Carolyn Parrish only front-running candidate absent for mayoral debate organized by Mississauga’s Muslim community

Incumbent Carolyn Parrish’s absence from a mayoral debate organized for Mississauga’s Muslim community hosted by Muslim Network TV on October 13 has raised questions about what it means for a candidate to demonstrate support for a community she has repeatedly said is important to her.

Parrish chose not to attend even though the event was billed as an opportunity for the four front-running candidates to speak directly to Muslim voters about their key concerns and most pressing priorities for City Hall ahead of the municipal election on Monday, October 26. 

Instead of addressing issues raised by community members and debating her key rivals in the race, Parrish left a letter at the beginning of the debate apologizing for her absence, stating she had only chosen to attend three other debates and would not change her plan to limit her appearances.

“It's incredibly telling that the current mayor chose not to show up tonight. I think it's incredibly disappointing,” challenger Alvin Tedjo said.

At a debate later last week during one of the events Parrish chose to attend, she was asked to address Muslim residents who expressed their disappointment over Parrish’s choice to skip an important chance for community members to interact with a politician who has counted on the Muslim community’s support throughout her career.

"Well, they were probably voting for someone else,” Parrish responded. “And then they got themselves all upset. I have a very strong commitment in the Muslim community. I do very well with them. They like me, I like them, we get along very well."

Several residents The Pointer spoke to during the debate organized by Muslim Network TV questioned Parrish’s support for the community. “How can she say she supports us, but not show up to the debate to answer questions on how she will protect and support us?” one attendee asked.

A letter left by Carolyn Parrish at a mayoral debate organized by Mississauga’s Muslim community. (Benjamin Steeves/The Pointer) 

Residents who saw the letter Parrish had left on the seats were heard questioning, “What is this?” after reading it.

Another asked, “Why did she leave this letter?”

As reported by The Pointer in 2024, when Parrish won a by-election to become mayor, she spoke about the importance of transparency and the need for community engagement.

Bonnie Crombie, who is running to win back the mayor’s job, has also received support from the city’s growing Muslim community, particularly when she faced off against Islamophobes inside City Hall during her first term after a hate-fueled campaign was launched in opposition to a proposed new Mosque in Meadowvale. Crombie aggressively supported the new Mosque.

Parrish has also shown her support for Mississauga’s Muslim community, however, an episode early in her tenure as mayor sparked national controversy.

In late 2024, Parrish had responded to a proposed vigil at Celebration Square that planned to honour a Hamas leader killed in the Gaza conflict. She condoned the event and said using the City space outside Mississauga City Hall would be allowed, as several Jewish organizations across the country condemned Parrish for her comparison of the former Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela and community groups criticized the inexperienced mayor for creating divisions among residents instead of bringing them together. 

“I just want to point out, and I’m not being facetious, Nelson Mandela was declared a terrorist by the United States of America ‘til the year 2008. Your terrorist and somebody else’s terrorist may be two different things,” Parrish said during a council meeting in November of 2024. 

Hamas has long been recognized officially by the Government of Canada as a terrorist organization and took responsibility for the terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023 that left approximately 1,200 Jewish people dead. 

Following fierce backlash, the planned vigil was cancelled by organizers.

Following the debate, as attendees were shuffling out, they were again given the opportunity to read Parrish’s letter being distributed by a gentleman, as one referred to it and said, “I don’t care about that.”

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