The mayor of a Montreal suburb is expressing regret about his online comments about Palestine.
Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi had made several anti-Palestine comments on social media in 2024 and 2025, namely speaking out against the recognition of a Palestinian state.
But Levi says he made these comments as part of his responsibilities in public office.
Levi read a letter about the online comments on Oct. 26 as he faced a disciplinary council of the Quebec order of professional accountants.
The council released Levi’s letter as part of a decision to fine him $30,000 for making the comments after he pleaded guilty.
The professional body says the comments undermined the reputation of the profession, ordering him to take mandatory training and pay additional costs to cover legal fees.
It received a complaint citing 25 social media posts by Levi about Palestine and pro-Palestinian activists.
The Town of Hampstead declined to comment on the sanction and Levi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the letter, Levi said he understood the impact of his posts on the public’s confidence in the profession of accountant.
“Many residents looked to their elective representatives for support, reassurance and leadership, and my intention was to respond to the concerns of the community I was entrusted to serve,” the letter reads.
The council’s decision cites a few of Levi’s posts on the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
“There is no Palestine. Peace will only come once all the terrorists are dead,” he wrote in one post on X in February 2025.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2026.
By Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.