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MONTREAL — The mayor of a Montreal-area suburb posted online comments about Palestine that were “violent in nature” and have no place in society, said the disciplinary committee of the Quebec order of professional accountants in a new ruling.
The disciplinary committee said it was ordering Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi to pay a $30,000 fine and undergo mandatory training, noting that his comments posted on social media in 2024 and 2025 undermined the reputation of the accounting profession.
The committee launched their investigation after receiving a complaint about more than 20 social media posts Levi had made about Palestine and pro-Palestinian activists. These included him speaking out against the recognition of a Palestinian state, and criticism of what he described as “terrorist sympathizers” or “the pro-Hamas mob.”
The council also ordered him to pay additional costs to cover legal fees.
“The remarks made are negative and violent in nature,” wrote the disciplinary council in its decision published Tuesday.
The council’s ruling said that Levi had called for the extermination of civilians in Palestine and Iran, advocated for pre-emptive strikes on Iran and its allies, and labelled Palestinians and pro-Palestinian activists as terrorists.
The council also said the posts prompted strong responses online as well as media coverage, and that Levi’s position as mayor heightened their visibility.
“Violent words of this nature, or acts akin to them — which, in the recent past, have been addressed, judged and prohibited — can have no place in modern society,” wrote the disciplinary council.
The ruling also includes a letter Levi read to the disciplinary council on Oct. 26, expressing regret and suggesting that he made these comments as part of his responsibilities in public office.
“I recognize that these publications became a source of controversy and gave rise to concerns among members of the profession and the public.… I am genuinely sorry for the concern and disruption that this matter has caused,” he told the disciplinary council on Oct. 26.
Levi pleaded guilty to the ethics breach on Oct. 22, recognizing his posts “do not uphold the values of the profession, namely integrity, objectivity, credibility, and the obligation to refrain from any form of discrimination” and that they could harm public trust, according to the sanction document.
“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,” Levi told the committee.
The Town of Hampstead declined to comment on the sanction and Levi did not respond to a request for comment.
Some Hampstead residents had previously spoken out against their government in the summer of 2025, because the suburb was flying an Israeli flag outside its town hall.
The flag was set on fire in late August 2025. Montreal police arrested a suspect at the time and said its hate crimes unit was investigating.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2026.
Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman, The Canadian Press
