Neil Saravanamuttoo promises to raise Palestinian flag at city hall

Ottawa mayoral candidate vows to raise Palestinian flag at city hall

Ottawa mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo has promised to raise the Palestinian flag at city hall if elected in October, a pledge that has stirred debate among local politicians and community groups.

In a campaign video posted to social media on Friday, Saravanamuttoo — an economist, podcaster, and organizer who previously served as an economic advisor during the 2022 mayoral election and co-founded the municipal governance nonprofit CitySHAPES — outlined his position on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“As mayor, I will stand with those in our community who are suffering the grief of loss, the anguish of injustice,” Saravanamuttoo said in the video, filmed outside the site of the Ottawa Palestinian Festival. “That’s why, as mayor, I will raise the Palestinian flag at City Hall, as we do for other states.”

In the video, Saravanamuttoo said he had read the report of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry and agreed with its findings that “what’s happening in Gaza is a genocide.” He also asserted that “70,000 civilians have been killed in Gaza, including 20,000 children.”

Saravanamuttoo addressed broader community relations in his campaign launch, stating, “As mayor, I will stand against Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian discrimination, and antisemitism,” and pledging, “My door will be open. I’ll use my position to make sure that no community in our city feels unheard.”

In an interview with CTV News on Saturday, Saravanamuttoo said he wanted to make his stance clear. “I have been prepared to stand up and say that Gaza is a genocide. I agree with the findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on this point,” he said.

The mayoral hopeful said he has been asked about several issues outside municipal jurisdiction, including the Alto high-speed rail project, in-office mandates for federal workers, and Gaza. “People want to know as mayor where I stand, and I think people want to know because they want to know what your values are and whether your values align with their values,” he said.

Members of the community have expressed deep concern about the conflict in Gaza, Saravanamuttoo said. “There are a lot of people that say this is just an injustice that is happening, and someone needs to stand up for this,” he said. “We need to speak truth to power, and there’s been certainly a sense that leaders in Canada have not been articulating what we can all see to be the case.”

The UN report referenced by Saravanamuttoo was issued in September 2025. Navi Pillay, the chair of the commission, said it found that “Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza.” “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention,” Pillay said.

After the commission’s findings were released, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said it “categorically rejects this distorted and false report.”

Saravanamuttoo said the City of Ottawa raises flags of other countries on their national days and the Palestinian flag should not be treated differently. Canada officially recognized the State of Palestine on Sept. 21, 2025. The City of Ottawa’s website says the city flies the flag of any nation with diplomatic ties to Canada. Toronto raised the Palestinian flag at city hall on Monday.

Reactions from other candidates and community groups

Mayoral candidate Alex Lawson said only flags of Ottawa, Ontario, and Canada should fly at city hall. “The monstrosities being committed across the world should not be used to try to get votes in a municipal election,” he said.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s campaign team said questions regarding the city’s flag policy should be directed to the City’s Office of Protocol. The campaign said Sutcliffe remains focused on governing Ottawa responsibly and has worked with the Faith Leaders Council and City of Kindness Summit to protect residents from antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hatred.

Coun. Jeff Leiper, who is also seeking the mayoral office, did not respond to requests for comment on the flag issue.

Richard Robertson, director of Research and Advocacy at B’nai Brith Canada, said it is “deeply distressing” that a mayoral candidate would make the Israel-Palestine conflict a focal point of his platform. “Complex geopolitical issues should not be weaponized to solicit votes,” he said.

Honest Reporting Canada reacted on social media, saying “one might think he is campaigning to govern Gaza,” repeating the “false claim” of 70,000 dead, and accusing Saravanamuttoo of “false genocide libel” and presenting an “anti-Israel account.”

Ottawa residents will head to the polls on Oct. 26.