The consequences of the decision of a Canadian legal organization to cancel an outstanding Canadian businessman and a speech of the defender of La Paz is being deepened, with another high profile resignation, this time for his treasurer.
Sheila Gibb, treasurer of the Society of Advocates’ since June 2024, who assumed the role of vice president, has renounced the Executive and the Board of Directors of the group.
In a statement published online on Wednesday, Gibb said that canceling an upcoming opening speech by refugees turned into entrepreneur Tareq Hadhad in the next TAS event in June has caused “wounded and trauma to many members of our community.”
“As an organization whose central value is to be a diverse and inclusive society, it is the responsibility of creating spaces for all members to feel welcome and capable of sharing their perspectives,” Gibb wrote.
“We couldn’t create this space with the end of the end of the deadline this year.”
Hadhad ‘retained to a standard’ others were not: former treasurer
Gibb’s resignation occurs only a few days after the incoming president, Sheree Conlon, resigned on Saturday, saying in a letter obtained by CBC News that Tas had “abandoned his values” to rescind Hadhad’s invitation.
Tas has said that he did it after some members raised concerns about Hadhad’s position on Gaza on social networks, in which he has referred to Israel’s actions there as “genocide.”
As CBC News previously reported, lawyer Jonathan Lisus was among those who wrote to the organization to mark what he described as the “unilateral vision” of Hadhad’s conflict, noting that Hadhad did not seem to have published in solidarity with the Israeli victims of October 7 attack or the hostages taken that day.
In his statement, Gibb says he thinks Hadhad “was retained to a standard that other speakers have not been retained,” adding the movement has had “a chilling effect.”
“In my opinion, it is necessary that ta, and our bar can maintain space for different perspectives and difficult discussions,” Gibb said.
“I see this as fundamental for the fundamental values of TAS, and also critic since we are in the world: with growing polarization, decreasing opportunities for civil discourse on difficult issues and related risks for our bar, our justice system and our democracy, as we are seeing south of the border.”
CBC News has communicated with tas to comment on the renunciations of Conlon and Gibb.
Last Friday, the organization issued its members an apology for its management of the situation, but did not say if it would consider restoring Hadhad’s invitation. Hadhad said he has not received a personal apology.
Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday, Hadhad said it was moved by the large amount of support he has received since the cancellation.
As for his position on Gaza, he said: “suggest that I am” unfriendly “or” indifferent “to the suffering of the Jewish people are inaccurate and deeply hurtful.”
“I think that crying the suffering of one group does not mean the exclusion of another … which includes civilians in Syria, in Gaza, in Israel, in Ukraine and in every corner of the world where people are trapped in the crossfire of violence.”
