A Toronto-area public library has apologized after a controversial plan to suspend Islamic Heritage Month displays amid the Israel-Hamas conflict was made public.
The CEO of Markham Public Library issued a public apology on Tuesday after an internal email was shared on social media by a prominent Islamic group in Canada.
A post on the social media site X told library staff that, as a result of tensions and violence in the Middle East, it is “best for us not to be actively promoting Islamic Heritage Month.”
The email was marked as high importance.
Renewed violence broke out in the Middle East early in October after Hamas — a group operating from the Gaza Strip and categorized as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government — launched a bloody attack on Israel.
Land incursions and rocket attacks launched by Hamas injured more than 1,000 Israelis, with some hostages also taken. Retaliatory strikes on Gaza have killed thousands of Palestinian people.
The violence has prompted demonstrations and discussions in Canada, Ontario and the GTA.
Politicians and public figures have condemned the violent attack on Israel and both Israeli and Palestinian communities have held rallies to support family, friends and compatriots in the region.
In a social media post, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), which shared the internal email from Markham Public Library, said its content was upsetting.
“It’s really hurtful at a time when we need to be building bridges and coming together,” said Aasiyah Khan, the organization’s chief operating officer. “We need to be challenging forms of hate, not actually spewing them.”
The email also appeared to suggest that direction not to draw attention to Islamic Heritage Month came from an unidentified councillor and someone named Catherine.
Markham Public Library CEO Catherine Biss told reporters on Tuesday that a number of staff and community members had raised concerns about Islamic Heritage Month displays the week prior.
“I take full responsibility and I apologize,” she said, adding that the email was sent out prematurely, and was not reflective of the protocol that is usually followed.
She said that protocol normally demands a thorough review of complaints before communications are sent or decisions are made. She said some displays were temporarily removed.
“In retrospect, while we were following our normal process, I want to apologize for the confusion and the hurt that this has caused,” she said.
The NCCM said it wanted to see a full and formal investigation into the incident. Biss says an inquiry will be launched to examine what happened and ensure it doesn’t happen again.