This week, we mobilized 30,000 Canadians to take action against an anti-Israel motion in the House of Commons, expressed gratitude to MPs for their moral clarity and leadership and support for Israel and Canada’s Jewish community, and applauded the introduction of a resolution that will protect Vaughan’s Jewish community.

CIJA

More than 30,000 Jewish Canadians and our allies mobilized against the New Democratic Party (NDP)’s non-binding motion, Canada's actions to promote peace in the Middle East, that threatens Canada’s values, foreign policy, and support of Israel, while giving Hamas what it wants: recognition and support. Following a campaign from CIJA, a staggering 900,000 emails to Members of Parliament and thousands of phone calls to MPs’ offices imploring them to vote no were generated.

On March 18, an amended version passed in the House of Commons. While passage was a disappointing result, we must acknowledge and take pride that our determined, strong, vocal stand was instrumental in ensuring the most egregious of the motion’s clauses – the unilateral and immediate recognition of a Palestinian state – was in the end cut from the motion. This alteration prevented a worst-case scenario that would have gone against decades of Canadian foreign policy. Together, we prevented the government from completely caving to the will of an extreme fringe and fully turning its back on Israel.

A total of 117 MPs, including Pierre Poilievre's entire Conservative caucus, took a principled stance on the issue, standing with Israel and the Jewish community by voting against the motion. Please help us thank each of them for their moral clarity and leadership.

CIJA has been advocating for strengthened measures, including Safe Access legislation to protect vital community institutions from being targeted by protesters, to curtail months of demonstrations marked by antisemitic chants, hateful signs, and physically intimidating behaviour. These protests, including at two Thornhill synagogues recently, have affected many Jewish residents at community institutions.

This week, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca announced his intention to bring forward a Members Resolution to protect Vaughan’s places of worship, schools, childcare facilities, and its hospital from demonstrations and protests. This would include a maximum fine of $100,000 for anyone who violates the bylaw. Learn more. 

Community Calendar

Communities are gathering in cities across Canada in support of the people and land of Israel. Find an event near you.

March 23-24 | Purim
March 29 | Good Friday (CIJA offices closed)
April 22-30 | Passover

CIJA in the News 

C'est complètement inacceptable»: manifestation propalestinienne devant une synagogue (Le Journal de Montréal, + syndication QMI)

NDP motion to recognize a Palestinian state tests Liberal caucus divisions over Israel-Hamas (National Post)

CAMPUS WATCH: Universities censoring pro-Israel and pro-Palestine views, free speech advocates say (True North)

Canada's NDP motion calls for recognition of Palestinian state (The Jerusalem Post)

Canadian Jewish agencies sue over government rules they say have curbed kosher meat production (Jewish Telegraphic Agency syndication)

Compassion and solidarity (Winnipeg Free Press)

Who's Lobbying for Whom: StrategyCorp out in front again (QP Briefing)

Quebec extends the injunction designed to protect Jewish institutions until early April—with Montreal security top of mind following a protest at Concordia (The Canadian Jewish News)

Canada : des groupes juifs accusent le gouvernement de freiner la shehita (The Times of Israel)

Vaughan mayor proposes banning protests near places of worship, schools and hospitals (CBC News Toronto)

Vaughan bylaw proposal aims to restrict protests near certain sites (The Globe and Mail)

Premier Wab Kinew used the arrival of Ramadan to again call for a ceasefire in Gaza (CBC News)

Justin Trudeau's caucus divided over vote to recognize Palestinian statehood (Toronto Star)

Vaughan to consider bylaw that prohibits protests within 100 metres of places of worship (CP24)

NDP motion on Palestinian statehood passes after tense negotiations with Liberals yield major amendments (Toronto Star)

NDP motion to recognize a Palestinian state tests Liberal caucus divisions over Israel-Hamas (The Gazette)

Canadian parliament holds debate on motion to recognize Palestinian state (The Jerusalem Post)

Canadian parliament passes drastically softened motion on Palestinian state (The Jerusalem Post)

Jewish groups denounce passage of watered-down NDP Palestinian motion (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

WARMINGTON: As politicians grandstand in Ottawa, there are still hostages and hungry kids in Gaza (Toronto Sun, + Postmedia Syndication)

Jewish non-governmental organizations and leaders across Canada react to the passage of the amended NDP motion on Palestine (The Canadian Jewish News)

Government's endorsement of amended Palestinian statehood motion wins praise, draws outrage (CBC News)

Trudeau government will stop sending arms to Israel, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says (Toronto Star)

Jewish groups condemn “anti-Israel” NDP motion passed by House of Commons (True North)

Liberal MP 'reflecting' on place in caucus after NDP Palestinian statehood motion debacle (CTV News)

Canada to halt arms sales to Israel after non-binding vote in house of commons (The Guardian UK)

'Wish I had better news': NDP MP behind Israel-Gaza motion disappointed by outcome on Palestinian statehood (Toronto Star)

‘Rewarding terrorism’: Jewish Canadians slam ‘arms embargo’ on Israel (The Jerusalem Post)

Israeli FM rebukes Trudeau gov’t for canceling arms sales to Israel (Jewish News Syndicate)

Canada to stop selling arms to Israel (The Jewish Chronicle)

Housefather votes against Trudeau appeasement of NDP anti-Israel motion (The Suburban)

Quebec newspaper La Presse removes cartoon denounced as antisemitic (The Globe and Mail, + The Canadian Press Syndication)

Hamilton cinema called antisemitic for dropping Jewish film festival over 'security' concerns (National Post, + Postmedia syndication) 

La Presse apologizes after cartoon is denounced as antisemitic (Montreal Gazette, + Postmedia syndication)

«On a demandé à la Presse dans leurs pages d'expliquer l'antisémitisme», dit le CIJA – Program de Sophie Durocher (QUB Radio)

Jewish Canadians slam 'arms embargo' on Israel: 'Rewarding terror' (The Jerusalem Post)

Brian Mulroney calling - (Politico)

Il faut qu’on se parle de caricature (Journal de Montréal, +syndication QMI)

Channel Israel – Weekly Newsletter (National Post)

«Nosfenyahou»: Justin Trudeau condamne la caricature de «La Presse» (Journal de Montreal, + syndication QMI)

La Presse retire une caricature dénoncée comme antisémite (Radio-Canada, + syndication de La presse canadienne)

Canadian newspaper posts 'antisemitic' caricature of vampire Netanyahu (The Jerusalem Post)

Vaughan Mayor Proposes Bylaw Prohibiting Protests Near Places of Worship, Schools, Hospitals (The Epoch Times)

Antisemitism in Canada is the new normal – the Liberals are making it worse – The Andrew Lawton Show (True North)

Community Careers

Associate Director, Communications & Marketing - CIJA
National senior professional, External Affairs - CIJA
Associate Director, University Relations and Public Education | Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver/CIJA
Digital Marketing & Communications Specialist - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver