This week in Canadian Jewish Advocacy | July 14, 2023


This week, we have asked you to tell the Canadian government to condemn Hezbollah’s aggressive actions against Israel. We advocated for the dismantling of hateful encampments on our university campuses, we hosted elected leaders and diplomats at Calgary’s Stampede, and we have been joining other organizations in the fight to stabilize access to kosher meat in Canada.
Read on to learn more.
CIJA
While Israel has been at war with Hamas in the south, Hezbollah has been launching rocket attacks from the north – actions it has undertaken for months with almost no comment from the Canadian government.
It’s long overdue for the Canadian government and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly to condemn – clearly and unequivocally – Iranian-backed Hezbollah for its unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians.
On behalf of the Jewish community in Canada and our many allies, tell the Canadian government that it must, by condemning Hezbollah’s actions, recognize the dangerous and destructive role Hezbollah has played in its targeting of Israel.
Hate has no place on our campuses. CIJA is gratified that, at campuses across Canada, including at University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Ottawa and University of British Columbia, administrations finally took steps to prioritize the safety and well-being of its campus community and demand the dismantling of encampments. The encampments, which, aside from those at McGill, were all peacefully taken down, only served to harm campus community members, properties, and reputations of protesting students and faculty, by their glorification of terrorism and targeting of Jewish students and faculty on campus.
An egregious exception was at the University of Windsor, where the administration capitulated to protesters’ demands that align with hateful BDS policies that foment an atmosphere of intolerance against Jews, normalize antisemitism, and contribute to the erasure of values central to Jewish identity. In coordination with the local federation and community stakeholders, CIJA is working closely with Jewish students and faculty at the University of Windsor. You can read more of our statement about that here.
A record-breaking number of community leaders, allies, and political decision-makers dropped in to our annual Spuds & Suds Stampede Breakfast – co-hosted with CJPAC, Calgary Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton – in celebration of this rich part of Alberta’s culture and in support of the Jewish community. Among the guests were Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed, Premier Danielle Smith, Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, federal and provincial cabinet ministers, senators, and elected officials from across the political spectrum and all levels of government. View the photo album here.
This week, CIJA joined the two largest Canadian kosher certifying agencies, Kashruth Council of Canada (COR) and Global Kosher Certification Agency (MK), in a Federal Court hearing to secure an interlocutory injunction that would protect continued production of domestic kosher meat. The two-day legal process, which benefited significantly from Federation CJA and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto financial support, sought the suspension of new Canadian Food Inspection Agency guidelines that would significantly impact the viability of shechita.
While it is never possible to reliably predict the outcome of legal proceedings, the sponsoring parties all felt the hearing went well and that our legal team presented the case persuasively. The judge indicated that a decision could be expected in August.
In the interim, CIJA has scheduled a meeting with Lawrence MacAulay, the federal Minister of Agriculture, with the intention of securing his support for renewed discussions with CFIA with the objective of resolving the issue in a collaborative and constructive way. Shechita is a foundational element of a healthy, dynamic Jewish community, so all efforts are underway to ensure its stability over the coming years. Read our statement here.
Community Calendar
August 5 | Civic Holiday (CIJA offices in Ontario and BC closed)
August 13 | Tisha B’av
CIJA in the News
- Board director of organization that will help decide how Google’s $100M is distributed regrets her anti-Israel retweets (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)
- Trudeau government slammed for gap in screening of human rights commission head (Toronto Star)
- Minister misses the mark with controversial CHRC appointment (iPolitics)
- Conservatives vow to remove Liberals' pick for Canadian Human Rights Commission (CTV News, + The Canadian Press Syndication)
- Montreal police remove protesters from pro-Palestinian encampment at Victoria Square (CBC News)
- Feds say new human rights head disclosed controversial social media account (Western Standard)
- Boycottage de restaurants Parce que « nous sommes juifs » (La Presse)
- 'All hands on deck': Anthony Housefather to combat Canada's Jew-hatred (The Jerusalem Post, + JTA Syndication)
- PCO says it didn't search new human rights chief's online aliases, blames 'administrative oversight' (CBC)
- Liberal MP Anthony Housefather talks about his new role as the federal government's special adviser on Jewish community relations (The Canadian Jewish News)
- Anthony Housefather est chargé des relations avec la communauté juive – Y a pas deux matins pareils (ICI Radio-Canada Prèmiere)
- Number of MPs taking sponsored travel drops in first half of 2024 after rule changes, foreign interference fears (The Hill Times)
- Trudeau appoints new adviser on Canadian Jewish community and antisemitism (The Times of Israel)
- An interview with Gustavo Zentner (Canadian Mennonite)
- Jewish groups are pleased to see pro-Palestinian campus encampments dismantled across Canada—whether voluntarily or by authorities (The Canadian Jewish News)
- Fin de l’occupation à l’université d’Ottawa – Le Téléjournal Ottawa-Gatineau (ICI Radio-Canada Télé)
- L’Université McGill évince les militants propalestiniens de son campus (Le Devoir)
- Privy Council Office didn't search new CHRC chief's online aliases, cites 'administrative oversight' (Canadian HR Reporter)
- Anti-Israel encampment at Place Victoria closed by police (The Suburban)
- Movement 'will not end with the encampments,' pro-Palestinian protester says (Montreal Gazette)
- Week of antisemitic incidents includes posters and cemetery vandalism (The Suburban)
- ‘Bubble zones’ limit protests outside communities of faith in Vaughan, Ont. Are they a good idea? (Broadview)
- Jewish community takes food inspection agency to court over slaughter guidelines (CityNews Toronto, + The Canandian Press Syndication)
- McGill says it's taking down encampment with police support (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)
- Le campement de l’Université McGill démantelé (La Presse)
- Canada: University of Windsor reaches agreement with anti-Israel protesters (Israel National News)
- Live updates: Heavy police presence as McGill begins dismantling encampment (Ottawa Citizen)
- Jewish groups are pleased to see pro-Palestinian campus encampments dismantled across Canada—whether voluntarily or by authorities (The Canadian Jewish News)
- Jewish Groups Seek Court Injunction Against Canadian Shechita Limitations (Hamodia)
- Controversy over new human rights chief threatens support for online harms bill (The Globe and Mail)
- L’éducation pour lutter contre l’antisémitisme (La Presse)
- New online platform launched in Quebec to help combat antisemitism in schools (CityNews Montreal)
- Jewish community speaks out against deal to end Windsor university encampment (CBC Windsor)
- Addressing hate early: New resource is designed to teach kids about antisemitism (Montreal Gazette)
- McGill says security concerns forced the dismantling of encampment (Montreal Gazette)
- La communauté juive en cour contre l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (La Presse)
- New platform launched in Quebec to educate youth on antisemitism (CityNews Montreal)
- Jewish advocates say details around investigation into human-rights chief murky (Toronto Star, + Metroland Media Syndication)
- When a craft market in Saskatoon banned Zionists, these Jewish parents decided to fight back (The Canadian Jewish News)
- Le CIJA annonce une nouvelle plateforme éducative pour lutter contre l'antisémitisme (ICI Radio-Canada Première)
Community Careers
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO - Jewish Federations of Canada-United Israel Appeal
Associate Director, University Relations - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, CIJA
Associate Director Advocacy, Public and Independent Schools - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, CIJA
Hillel Director - Jewish Federation of Edmonton
Vice President/Director of Development - Jewish Federation of Ottawa/Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation

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