Straight to the Point, March 1, 2024

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CIJA
|March 01, 2024

This month, CIJA brought the community’s concerns to the hallowed halls of Queen’s Park, facilitated an unprecedented network series that culminated in a 30-minute primetime special on antisemitism, and welcomed long-awaited online harms and university anti-hate bills.       

Read on to learn more about these topics, upcoming events, and other work in which the CIJA GTA team has been involved this month, including:

  • Ontario PC Party Convention
  • Holding perpetrators of hate accountable in civil courts
  • Securing the TPS budget
  • Squashing an anti-Israel motion in Oakville
  • CIJA-JFO Event: Black Jewish Women in their Own Words
  • Supporting Heschel School maintain a safe space for students
  • Roundtables with JDAD Social Service Agency and Jewish Early Childhood Educators

Shabbat Shalom,

The CIJA GTA Team

CIJA Advocacy Month

This month, CIJA launched a grassroots advocacy campaign, meeting with Ontario PC MPPs to discuss issues of antisemitism and security. CIJA staff and community members from across the province have been sharing their lived experiences of antisemitism since the October 7 attack by Hamas and how their daily lives have changed as a result. We have also been advocating for key CIJA priorities, garnering support for enacting bubble legislation for Jewish institutions, the continuation of the Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant, and a new standardized reporting tool for campus hate crimes across Ontario. These advocacy meetings will continue through March, expanding to NDP, Liberal, and Green MPPs to ensure the community’s voice is heard.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Convention

Among our advocacy month activities, CIJA attended the Ontario PC Party convention in Niagara Falls. Our team had the chance to speak directly with the Premier, Ministers, and MPPs to relay the concerns of the Jewish community and express gratitude for the work undertaken so far. Highlights included attending the first-ever PC convention Shabbat dinner, hosted by Minister Kerzner and MPP Laura Smith, where the Premier spoke about his unwavering support of the Jewish community, both since October 7 and before. There was also the chance to attend policy committees on community safety and social service priorities. CIJA took advantage of the convention to strengthen already established relationships and forge new connections with MPPs to ensure that the community priorities of combating antisemitism, bolstering safety and security, and supporting community agencies are at the forefront of their work.

CIJA Welcomes Long-Awaited Online Harms Legislation 

On Monday, February 26, Minister of Justice Arif Virani tabled the long-awaited Online Harms Act (Bill C-63). Given the recent dramatic rise in antisemitism, this legislation comes at a time when it is needed most by Canada’s Jewish community. While not perfect and still requiring study at committee, this bill represents a real chance to diminish Jew-hatred online.  

Since first promised by the Liberal government in 2019, CIJA has worked intensively both domestically and internationally (notably through the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism and with groups such as the American ADL, the AJC, CRIF, the European Jewish Congress and the UK Board of Deputies) to ensure Canadian legislation both addresses the hateful rhetoric, harassment, and intimidation Jewish and other vulnerable communities face online and targets those who exploit the internet to prey on and radicalize individuals for terror.

The Government of Canada’s plan to combat antisemitism, online hate, and online terrorism content looks like it strikes the right balance between the fundamental value of freedom of expression and the urgent need to combat online hate.  

While this legislation reflects many of the asks CIJA has been making to the government to help combat the rising tide of online hate, antisemitism, and terrorism we have been facing, there are a few gaps to fill as the bill makes its way toward adoption, which we will continue to press as it moves through the various stages of Parliament. CIJA will work to ensure the Jewish community’s concerns are fully considered and that nuances of antisemitism, or Jew-hatred, are reflected in the legislation.

In support of the legislation, CIJA participated in the announcement on Parliament Hill, spread our message through media, and, to engage community members, launched an action alert asking MPs to support Canada’s Jews and Bill C-63. If you haven’t done so yet…

ACT NOW

Ask your network to do the same:

    

Holding Perpetrators of Hate Accountable in Court

As part of our work confronting antisemitism, CIJA has been advocating that victims who suffer emotional distress as a result of hate crimes should be able to sue perpetrators for damages.

To this end, CIJA deputed at Queen’s Park before the Standing Committee on Justice Policy studying Bill 157, Enhancing Access to Justice Act, to support amendments to the Victims’ Bill of Rights that would make it easier for individual victims of hate crimes, regardless of whether they suffered bodily harm from those crimes, to hold perpetrators accountable in civil court.

As the Bill moves to third reading, CIJA will continue to push to ensure that victims of antisemitic hate crime are included in the list of victims who are presumed to have suffered emotional distress so that the very real consequences of hate are recognized by the courts.

  

Trailer: The New Reality – Rising Hate: Antisemitism in Canada 

Global News Special Feature on Antisemitism

Over the past six weeks, CIJA worked with Global News National’s Stewart Bell and Jeff Semple to develop content centred on the dramatic surge in antisemitism across Canada sparked by Hamas’ October 7 Massacre and the ensuing war.

We connected the journalists with community members across the country willing to go on record about their experiences, provided research and background, and set up interviews with CIJA and Federation leaders.

The result was a multi-pronged series including three long-form investigative articles, three teaser segments that aired during the national news throughout the week, and The New Reality – Rising Hate: Antisemitism in Canada, an unprecedented 30-minute primetime documentary that aired on Saturday night.

