial disdain toward Jews? Only Providence can know that for sure. The
only thing we know for certain, Mr. Moist, is that people holding influence
and office should be held accountable - both with respect to their level of
knowledge of complex issues and for their deeper prejudices. Regardless of
the drive behind Mr. Ryan's stance, we suggest and hope a rational and
well-intentioned leader such as yourself will come to the same conclusion
that we have come to here at Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center: that Mr.
Ryan has become a hindrance to achieving a just and tolerant Canada and, to
cite your very own objectives, to the promotion of peace and freedom in the
world.


In the spirit of dialogue, civic discourse and your own objectives for the
elimination of discrimination and promotion of peace and freedom, I would
appreciate your own personal thoughts and response to this letter.


Sincerely,


Avi Benlolo
President
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center