Education
London School of Economics. University of Western Ontario.
London School of Economics. University of Western Ontario.
He was previously a Toronto District School Board Trustee. Pasternak is a graduate of York University he also has degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Councillor Pasternak has played a prominent role in the debate around whether Toronto Pride should ban the Queers Against Israeli Apartheid group participating in the annual Toronto Pride celebrations.
Specifically, Pasternak introduced a motion that directed City Manager Joe Pennachetti to update Toronto’s anti-discrimination policy and to determine whether including QAIA in Pride events violated the anti-discrimination policy.
James said "My intent is to block the funding on June 6 and wait until after the parade to make sure they didn’t march. We believe that QuAIA is not there to support the Palestinian people.
lieutenant’s there to bully and demonize Israel, its supporters and the Jewish community." The following year, in 2013, James Pasternak continued to lead the effort to de-fund Toronto Pride over the use of the term Israel apartheid by its participating members.
