Prominent Canadian conservatives and Jewish community organizations are praising Ontario labour minister David Piccini after he confronted Ontario CUPE president Fred Hahn over his past anti-Israel comments.
In a video Piccini posted on X, which now has over 700,000 views, the Ontario Progressive Conservative minister confronted the union leader and admonished him for a series of comments made by Hahn that Jewish groups have called antisemitic. Hahn denied the allegations and claimed that his criticism lies with Israel.
“As a labour leader, you’ve got to represent your members, and what have said about Jews is antisemitic, and your members reach out to me,” Piccini said.
“I am not antisemitic. I am representing my members – I am not talking about Jews; I am talking about the state of Isreal,” Hahn responded. “I represent 290,000 workers!”
Piccini argued that the CUPE president was isolating many of its members through his divisive actions.
“My door will remain open to your members, but you have to stop hating Jews,” Piccinni said. “You are a labour leader, and your members deserve better, Fred.”
Hahn retorted by saying that CUPE members re-elected him to continue to represent them.
Piccini’s video attracted the praises of several prominent conservative voices and Jewish community groups in Canada.
“Watch David Piccini hold CUPE Ontario’s Fred Hahn to account over his antisemitic obsession and failure to represent Jewish union members while they report unprecedented levels of racism, hostility, and discrimination within the Union,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs posted on X. “Thank you, Minister!”
Hahn is currently embroiled in a lawsuit on behalf of Jewish CUPE members who claim that they faced antisemitism at the hands of the union.
Hahn’s latest controversial rhetoric came during the Olympics. In a post on X that has since been deleted, Hahn posted a video of an AI-generated Israeli olympian with a Star of David tattooed on his arm diving off a diving board. Instead of hitting the water, the video depicts him exploding over Gaza.
In another instance, a day after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, Hahn posted a comment on X saying he was thankful for “the power of resistance around the globe,” calling such acts “fruitful” and progressive. During its massacre, Hamas killed an estimated 1,400 Israelis and kidnapped over 200 hostages, including babies, women and the elderly.
Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, renowned psychologist and author Jordan Peterson, Conservative MPs Michelle Rempel Garner and Melissa Lantsman and most of the other 1000 comments praised Piccini for confronting Hahn.
CUPE Local 2977, from Vineland, Ontario, released a statement Tuesday night distancing itself from Hahn’s “divisive” social media post about an AI Israeli diver.
“The Executive of CUPE Local 2977 would like to acknowledge how harmful, hurtful and divisive it was. President Hahn’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine does not reflect opinions of our local nor the spirit of the union,” it said. “CUPE Local 2977 believes in respect, safety and justice for all. We also fully support the right to free speech but believe it can be delivered in a way that’s respectful and humane to all.”
CIJA recently condemned a statement of regret that Hahn posted Sunday on his social media, arguing that the “apology” was used as another opportunity to double down on what it views as antisemitic statements.
“I understand (the video) caused pain for some who viewed it. I have removed it from my feed because I deeply regret any such reaction,” Hahn Posted. “My intention in posting it was to call attention to the reality that, while the Russian Federation was barred from participating at the Paris Olympics, the state of Israel was permitted to participate – which appeared clearly to me to be a double standard.”
Israel’s war against Hamas started after the terrorist entity and its partners invaded Israel, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict officially started with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Hahn did not respond to True North’s requests for comment.