The union’s silence is deafening. A senior staffer at Ontario’s largest public-sector union allegedly posted love letters to Adolf Hitler—and the organization that claims to fight for workers hasn’t fired her.
Rawan Qaddoura, a campaign officer with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), is at the center of a firestorm after old social media posts surfaced showing her praising the Nazi leader as a “genius” and confessing she “falls in love all over again” reading about him.
The posts, which also included a conspiracy theory about “Zionist Jews” controlling the world, were flagged by Jewish advocacy groups as far back as 2017. Yet OPSEU has not publicly disciplined or terminated her.
Despite a union memo reminding employees to watch what they say online, the memo—obtained by reporters—made no mention of Qaddoura’s status. Internal sources say leaders are hesitant to fire her because she plays a key role in the union’s high-profile campaign against the Ford government’s wage-restriction bill.
Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister called the situation “absolutely outrageous,” saying it proves antisemitism has become normalized in Canada. “When violence and hatred towards Jews is exploding, politicians and unions choose silence—and by that, they legitimize the hatred.”
Jewish OPSEU members have already filed a human rights complaint, alleging a culture where antisemitic propaganda is openly advanced. The CEO of one advocacy group put it bluntly: “Nothing about their behaviour shocks us anymore. It’s the moral rot we’ve come to expect from a union that tolerates Hitler apologists.”
Even other labour unions are speaking out. The head of LiUNA called the double standard “troubling,” noting that institutions built to protect workers must confront hatred in all forms—not just when it’s politically convenient.
Meanwhile, OPSEU’s president has refused to comment publicly on the allegations. The union says it doesn’t tolerate hate, but its silence on this employee speaks far louder than any internal memo.
