Prominent Canadian Jewish organizations, including B’nai Brith Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, have issued a joint letter to the board of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg.

The letter criticizes the new exhibit titled 'Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present' for what they describe as serious failures in curation, governance, and maintaining public trust.They call on the board to rectify these shortcomings and hold CEO Isha Khan accountable for the exhibit’s development process.

According to the signatories, the museum did not sufficiently engage with Jewish community experts or ensure historical balance and scholarly integrity.Instead, they argue it relied heavily on input from political activists, leading to a lack of transparency and meaningful dialogue.

The CEOs highlight real-world consequences, including increased community tensions and instances of antisemitism linked to the exhibit, such as calls to rename a street honouring the museum’s Jewish founder, Izzy Asper.

The letter references statements from federal officials, including Heritage Minister Marc Miller, who described aspects of the exhibit as regrettable failures, particularly the omission of designating Hamas as a terrorist organization.Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent remarks against transposing foreign conflicts into Canadian institutions are also cited.

Khan has defended the exhibit as focusing on Palestinian Canadian experiences of displacement, presented from their perspective, similar to other museum displays.The controversy has prompted calls for broader public mobilization to press the museum’s board for action.This situation underscores ongoing debates about how national institutions handle sensitive historical and human rights topics in a diverse society.