As seen in the recent attacks on the Jewish communities in Pittsburgh, San Diego County, Jersey City, and Monsey, and mosques in Christchurch, online threats can and do lead to real-world violence.
In 2019, after CIJA mobilized thousands of Canadians to speak out on this issue, the House of Commons Justice Committee conducted a study of online hate. Its report includes a series of recommendations in line with CIJA’s proposals – including a robust plan to track online hate, prevent online hate through education, and make better use of legal tools to stop online hate.
Recommendations
The Government of Canada should create a national strategy to tackle this issue using the Justice Committee’s report as a foundation. This should be done in partnership with social media companies to ensure an effective approach to preventing these platforms from being abused.
This initiative should draw on Canada’s engagement with our allies on this issue, such as the government’s support for the Christchurch Call. This effort should include a significant focus on online antisemitism, using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.