A prominent Jewish organization is escalating its legal challenge against the University of Windsor, targeting an agreement the institution made with protesters that includes an academic boycott specifically targeting Israeli universities.
Legal Challenge Continues Despite Court Setback
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) has appealed a recent court ruling that upheld the controversial agreement between the University of Windsor and anti-Israel protesters. The deal was reached in mid-2024 to dismantle anti-Israel encampments that had occupied campus grounds.
Richard Marceau, senior vice-president of CIJA, condemned the agreements as discriminatory and representing a dangerous capitulation to extremists. The organization filed its appeal after Ontario's Divisional Court dismissed its request for judicial review on October 29, 2025.
Protest Agreement Details and Controversial Provisions
The settlement with protesters, who identified as the Windsor Liberation Zone Team, emerged after weeks of negotiations during the wave of anti-Israel protests that swept Canadian universities. The comprehensive agreement included multiple components beyond the academic boycott.
The university committed to developing anti-racism initiatives, divesting from organizations involved in Israel's military operations in Gaza, and creating opportunities supporting Palestinian students and scholars. However, the most contentious element involves the review of academic partnerships with Israeli institutions.
The specific provision states the university will not pursue any institutional academic agreements with Israeli universities until Palestinian self-determination is recognized by the United Nations, unless supported by the University of Windsor Senate. The agreement explicitly notes that individual academics remain free to collaborate with Israeli counterparts.
Discrimination Claims and Legal Arguments
CIJA's legal challenge centers on allegations that the agreement violates Ontario's Discriminatory Business Practices Act. The organization argues that singling out Israeli universities constitutes overt discrimination based on nationality, place of origin, and geographic location.
The court ultimately sided with the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery, which had previously upheld the agreement. The ruling determined that institutional academic agreements fall within the university's core non-business purposes, and therefore the institution wasn't acting as a business subject to the act's provisions.
CIJA maintains that the provision could be interpreted as refusing to employ persons contrary to the law, though the ministry director who initially reviewed the complaint disagreed with this interpretation.
The legal battle continues as CIJA pursues its appeal, highlighting ongoing tensions between free speech, academic freedom, and allegations of discrimination in Canadian higher education institutions.
