A petition to revoke the Order of Canada from Mohammad Fakih, founder of Paramount Fine Foods, has gained over 12,000 signatures in just days.

The petition, launched by a multi-partisan group of former parliamentarians including former MP Kevin Vuong, former Ontario MPP Lisa MacLeod, and former B.C. MLA Selina Robinson, cites Fakih’s social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war as grounds for removal. Organizers zeroed in on one post where Fakih stated that Canadian supporters of Israel “do not have basic human values, let alone Canadian values,” calling the remarks dehumanizing and a threat to the integrity of Canada’s highest civilian honor.

Fakih has defended his right to free speech, calling the petition a well-funded, pro-Israel campaign to silence him and claiming it has led to threats against him.

The organizers forcefully deny this, stating the campaign was organically started with $75 of their own money. They argue that while Fakih is free to express his views, using his Order of Canada title to legitimize what they call hate speech crosses a line.

The controversy highlights the tension between free expression and the standards expected of national honor recipients.

Petition organizer former MP Kevin Vuong joins Jon Liedtke to discuss.

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