Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre visited the Nova massacre exhibition at its opening in Toronto on Wednesday, according to a statement by organizers, amid his ongoing campaign for the Canadian premiership.
“The Nova Exhibition in Toronto remembers one of the most depraved atrocities committed against the Jewish people on October 7, 2023,” Poilievre said on X/Twitter. “378 festival attendees were brutally murdered at the hands of the genocidal death cult Hamas.”
The Nova Exhibition in Toronto remembers one of the most depraved atrocities committed against the Jewish people on October 7, 2023.378 festival attendees were brutally murdered at the hands of the genocidal death cult Hamas.Conservatives honour their memories by standing… pic.twitter.com/jPlzSfq6cM
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) April 22, 2025
The Canadian politician added “Am Yisrael Chai,” a Hebrew slogan meaning “the nation of Israel lives.”
Poilievre called for the return of Hamas hostage Judith Weinstein’s body to Canada. The Israeli, Canadian, and American citizen and her husband, Gadi Haggai, were attacked by Gaza terrorists at Nir Oz on October 7.
The 70-year-old and her husband had been grievously wounded during the attack, and were believe to have died on October 7, but Hamas said that she had been mortally wounded by an Israeli airstrike. Hamas still holds both their bodies.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow also attended the opening ceremony, remarking on social media that “what was meant to unite through music was shattered by hate."
The Nova Exhibition is set to run until June 8, telling the story of the 2023 music festival massacre with objects recovered from the site, such as burned-out vehicles and bullet-ridden bathroom stalls.
The opening ceremony was held on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel to raise awareness of the Nazi genocide, with Holocaust survivor Gershon Willinger coming to comfort the Nova survivors.
Nova producer Ofir Amir said the event, coinciding with Remembrance Day, came out “of the desire to raise memory and address the greatest massacre that has befallen Jews since the Holocaust. As the grandson of Holocaust survivors, I see this as a significant mission.
“At a time when hatred, intolerance and antisemitism are on the rise in Canada, we hope that the Nova performance in Toronto will have an impact beyond the exhibition’s borders, raise awareness, speak about the Israeli position and together we will instill the importance of people standing together in the face of evil, to ensure that never again,” said Amir.
'Never again'
Poilievre said the Conservative Party would honor the memories of those slain during the Hamas-led pogrom “by standing with the Jewish people in saying ‘Never Again.’”
The MP from the Carleton riding near Ottawa had also declared “Never Again” in a Wednesday Holocaust Remembrance Day statement, promising that his party would renew its “pledge” to the slogan “in the face of a new wave of antisemitism.”
“On Yom HaShoah, we remember the 6 million Jews senselessly murdered in the Holocaust and honour the brave heroes who confronted evil in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising,” Poilievre said on social media.
Poilievre’s statements come amid the Canadian federal election campaign, which has been open to early voting, and will culminate with Election Day on April 28.