Cancelled speech by Peace by Chocolate founder sparks resignation by legal group’s incoming president

Sheree Conlon, who was poised to become the next president of The Advocates’ Society, has made the decision to step down from her position amidst what she describes as an “existential crisis” within the organization. The controversy arose after the Society canceled an upcoming speech by Tareq Hadhad, a Syrian Canadian entrepreneur and advocate for peace, due to concerns raised by some members regarding his views on Gaza.

Conlon, who hails from Nova Scotia, where Hadhad and his family settled as refugees in 2015, had initially proposed Hadhad as the keynote speaker for the Society’s end-of-term event in Toronto. She believed that Hadhad’s story of resilience and hope in the face of adversity was one that deserved to be shared.

However, following the announcement of Hadhad as the keynote speaker, the Society received backlash from some members who objected to his views on Gaza. They claimed that Hadhad’s social media posts did not adequately address the suffering of Jewish people and the Israeli state in the conflict.

Conlon revealed in her resignation letter that there was significant pressure on the executive members to cancel Hadhad’s appearance in order to avoid potential protests, membership cancellations, and loss of sponsorships. Despite the concerns raised by some members, Conlon believed that cancelling Hadhad’s speech went against the values of the Society, which prides itself on promoting civility, respectful discussion, and inclusivity.

She acknowledged the harm that some members felt due to the choice of speaker but emphasized that silencing a Muslim man’s voice only served to alienate racialized lawyers from the organization. Conlon called for the Society to reflect on its decision, cancel the upcoming event, develop an equal policy on speakers, and publicly acknowledge that it had strayed from its core values.

In response to the controversy, the Society issued an apology, acknowledging the lack of diverse consultation in its decision-making process. Calls for change at the top have grown louder, with lawyer Muneeza Sheikh calling for the executive committee to resign and for an external review of the process.

The Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association has also called for a change in leadership at the Society, stating that the actions taken risk bringing the profession into disrepute. The organization believes that The Advocates’ Society needs to work towards reclaiming its identity as an inclusive and unbiased organization that upholds civil liberties for all.