Bravo wrote to Chow in 2023 saying her response to Oct. 7 Hamas attacks was unhelpful
Emails released through a freedom-of-information request show that Davenport councillor Alejandra Bravo wrote to Mayor Olivia Chow on Oct. 9, 2023, saying Chow's public response to the Hamas attacks was unnecessary and unhelpful.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on torontosun.com.
The Toronto Sun reported on October 14, 2026 that emails released through a freedom-of-information request show Davenport councillor Alejandra Bravo wrote to Mayor Olivia Chow in October 2023, two days after Hamas attacked Israel, saying Chow's public response to the attacks was unnecessary and asking her to stay out of the conflict.
The emails were obtained by the political group Integrity TO through a freedom-of-information request with the City of Toronto. Integrity TO provided the documents to the Toronto Sun, which published the story on October 14. The Toronto Sun reported that the documents were produced after Integrity TO requested all communications in the mayor's office that used phrases related to the Oct. 7 attacks.
Bravo wrote to Chow and her chief of staff Michal Hay on Oct. 9, 2023, two days after Chow condemned Hamas' attacks on social media and then deleted a related post that said "Palestinian pain and severe loss of life" must also be acknowledged. The Toronto Sun reported that some 1,200 people were murdered in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
"I fail to understand why any commentary has been called for," Bravo wrote, according to the Toronto Sun. She also wrote: "The initial message was unnecessary in my view and was not helpful, nor was its deletion. The second message was similarly unhelpful. Subsequent responses are also concerning in relation to rallies and protests."
The Toronto Sun reported that Bravo's email referred to a "global crisis" and a "75-year Israeli occupation of Palestine" but made no mention of the Hamas attacks. The Toronto Sun also reported that another councillor, Saxe, appears in the FOI documents, but no further detail on Saxe's communications was available in the published report.
Bravo's re-election campaign did not respond to a request for comment from the Toronto Sun, the paper reported. Representatives for Chow also did not respond. The Toronto Sun carried no response from either party.
Both Bravo and Chow are on the City of Toronto's certified candidate list for the 2026 municipal election. Bravo is running for re-election as councillor for Ward 9 Davenport. Olivia Chow is running for re-election as mayor. Voting day is October 26, 2026.
Questions this story answers
What did Alejandra Bravo write to Mayor Chow in October 2023?
The Toronto Sun reported on October 14, 2026, citing emails released through a freedom-of-information request, that Bravo wrote to Mayor Chow and her chief of staff Michal Hay on Oct. 9, 2023. Bravo wrote: 'I fail to understand why any commentary has been called for.' She also wrote that Chow's first message was 'unnecessary in my view and was not helpful' and that 'nor was its deletion. The second message was similarly unhelpful. Subsequent responses are also concerning in relation to rallies and protests.'
Who released the emails showing Bravo's message to Chow?
The emails were released through a freedom-of-information request filed by the political group Integrity TO. Integrity TO provided the documents to the Toronto Sun, which published its report on October 14, 2026. The Toronto Sun identified the author of the email as Justin Holmes.
What had Mayor Chow done that Bravo responded to?
According to the Toronto Sun, Chow condemned Hamas' attacks on social media and then deleted a related post, hours after some 1,200 people were murdered in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The deleted post had said that 'Palestinian pain and severe loss of life' must also be acknowledged. Bravo wrote two days later, on Oct. 9, 2023.
Is Alejandra Bravo running in the 2026 Toronto election?
Yes. Alejandra Bravo is running for re-election as councillor for Ward 9 Davenport in the 2026 Toronto municipal election. Her candidate page is at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/alejandra-bravo. Voting day is October 26, 2026.
Did Bravo or Chow respond to the Toronto Sun's questions?
No. The Toronto Sun reported that Bravo's re-election campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Mayor Chow also did not respond to a request for comment. The Toronto Sun carried no response from either party as of its October 14, 2026 publication.
Is Olivia Chow running in the 2026 Toronto election?
Yes. Olivia Chow is running for re-election as mayor of Toronto in the 2026 municipal election. Her candidate page is at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow. The mayoral race candidates are listed at /on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor. Voting day is October 26, 2026.
What is Integrity TO?
The Toronto Sun identified Integrity TO as a political group that filed the freedom-of-information request with the City of Toronto and provided the resulting documents to the Toronto Sun. The Toronto Sun reported this on October 14, 2026. The Toronto Sun did not describe Integrity TO's organizational structure or political affiliation in the passages available.
When can voters in Ward 9 Davenport cast their ballots?
Advance voting for the 2026 Toronto municipal election ran from October 6 to October 11 and has now closed. Voting day is October 26, 2026. Alejandra Bravo's candidate page and the full list of candidates for Ward 9 Davenport are at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/alejandra-bravo.
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