The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) hosted an “emergency rally” outside of Doug Ford’s constituency office in Etobicoke on Friday evening to protest the keffiyeh ban in the Ontario legislature.
The federation says they urge Ford along with Conservative MPPs to take action and reverse the ban, which Speaker Ted Arnott introduced earlier last week.
Arnott says he believes the keffiyeh is being worn to make a political statement, and there is no place for that in the Ontario Legislative Assembly.
A keffiyeh is a checkered scarf that has come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war.
OFL President Laura Walton says it’s simply unconscionable to target a cultural community like this.
“As labour leaders, we won’t stand for it. If Ford won’t end this racist ban, we’ll defy it,” Walton says.
On Thursday, Hamilton’s independent MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Ontario legislature for defying the keffiyeh ban.
And now, questions loom on how the speaker will respond if the ban continues to be ignored.
Jama shared on post on her X account indicating that she would be in attendance at the rally in Etobicoke on Friday.
“We have been wearing it for the past 100, 200 years. We’re not going to stop now because a politician does not like it,” said Ahmad Gained the OFL Secritary-Treasurer.
Protestors say they protested outside Priemire Ford’s office to give him a direct message that he needs to speak with his caucus and overturn the motion and allow the keffiyeh to be worn.
Leader of the official opposition Marit Stiles released a video message on Friday, saying the NDP are giving the Ford Government until May 6 to call off the ban or her party will defy it.
Protestors with the Federation of labour say Ford has the power to do more.
“If you wanna say that you think it’s bad idea then you have the ability, like every Premier does to instruct your caucus and make sure this ends today.”