The Palestinian-led BDS movement, which promotes boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel, has called on performers to pull out of the music contest over Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians.

The Ontario legislature voted down an attempt to prevent the provincial government from doing business with companies that support the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.

The federal public safety minister’s office is flatly denying a report that it has intentions to apply hate crime laws against Canadian groups encouraging Israeli boycotts.