Ottawa mayoral cadidate promises to raise Palestinian flag at city hall if elected

Ottawa mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo announced in a campaign video that if elected, he would "raise the Palestinian flag at City Hall." He asserted that the situation in Gaza constitutes genocide, citing the UN's independent International Commission of Inquiry and claiming 70,000 civilian deaths. Saravanamuttoo, an economist and organizer, stated his intention to address Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian discrimination, and antisemitism, ensuring all communities feel heard. His stance has drawn criticism, with B'nai Brith Canada expressing distress over the focus on the Israel-Palestine conflict in a municipal campaign, and Honest Reporting Canada accusing him of campaigning "to govern Gaza" rather than addressing local Ottawa issues.