Edmonton’s Jewish community is speaking out about what they’re calling harmful misinformation being spread by Edmonton city councillor Michael Janz.
The Jewish Federation of Edmonton saved several screenshots of content shared to the city councillor’s Instagram stories last week, primarily focused on the conflict in Gaza and its impact on children.
“If you have a newborn baby right now, anywhere in the world, your brand new baby is statistically more likely to be killed by Israel than dying by any other way,” said one of the items Janz re-shared a post tagged to three accounts: @erich_stack, @midleton.stands.with.palestine and @assumptacurran. The latter account has since been deleted.
A polarizing global debate has been ongoing for more than two and a half years over Israel’s conduct in the Gaza conflict, centred around allegations of genocide, war crimes and human rights violations that Israel vehemently denies.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has accused the Israeli government of failing to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and of violating international law by denying aid.
Canada has also condemned the Hamas-led attack against Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023, calling it an act of terrorism.
The war began after that attack on southern Israel killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed more than 73,264 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.
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Around two million Gaza residents are still living in ruins with shortages of food and medicine, and only limited aid entering through a single, Israeli-controlled border post.
Polarizing discourse over the conflict has reverberated around the world.
“At the end of the day, councillors are free to speak to any issue they want. They are ultimately held accountable for their own actions,” Mayor Andrew Knack said.
He added Janz took that post down a short time later. The Jewish Federation said the damage was already done.
“What he’s doing is demonizing Israel, demonizing the Jewish community there and, by extension, the Jewish community here — who is so connected to that — is feeling demonized as well,” said Jewish Federation of Edmonton CEO Stacey Leavitt-Wright.
“It’s creating a security risk — a very real one for our community right now.”
Fellow city councillor Mike Elliott said he was stunned by the posts — he is of the opinion civic politics is no place for international issues.
“I know we have freedom of speech and we can say whatever we want, but let’s focus on what we need to focus on — that’s Edmontonians and our city,” Elliott said.
Global News reached out to Janz on Tuesday for an on-camera interview, which he declined and instead released a statement.
“Like many Edmontonians, I’ve been horrified by the genocide in Palestine and the numerous well-documented war crimes committed by the state of Israel,” it said in part.
“Our compassion must not have boundaries or borders.”
Janz added he will continue to share data from organizations like the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which last week released a report on the physical and psychological harm by the Israeli security forces.
“Every person should read these horrific findings. I will continue to share these reports on my social media,” he said.
Last year, Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government stripped municipal councils from having their own codes of conduct, saying they were being misused to silence dissent on municipal councils and replaced them this spring with provincewide rules to police bad behaviour among local municipal councils.
Mayor Knack picked his words carefully on Tuesday when asked if Janz was out of line with his Instagram stories.
“Well, I would say anyone that’s not sharing accurate information, that’s not what we want to see,” Knack said. “There might not be a code of conduct anymore, but we still have to hold ourselves to a high standard.”
Elliott echoed that sentiment, releasing his own statement on Monday. He said city council’s job is to focus on local issues like roads, transit, housing and budget — which he said is a full mandate on its own.
He stated international conflicts are real and painful, but they fall outside council’s jurisdiction and expertise.
“Elected officials weighing in publicly on them doesn’t change anything overseas — it only risks dividing the very communities we’re here to represent,” Elliott wrote.
“The words we choose carry weight beyond our own opinions — they can either bring residents together or deepen divisions in the community we serve.
“That responsibility doesn’t disappear because the topic is outside our jurisdiction; if anything, it’s a reason for added care.”
Leavitt-Wright agreed.
“I think this is a moment that calls for leadership — to say that here in Edmonton, city council needs to focus on the work of city council and keep out of the international conflict and not bring that divisiveness to our city.”
Global News reached out to the Canada Palestine Cultural Association. This story will be updated if a response is received.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to provide further context and reaction about the social media post in question
With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press
Mike Elliot is also a useless councilor. Shame my riding was dumb enough to vote in an ex-cop. Don’t need bootlickers on city council defending a genocide state.
And remember, if you see someone taking legiticmate criticism of a terrorist state of killers like Israel, and they try to say that’s equal to bigotry against Judaism and its practitioners, then they’re a bad-faith commenter trying to astroturf Israel.
Janz is a king. Lets not be antisemetic and conflate Judaism with Zionism. There is nothing concerning about confronting Israel’s evil babykilling policies and disregard for human life.
I see people’s memories of Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians of October 7th need some refreshing. Or have you not seen mangled dead bodies strapped to Hamas Jeeps as trophies?!?
Janz has not been elected to council to rant about international affairs. Stay in your municipal lane and stick to doing the job you’ve been elected to do. Or, better yet, resign.
snow flakes ! grow a set!
He has a right to his opinion!
Imagine if he was still a teacher?
Wow, the anti semetic comments from Janz the buffoon and the comments below, should be a concern to everyone. Its amazing how the propagandists and media have fostered hatred against a group of people over the last few years. ” But Muslim values are Canadian Values…” Wonder where it all comes from?
“Edmonton’s Jewish community is raising concerns about social media posts by Edmonton city councillor Michael Janz pertaining to the conflict between Israel and Palestine” . . . . This is inaccurate reporting. It is not “the Jewish community” that dislikes Janz’s opinions. It is the JFE, which is a Zionist organization that supports the state of Israel. Many Jews across Canada share Janz’s views of Israel’s actions. Your reporter and editors should know this.
Les, I believe is a total idiot!
Blame the NDP/Liberals for what an Edmonton council member posted. THAT’S DESPICABLE!!
Cancel culture is exhausting. What happened to freedom of speech in this country. Hate what this country has become over the last decade…
Leave it to the NDP/Liberals to spread anger and hatred. Despicable.
I believe that Janz is correct.
Let’s not alter or hide the truth.
He should resign in disgrace!
Michael Janz is not the problem. letting in millions of miscellaneous immigrants ,and then if anyone has an opinion about them then they get attacked for it,. changing laws for them .no more freedom of speech if you can handle an opinion then dont come to Canada or put your garbage in peoples faces .
I love the brainwashed single digit IQ comments in here. Iranian brainwashing campaign found a demographic so easy to convert
He should be fired
It’s not Michael Janz’s actions or social media posts that are causing issues, it’s the State of Israel’s actions that are.
We don’t need people like you in any leadership roles.
Concentrate on your job.
He needs to resign. Edmonton is better than this.
And then Israel kills all those is plain sight, right Wendy.
Iran runs sophisticated, multi-layered information operations (“slopaganda”) using state media (e.g., Press TV, IRNA, Tasnim), proxies like Hamas/Hezbollah, social media (X, Instagram, Telegram), AI-generated content, memes, and Wikipedia editing. These promote frames of Israeli “genocide,” U.S./Western complicity, Palestinian “resistance,” and humanitarian crises in Gaza while downplaying Hamas actions or Iranian proxy roles.
Janz is only stating well known facts. Non issue as we see it.
Oh no, he has upset the apple cart.