News June 30, 2025

Open Letter Calls for Reinstatement of York Region Paramedic Fired for Facebook Post Criticizing Israeli Government

Leading Canadian legal and human rights scholars released an open letter today calling on the Regional Municipality of York to reinstate a long-time member of its Paramedic Services fired for a Facebook comment deploring the Government of Israel’s bombing of Iran and its killing of journalists, municipal and health care workers, and fellow first responders in Gaza.

The letter noted that the critique of the Israeli government by paramedic of 15 years, Katherine Grzejszczak, “was not altogether different from that expressed by former Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert in an op-ed in Haaretz on May 27, 2025, titled “Enough Is Enough. Israel Is Committing War Crimes.”

“Whether one agrees or disagrees with the content of Ms. Grzejszczak’s Facebook comment,” said James L. Turk, Director of the Centre for Free Expression, echoing the words in the open letter he helped draft, “she was exercising her Charter-protected right to freedom of expression – a right that York Region as a municipality has an obligation to respect and uphold.”

“Paramedics play a vital role in our health care system and are to be judged on whether they meet professional standards of care, not on their political beliefs. Given there has been no suggestion that Ms. Grzejszczak’s political beliefs have resulted in any inappropriate treatment of any patient, York Region’s decision to fire her was entirely unwarranted and both a violation of her rights and of the Municipality’s Charter obligations.”

For media inquiries, contact:

James L. Turk
Centre for Free Expression
james.turk@torontomu.ca
(613) 277-0488

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