Montreal suburb mayor dropped by legal team after condemning Canada's Gazan refugee plan

Jeremy Levi, the mayor of Hampstead—an on-island suburb of Montreal—has been the subject of controversy since he spoke out in support of Israel following the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

Levi, a staunch supporter of Israel, has been clear in his stance that Israel "needs to eradicate Hamas," leading outlets like the Palestinian Chronicle to attack him with articles like "Canada Mayor to Support Israel No Matter How Many Children Die" in December.

Since then, Levi has continued to voice his support for Israel. More recently, Levi was featured in the Montreal Gazette after he said that behaviour by pro-Palestinian groups showed that "their values seem incompatible with ours."

“Given the recent behavior of the pro-Palestinian group, Canada should reconsider its immigration plan for Gazans. Their values seem incompatible with ours, and I have no desire to welcome more hatred into our country,” Levi’s post read. 

These comments prompted Levi's then-lawyer, Dino Mazzone, representing the mayor in an unrelated case, to file a dismissal notice and drop him as a client. This discussion was obtained through transcribed documents by Rebel News. 

The mayor was informed via phone that he would no longer be a client of Mazzone, who dropped his case out of fear of losing another client. During that call, Mazzone argued that a $50,000 retainer would not be refunded, as it pertained to work already done on the separate case.

Now represented by Neil Oberman of the Spiegel Sohmer law firm, Levi is appealing the reasons for his dismissal.

Oberman explained to Rebel News that the grounds of the appeal pertain to charter violations, prejudice and code of conduct violation(s).

"The grounds enumerated deal with the issue of freedom of expression and freedom to be devoid of discrimination based on political belief," detailed Mr. Oberman, showing that Levi's outspoken advocacy for Israel has come at a high cost. 

A month after the October 7 attack, Hampstead passed a bylaw that imposed $1,000 fines for the removal of posters of Israeli hostages.

In December, Levi issued a statement reiterating his support for Israel after being questioned by an activist.

“From the outset, I emphasized my firm stance against the death of children or any loss of life. In my view, every human life is immeasurably precious, a sentiment not shared by certain parties such as Hamas. I genuinely sympathize with all the innocent civilians who have tragically lost their lives in this conflict. It’s crucial to recognize the human cost and tragedy that war brings.”

Levi was clear in saying that he had unwavering support for Israel and called for hostages to be freed.

In March, Levi called on Liberal MP Anthony Housefather to cross the floor to join the Conservatives due to the governing party's lack of support for Israel.

Hampstead counts roughly 7,000 residents, the majority of whom are Jewish. It falls within the federal Mount Royal riding, which has been a Liberal stronghold for decades.

Levi's most recent comments condemning the importing of Gazans brought with it a wave of criticism from a slew of Quebec politicians, including Quebec Premier François Legault who said that he disagreed with Levi's statement.

Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East went so far as to call Levi's comments racist and called for the mayor to resign.

“This racist screed from the mayor of Hampstead is truly beyond the pale,” the organization wrote. “The rejection of immigrants from Gaza, combined with the charge of ‘incompatible values,’ is a clear-cut case of anti-Palestinian racism that echoes some of the darkest periods of Canadian history.”

Levi conceded that it's “from most standards, a politically incorrect statement,” but said that he spoke for his community.

While speaking to Rebel, Mr. Oberman stated that "the rule of law is not just a statement, it is a concept that must be applied to all, for all, at all times."

 


Correction* This article has been updated for clarity. 

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