< Back to Ontario Election Hub
Community Safety and Public Order
Over the past 15 months, there has been a marked – and shocking – increase in violence and intimidation: Jewish schools have been shot at; synagogues firebombed; Jewish-owned businesses vandalized; Jewish neighbourhoods targeted by intimidating protesters; and Islamic State terror plots have been directed at the Jewish community.
Increased police presence and high-cost private security paid for by local communities have helped bridge the gap in the short term, but this should not be the norm. Our community is feeling abandoned and ignored. We need our leaders to stand up for the safety of Jewish residents. Long-term solutions require a new approach to making policy and security that will keep families and individuals safe from current and emerging threats.
Recommendations:
We therefore recommend that all candidates, if elected, commit to:
- A review by the Government of Ontario of all funding sent to organizations to ensure they are in alignment with the provincial Anti-Racism Strategy.
- More investments in our community for security, including infrastructure and personnel, to keep our Jewish institutions safe.
- Laws enacted that support safe access zones for places of worship, schools, and community centres.
- Mandatory antisemitism training, tied to the IHRA definition, for both current and incoming cadet officers.
- Reform of hate speech laws and commitment to a strategy that pushes the federal government to modernize the criminal code on hate, genocidal chants, and hate symbols.
- An updated Ontario Anti-Hate Strategy and legislation to make the IHRA working definition of antisemitism mandatory for all publicly funded institutions.
- Better collaboration between crown prosecutors and law enforcement to lay hate charges more rapidly.