Read:

Watch:

   

New Legislation Aims to Hold Universities and Colleges Accountable for Hate on Campus

Following months of antisemitic incidents on Ontario campuses, the Ontario Government announced Bill 166, Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act, 2024, proposed legislation aimed at holding universities and colleges accountable. Although, theoretically, post-secondary institutions currently have policies against hate and racism, since October 7, it has been clear that these have not been properly enforced and that Jewish students are left to endure hostile and, at times, unsafe environments on campus.

CIJA has consistently advocated for reforms that would allow the government to step in to ensure that universities and colleges enforce these policies or risk losing funding for not adhering to Ontario’s anti-racism strategy. This legislation aims to provide government with the leverage to hold institutions accountable should they fail to address hate on campus. CIJA will advocate to ensure that the proper mechanisms are in place to affect this.

Additionally, CIJA is advocating for Ontario post-secondary institutions to be required to adhere to a uniform standard of reporting and resolving hate and discrimination complaints in a timely manner, so that perpetrators of campus hate are held accountable.

We will work with the Ontario Government and all lawmakers as the bill advances to ensure that students always feel safe and free from discrimination on campus.

CIJA helps Toronto Police Service (TPS) Get Fully Funded

The security and safety of the Jewish community are of utmost importance to CIJA, which is why, when the proposed Toronto budget would have left a gap in funding for the TPS, we went into action to ensure that those who protect our community have what they need to do so.

CIJA initiated two action alert campaigns to encourage the mayor and city councillors to reconsider fulfilling the Toronto Police Service Board’s budget request, and they worked. Tens of thousands of community members sent letters and the mayor heard us; the TPS will now have the resources it needs to confront the dramatic rise in hate crimes across our city and keep our community safe.

Please help us send Mayor Chow a message of thanks not only for hearing our concerns but also for acting on them.

THANK MAYOR CHOW

   

CIJA Brings Together Heschel School and Councillor Pasternak

CIJA organized a meeting between representatives of Toronto Heschel School and Councillor James Pasternak to discuss planned changes to the public land behind the school building. The redevelopment would see the removal of the fence; Heschel, however, has requested it be retained to ensure the safety of its students who frequently use the land. After a successful meeting, Councillor Pasternak has taken the case to the Toronto Parks and Recreation department. CIJA will continue to support the school as they work with the city toward a mutually satisfactory outcome.

Anti-Israel Motion Before Oakville City Council Squashed

CIJA supported local community members in galvanizing opposition to an anti-Israel, pro-ceasefire motion that was put before Oakville City Council, resulting in a positive outcome with the motion later withdrawn by the mayor. Ultimately, the mayor endorsed CIJA’s position that such policies are outside municipal jurisdiction and would serve only to alienate many in the municipality. Municipal governments should never be manipulated to target Israel.

CIJA-JFO Event: Black Jewish Women in their Own Words

In honour of Black History Month, CIJA and the Jewish Federation of Ottawa co-hosted Black Jewish Women in Their Own Words, a panel discussion with Rivka Campbell, co-founder of Jews of Colour Canada and the Executive Director of Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Toronto, and Annamie Paul, lawyer and climate advisor. Moderated by CIJA’s GTA-based associate director of partnerships Sheba Birhanu, panelists discussed how being Jewish informed and supported their rise to success and the challenges they faced along the way. Read the Ottawa Jewish E-bulletin interview with Sheba about how she and the other panelists stand tall for our community, here.

    

Social Service Agency JDAD Roundtable

To mark Jewish Disability Awareness Month, CIJA hosted a roundtable with Parliamentary Assistant Nolan Quinn and officials from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Our Jewish agencies had the opportunity to present their asks for the 2024/25 Ontario Budget and discuss any changes they hope to see to the social service sector. A focus of discussion was also the impact of October 7 on staff and clients. The agencies shared stories and advocated for the continued support of the Ontario government. We will be examining the upcoming Budget to determine which of our community's agencies' asks have been met and working with relevant Ministries to identify future opportunities that benefit those stakeholders left out.

Jewish ECE Provider Roundtable with City of Toronto, York Region, and Ministry of Education

CIJA organized a Q&A roundtable with officials from the Ontario Ministry of Education, City of Toronto, and York Regionality Municipality to discuss issues related to the Canada-Wide Early Learning & Child Care program. Questions were raised on the issue of closure days, specifically pertaining to Jewish holidays, and how providers can expand their licenses to get more Jewish children into Jewish day cares. Following the call, CIJA spoke with Minister Lecce’s staff, who assured us he will work to create a fully equitable system. We will be working with both his office and city officials to find a solution that allows more Jewish childcare spaces at affordable rates.

Earlier this month, hundreds of anti-Israel protestors gathered in front of Mount Sinai Hospital, specifically targeting the only hospital on University Avenue with Jewish roots and a Jewish Star of David in its logo.

This was yet another example of the rising antisemitism that the Jewish community is facing. It is unconscionable that protest organizers Toronto4Palestine and Spiderman4Palestine have actively attempted to gaslight and vilify those who have called out their reprehensible behaviour. Had they actually been unaware of their location – a sheer coincidence – as they have claimed, one would expect it would be easy to acknowledge the error and apologize. If a genuine mistake was made, a genuine sorry doesn’t seem unreasonable – and yet, it remains unsaid. It’s not difficult to speculate as to why. 

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About CIJA
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is the advocacy agent of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA, representing Jewish Federations across Canada.