The Order of Canada, a Canadian government award that “recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation,” is given to Canadian citizens who have “enriched the lives of others, made a difference to this country,” and inspired a sense of unity among Canadians.
Five years ago, Mohamad Fakih, an immigrant from Lebanon and the founder of the Paramount chain of Middle Eastern restaurants, was awarded the Order of Canada. He exemplified “the immigrant success story” by having transformed “a struggling restaurant into a thriving franchise chain across North America.”
Fakih was also cited as a community activist who has supported victims of Islamophobia and employed newly arrived immigrants from Syria.
Judging by his resume, he sounds like a savvy entrepreneur and a philanthropist, precisely the kind of individual who should be considered for inclusion in the Order of Canada.
Late last month, after Israel struck the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing 20 civilians in an incident that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “tragic mishap,” Fakih posted comments on X that starkly called into question his right to be a member of the Order of Canada.
As he wrote, “On behalf of literally every Canadian of conscience: If you are a Canadian and a supporter of Israel, you do not have basic human values, let alone Canadian values. Your lack of Canadian and human values will not be forgotten.”
Amid an outcry from Canadians who sharply disagree with his staunchly partisan view, Fakih doubled down his value judgments.
Accusing Israel of committing genocide during its military campaign in the Gaza Strip and blasting Canadians supportive of Israel, Fakih demanded an arms embargo against Israel. He declared he would not be silenced in “bringing awareness to Israel’s ongoing crimes, a responsibility that comes with the honor” of being an Order of Canada recipient.
Fakih has every right to lambaste Israel under the banner of free speech and his membership in the Order of Canada. But he crossed a red line when he demeaned Canadian citizens who support Israel and endorse its just war aims in Gaza: the destruction of Hamas’ military capabilities, the removal of Hamas from power, and the release of all the Israeli hostages.
Fakih’s diatribe was rooted in only the Palestinian side of the equation. He completely ignored Hamas’ October 7 attack, which triggered the Israel-Hamas war and the anguish and suffering it has caused among Israelis.
Bearing all this in mind, I agree with a recent opinion piece in The National Post written by three former Canadian politicians, Lisa MacLeod, Selina Robinson and Kevin Vuong.
Regarding Fakih’s accusation that Canadian supporters of Israel, lack basic human values, they wrote, “These words are not a matter of political disagreement. They are a sweeping condemnation of millions of Canadians who support a democratic country, or who share religious, cultural, or political ties with Israel. They are words that deny belonging, strip dignity, and attack the very notion that Canada is a home for all.”
They added, “The Order of Canada was never meant to serve as a platform for dividing Canadians into ‘greater’ and ‘lesser’ citizens. It was created to honor those whose contributions elevate us all. When a member of the Order suggests that a vast portion of Canadians lack ‘basic human values,’ the integrity of the distinction itself is put at risk.”
Describing their cri de coeur as “a principled appeal to preserve the standing of the Order of Canada as a symbol of unity, dignity, and moral courage,” they wrote that, while Fakih is free to express his views, “freedom of expression does not immunize one from accountability.”
In closing, they urged the Order of Canada’s Advisory Council to conduct “a formal review of Fakih’s statements” so as to ascertain whether he has brought “disrepute” to it and “betrayed the ideals of unity and dignity that the Order enshrines.”
MacLeod, Robinson and Vuong make a compelling argument.
An Order of Canada recipient who sows anger, resentment and division within the country is clearly unfit to remain a member in good standing.
Fakih disregarded the imperatives underpinning the Order of Canada when he went ballistic. His continued membership in it is now questionable and should be carefully examined.