This Week in Canadian Jewish Advocacy, November 10, 2024
This week, we were gratified by the position taken by an Ottawa Crown Attorney recognizing the genocidal nature of chants like “from the river to the sea…” We roundly condemned the violence against Jews and Israelis in Amsterdam and asked Canadian politicians to take steps to ensure such an event does not occur here. We are supporting a peace rally in Toronto, and extending thanks to the many Alberta elected officials who met with CIJA and community leaders in Edmonton. We have flagged offensive social media posts by an NDP candidate in Nova Scotia, calling for the party to sever ties with her. Following the recent illegal protests near a Montreal synagogue, we are continuing to advocate for bubble legislation to protect minority communities and their institutions. And we have a new way for you to receive information from CIJA.
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This week, CIJA expressed serious concerns on learning about the Prime Minister’s support of the development of an official definition of “Anti-Palestinian Racism” (APR) by the government, a concept that risks undermining protections for Jewish Canadians and could misuse human rights laws to advance political narratives that silence Jewish voices. Current definitions of APR classify basic expressions of Jewish identity and support for Israel—like wearing an Israeli pin—as racist, and aim to silence criticism of certain perspectives, threaten expressions of Jewish identity, and undermine the IHRA definition of antisemitism. We’re calling on the government to reject APR and its attempts to redefine the IHRA definition and silence Jewish perspectives on Israel, and to protect all Canadians equally under the law. Read our note to community here and our press release here.
CIJA joined the international community in condemning the deplorable and violent pogrom on Jewish soccer fans in Amsterdam on Thursday night and conveyed grave concern for its broader implications and for the safety of Jewish Canadians. In scenes reminiscent of Hamas’ October 7 attack, organized gangs, on foot and on scooters, targeted Israelis, beating and kicking them in "hit-and-run" assaults.
While we are grateful to the many elected officials who immediately condemned the attacks, words of support and sympathy are not enough. Antisemitism across Canada is rampant. Jewish-owned businesses are vandalized, and synagogues are picketed. Jewish schools are being shot at and, at “protests,” flags of terrorist organizations are flown and calls for violence against Jews have become commonplace. Yet the number of arrests, detentions, and charges brought remains minimal. We call on our government to take measures to hold perpetrators accountable to the extent of Canadian law, or the horror of the Netherlands this week will be Canada tomorrow. Read our letter to the Dutch Ambassador to Canada here and our note to community here.
This week, members of the Jewish community voiced concern about social media posts by Tammy Jakeman, the NDP candidate for Eastern Passage, accusing Israel of genocide, demeaning Holocaust remembrance efforts, and describing Israel as “happiest when terrorizing Palestinians. Such statements foster division and pose a challenge to maintaining safe and respectful spaces in schools, workplaces, and other community settings. We call on Nova Scotia’s NDP Leader, Claudia Chender, to address why, despite her deeply offensive statements, Jakeman was allowed to run under the NDP banner and to disassociate the party from these damaging remarks. Read our statement here.
CIJA welcomed news of the Crown Attorney’s comments during the dismissal of a case in Ottawa where a woman had been charged for removing another woman's hijab during a protest, recognizing that calls of "From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free" could be reasonably inferred as calls for genocide of the Jewish people. The use of the chant was considered in the Crown's reasoning for withdrawing charges because of the "duty to assess the public interest having regard to all the circumstances." The Crown also warned that “Chants at a protest cannot call for genocide of a people…Anyone chants this at his or her own peril because if additional evidence in a particular case establishes a genocidal intent, the person could be charged criminally.”
When our community's voice is heard, it’s important to appreciate those who listen. Join us in commending the Ottawa Crown for acknowledging what the Jewish community and other experts have long conveyed about this dangerous slogan by sending thanks to the Attorney General, Doug Downey, at [email protected]. Read the full story here.
Today at 3:00 p.m., at the Rally For Humanity, thousands of Torontonians of all faiths and backgrounds will stand together, for justice and peace, and against the hatred, violence, and disorder impacting our communities, schools, and places of worship. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to show city leaders that, in Toronto, diversity is our strength, and hate has no home here. Together, we will rise above the chaos and take a united stand for a safe and respectful Toronto. Register now!
CIJA is grateful to the many elected officials who met with CIJA and community members at the Legislature in Edmonton over two days to discuss issues of importance to Alberta's Jewish community. We thank Premier Danielle Smith for her steadfast support and her commitment to combat antisemitism and Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi for a productive and insightful meeting on the new Canadian IHRA Handbook, Jewish community programs, and tackling hate. Insightful discussions were held with members of Alberta's cabinet, including Ministers Tanya Fir, Jason Nixon, Mike Ellis and Demetrios Nicolaides, about implementing the IHRA definition in the province and ways to fight antisemitism in Alberta’s schools and neighbourhoods.
On Tuesday, hateful demonstrators with masked faces called for intifada on the sidewalk outside the historic Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Westmount, Quebec, in blatant violation of an injunction obtained earlier this year, requiring protestors to stay 50 metres away from the sidewalks bordering the building until April 16, 2025.
This demonstration sparked considerable community and political outcry, with leaders across various levels of government denouncing the antisemitic disruption, including Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre, MPs Marc Miller, Anna Gainey, Anthony Housefather, Jennifer Maccarone, Melissa Lantsman, and the Mayor of Westmount. CIJA and Federation CJA immediately issued a statement and are working closely with community partners to determine next steps.
We will continue to call on all levels of government to introduce safe access (“bubble”) legislation to protect all institutions of ethnocultural, racialized, gender and sexually diverse, and religious communities – including synagogues, temples, churches, and mosques, as well as community centres, social service providers, and schools – by establishing safe access zones to shield them from dangerous protests.
Would you like to stay up to date on issues of concern and news from CIJA as it happens? Sign up here to opt in to receive CIJA's press releases and media statements. To stay up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada, sign up for the National Post's Channel Israel newsletter here.
Take Action
UN Rapporteur Albanese must be condemned
Community Calendar
November 10 | Toronto Unites: Rally for Humanity
November 11 | Remembrance Day
Community Careers
London Jewish Federation | Executive Director
Jewish Federation of Ottawa | Communications and Social Media Officer
Jewish Federation of Ottawa | Database Associate
Jewish Federation of Edmonton | Associate Director of Development
Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver | Manager, Jewish Community Foundation
CIJA in the News
EXCLUSIVE: MTO launches investigation into ‘OCTOBER7’ licence plate (Western Standard)
EDITORIAL: Why Jews don’t count with the woke crowd (Toronto Sun, + Postmedia Syndication)
HAHN-ER ROLL: CUPE president spends scads of cash on political picks (Toronto Sun)
Ontario investing $500K to improve holocaust education (Toronto Sun, + Postmedia Syndication)
Ontario Expanding Holocaust Learning Resources at School (Weekly Voice)
Un nouveau guide canadien sur l’antisémitisme sème la controverse (Le Devoir)
UN official for Palestinian territories says she was ‘snubbed’ by Canadian government (Toronto Star)
UN Palestinian rapporteur faces backlash after press conference on Parliament Hill (Globe and Mail)
Motion on “genocide” in Palestine: “History will judge you”, says QS's Bouazzi (CTV News Montreal)
Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on Palestinian Statehood (CBC Radio One)
Public storm over Montreal anti-racism report that omits antisemitism (The Suburban)
Manitoba Métis Federation decisively votes down anti-Israel resolution (The Jewish Post & News)
The company we keep: Fred Hahn (Newstalk 610)
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