The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has placed organizer Rawan Qaddoura on administrative leave following the emergence of archived tweets in which she purportedly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler and shared antisemitic sentiments. The decision was confirmed in an internal memo from the Ontario Public Service Staff Union (OPSSU), which represents OPSEU employees, stating that Qaddoura is being supported during the investigation.
Background of the Controversy
Last week, a letter to OPSEU board members raised concerns about Qaddoura's now-deleted posts on X, formerly Twitter. In a January 2012 post, she allegedly wrote, "I honestly wish I was born at the time of the second world war just to see the genius, Hitler, at work." Later that year, another post read, "Every time I read about Hitler, I fall in love all over again." In August 2013, her account shared a quote from a deleted account stating, "the whole world is controlled by Zionist Jews and until you understand that, life will never make sense." These posts were documented by the online antisemitism watchdog Canary Mission and were previously flagged in a 2017 call-to-action by B'nai Brith Canada urging McMaster University to address similar behavior by campus pro-Palestinian groups.
Union Response and Internal Memos
OPSSU steward Vic Wojciechowska sent a memo to the Political Action and Education committee on Wednesday evening, confirming Qaddoura's paid administrative leave. "Some of you may have already heard that the employer has put Rawan on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an employer-initiated investigation," the memo read. "On behalf of Rawan, we want to affirm that Rawan is being supported by OPSSU and a dedicated steward throughout this process." The memo also requested that members refrain from speculation and respect the integrity of the investigation.
Earlier that day, OPSEU human resources head Shazia Tarar sent an internal memo acknowledging media coverage and advising employees to adhere to social media policies, though it did not mention Qaddoura directly. This prompted criticism from OPSSU, which noted that the directive contributed to a "workplace culture of fear and confusion."
Broader Context of Antisemitism Allegations
The controversy comes amid a 2024 human rights complaint filed by Jewish OPSEU members, alleging that the union fostered an environment where antisemitic propaganda is tolerated, particularly after the October 7, 2023 Palestinian terror attacks. Concerns were also raised about OPSEU hiring the fringe anti-Zionist group Independent Jewish Voices to facilitate mandatory antisemitism training, bypassing its own Jewish caucus recommendations. Additionally, OPSEU flags were reportedly waved at a 2024 anti-Israel rally supporting Iranian-backed Houthi ship hijackings.
Qaddoura's hiring had already drawn scrutiny from observers questioning OPSEU's practices. The union has not commented on the investigation's timeline or potential outcomes. OPSSU reiterated its commitment to supporting Qaddoura on her terms, not those of external forces.
