Principal apologizes for Arabic O Canada played on Oct. 7

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It would have been inappropriate to play the German version of the national anthem in front of Jewish students fresh from the Holocaust, so it was not surprising that there was outrage when the Arabic version of “O Canada” opened at Earl Haig High School on Oct. 7, sparking controversy around the world.

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But the headteacher of North York High School has now responded, saying it was simply an unintentional mistake with no “malicious intent”.

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In any case, this is one of the failures of the year. Now Earl Haig students and administrators say they simply didn't realize that the Oct. 7 performance of Canada's national anthem in Arabic would be perceived as anti-Semitic or insensitive to the carnage and horrors of that dark day.

Bug of the year

Although the school's principal, Steve Yee, said his investigation shows there was no malicious intent to play “O Canada” in Arabic, a new event has surfaced that the school must address on the anniversary next year and every year thereafter.

It turns out that one of their school's graduates was one of the innocent people kidnapped and killed by Hamas. Canadian Judy Weinstein Haggai, who was shot in the first ambush and taken hostage along with her husband Gadi of Kibbutz Nir Oz and later found dead, visited Earl Haig 55 years ago.

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A classmate sent a yearbook photo of Judy and expressed deep sorrow for her loss. The Toronto District School Board said the school was unaware they had a student who was later held hostage while the Canadian national anthem was played in Arabic.

Receiving a yearbook photo titled “Judy Weinstein” and telling her that she “hopes to someday get a law degree and become an Ivy Leaguer,” her daughter Iris Haggay Liniado was surprised to see it.

She took a closer look, checked the photo, and confirmed that her mother had indeed visited Earl Haig.

A moment of silence

We still need more information about her time there and have submitted a request to the council to ask the school to check its records to see when she attended school, whether she graduated and any other interesting aspects of her life. For those students who have made a mistake on a hymn or group project, it might be a good project to go back in time and publish a research paper about one of your former classmates and her remarkable life that led her to a kibbutz in Israel and where she was brutally murdered at the hands of Hamas.

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But even if not, at least they admitted that a mistake was made here.

It's the least the school can do after such a mistake when a suspicious education minister, Paul Calandra, who reminded them that it was the highest number of Jews killed in one day since the Holocaust, read them a riot act for either having blingers that day or for intentionally doing it as an insult.

But now Yee has sent a letter home to his parents, explaining the situation and insisting it was unintentional.

“As you know, it has been a difficult week at Earl Haig SS due to the unfortunate incident in which an Arabic version of O Canada was played on the morning of October 7th, a solemn day for many in our school community and around the world,” he wrote. “Shortly after the announcements were completed, I spoke with both students and staff, including the Earl Haig Jewish Student Association, and apologized for what happened and supported them in any way I could.”

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He added that his investigation was now complete: “After speaking to a number of students and staff over the course of the week, including those who are part of our Earl Haig radio team, we can now say with confidence that this was not done with any malicious intent and that they are truly remorseful for what happened.”

Yee added, “I recognize the pain that playing this version of the anthem on this day has caused members of our community, and we deeply regret it,” and they offered support to Jewish students who had to endure it.

No more O Canada in Arabic

And finally, director Earl Haig promised that nothing like this would ever happen again.

“In accordance with the minister's guidance, all TDSB schools, including Earl Haig, will henceforth use only the English, French or instrumental versions of the national anthem,” Yee said.

Looks like some valuable lessons were learned here and the matter is now settled.

However, I wish that now that they know that one of their former students was kidnapped and killed in the horror of October 7th, perhaps they could announce it over the loudspeaker next week, followed by an appropriate minute's silence in remembrance.

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