Claims made by Jewish Canadian Armed Forces members in $150M racism class action rejected: report

More than two dozen Jewish members of the Canadian Armed Forces who made claims in a $150-million racial discrimination settlement against the military were told they did not meet the racial identity criteria, according to the Canadian Jewish News.

One member, Capt. Rabbi Jonathan Jaffit, is taking legal action.

He alleges that Deloitte, the accounting firm in charge of processing the claims, is not applying the terms of the final settlement agreement and is denying access to funds for claimants “who squarely meet the class definition,” according to court documents obtained by CJN.

Jewish CAF members told CJN they were harassed and discriminated against during their time serving in the military due to their identity. One member, who said they served for eight years, gave 14 examples of antisemitism in a claim application.

“You people really are tight with money,” they were once told. The same member was accused of cheating because they could not take an exam on Shabbat, they said.

“The fact that we are just rejected once again from this lawsuit about discrimination is at the height of irony, and really the height of pain for the Jewish soldiers in the army,” the member said.

Another Jewish member who made a claim that was rejected said they “were forced to attend church on Sundays” and “comments about them having a big nose (were) published in the Royal Military College yearbook,” the CJN reported.

That same member said a swastika was drawn on their helmet by a colleague.

They filed a complaint with the military after they were called a “f—ing” Jewish “c—t” and told they couldn’t take a training course. Despite the complaint, “nothing was done,” they said.

Another Jewish CAF member said “it’s gotten harder to be Jewish in the military, just like every other public institution.”

“But I kind of knew, or I shouldn’t say I knew, I had a feeling going into it that we would be left in the cold, we being Jews,” they said. After October 7 — when Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people in Israel, sparking a war in the Middle East country — “things took a turn.”

A Zoom meeting that was dedicated to “Talking About Race” was set up for CAF members to join, but they said it “very quickly devolved into Israel-bashing and peddling false narratives about Israel and about Zionism.”

They said their claim was considered “ineligible” by Deloitte.

In a response from the firm, the member was told: “While an individual may have experienced discrimination and/or harassment based on other personal characteristics such as gender, sexuality, disability, religion, culture, or language, claims that are not based on racial discrimination and/or racial harassment are outside the scope and intent of this class action.”

The racial discrimination settlement stems from a 2016 lawsuit. Three army veterans — who identified as Indigenous and Black, including one person of Haitian descent — alleged they were discriminated against based on race.

The class action was certified in 2024. Current and former CAF members who experienced racial discrimination and/or racial harassment in connection with their military service at any time since April 17, 1985 were eligible to make a claim.

The claims period closed on Oct. 15.

Claimants can receive a settlement ranging from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on the duration and severity of impacts, according to a settlement notice.

In 2025, the Canadian military issued an apology for racial discrimination and harassment.

“We failed you,” said Gen. Jennie Carignan and CAF Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann in a statement shared on X.

Deloitte Canada told National Post in a statement that the matter “is governed by the terms of the agreement approved by the Federal Court.”

“Deloitte Canada performs its work in strict accordance with the highest professional standards and takes very seriously the confidentiality requirements of the work we do for our clients,” the statement said, adding that the firm could not comment further on any matters relating to its clients.

When asked what they wanted to happen, a Jewish CAF member told CJN: “I would like the CAF to take ownership of this file away from Deloitte. Clearly, they’re not qualified to be able to do this job without bias. The CAF needs an adjudicator that is not indoctrinated in this anti-Jewish ideology. And I don’t know if that’s an internal system.”

Department of National Defence spokesperson Cheryl Forrest told National Post in a statement that Deloitte was appointed by the Federal Court.

Within the final settlement agreement, there is a section that says “decisions by the administrator are final and binding and are not subject to judicial review” and there is no “mechanism for appeal,” she said.

National Defence and CAF are not involved in eligibility assessments, added Forrest.

“DND and the CAF are taking deliberate, coordinated action to eliminate racism, discrimination, biases, harmful stereotypes, and systemic barriers. We are committed to fostering an environment in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect,” she said.

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