Ahead of Cabinet Planning Forum, CIJA Urges Decisive Response to Antisemitism Epidemic

Toronto, ON – September 2, 2025 – The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) issued the following statement from CEO Noah Shack ahead of this week’s Cabinet Planning Forum. 

“As Cabinet convenes this week for its Planning Forum in Toronto, the Government of Canada must confront with urgency the alarming rise of antisemitism across our country. The escalation of violent antisemitic incidents from Saint John to Victoria—including a knife attack on a Jewish woman at an Ottawa grocery store, and an assault in broad daylight on a Jewish father in Montreal—underscores that this is a national crisis requiring decisive action.” 

“Jewish Canadians are 25 times more likely than other Canadians to be the target of a hate crime. This is an intolerable reality.”  

“In addition to the Government’s commitment to move forward with safe access zone legislation across the country, what’s needed are immediate measures to tackle the sources of the hatred and violence: 

• Increase funding for community security. 
• Ban the glorification of terrorism. 
• Act against organizations and movements, like the Muslim Brotherhood, that sow division in Canada. 
• Impose real criminal consequences for violent antisemites.” 

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