This week in Canadian Jewish Advocacy | November 17, 2024

This week, we advocated against adoption of APR by the federal government and expressed disgust with Mississauga Mayor Parrish’s refusal to cancel a vigil for a terrorist responsible for October 7 and many other deaths. We have requested an urgent investigation into the attempted bomb attack by ISIS sympathizers against Jews on Parliament Hill last December and for the government to leverage the provisions of the Criminal Code to protect the Jewish community.

For more information, read on.

CIJA 

CIJA joined the Jewish community in expressing deep concern about Amira Elghawaby’s comments this week on Anti-Palestinian Racism (APR), a concept that, on the surface, seems positive but, in fact, risks letting groups abuse anti-racism policies to silence Jewish voices.

Click here to tell Prime Minister Trudeau and Diversity & Inclusion Minister Khera that endorsing APR will undermine protections for Jewish Canadians, increase division between Jewish and Muslim Canadians, stoke resentment and polarization, and fuel the conflict and hate already plaguing Canada.

CIJA joins the Jewish community in expressing dismay at Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish’s refusal to condemn and stop a planned vigil for mass murderer Yayha Sinwar organized by so-called "Canadian Defenders for Human Rights.” According to flyers and social media posts, the vigil is scheduled to take place on municipal Mississauga property on November 26.

At a City Council meeting on November 13, the Mayor once again crossed a line with an egregious comparison between Yayha Sinwar, the main architect of the October 7 attacks and the leader of Hamas — recognized as a terrorist entity by many countries including Canada — in Gaza, with human rights hero and Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela. This odious comparison not only sullies the reputation of the city she leads and demonstrates her loss of her moral compass but also insults all families – including many Canadians – whose loved ones were killed or seriously injured because of Sinwar. Mississaugans, all Ontarians and Canadians, deserve better.

CIJA has demanded an apology and staff have been interviewed by several outlets, including News Talk 1010, AM640,and The Pointer - Brampton.

After it was revealed this week that two minors had been arrested in December and February charged with planning an ISIS-inspired terrorist attack against the Ottawa Jewish community, CIJA CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel spoke with Global News. He expressed the urgent need for our government and law enforcement to take a clear stand against Jew-hatred in Canada and leverage the provisions of the Criminal Code to protect the Jewish community and address the ever-increasing toxic and violent manifestations of antisemitism in Canada.

Several members of the Conservatives on the Public Safety and National Security Committee have requested an emergency meeting  to investigate the attempted bomb attack by ISIS sympathizers against Jews on Parliament Hill last December. We join Canada's Jewish community in urging all members of the SECU Committee to endorse this request.

Would you like to stay current 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

Hold Osgoode Professor Accountable for Antisemitism
CIJA is troubled by the ongoing actions of some academics which display a total disregard for academic integrity, including those of Osgoode Hall Law School's Professor Heidi Matthews’ harmful rhetoric and its impact on Osgoode's community and reputation. Graduates are invited to sign and share an open letter written by an alum expressing concern here.

Community Calendar

December 5 | Webinar: Anti-Palestinian Racism: Why It's Being Adopted by Activists and Institutions - Jewish Institute for Liberal Values
December 25 – January 2 | Chanukah

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

Canadians horrified after 'Jews were hunted down and beaten' in Amsterdam (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

WARMINGTON: 'Deeply offensive' — Remembrance Day poppy exploited to honour Hamas leader (Toronto Sun)

Nova Scotia NDP candidate out after criticism for ‘troubling’ posts about Israel (Globe and Mail, + The Canadian Press Syndication)

Canadian politicians and Jewish rights group condemns Amsterdam pogrom against Jews (True North)

En Nouvelle-Écosse, une candidate du NPD se retire après des publications sur Israël (CBC Radio-Canada, + syndication de La Presse Canadienne)

Nova Scotia NDP candidate steps down over 'hurtful' anti-Israel rhetoric (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

NDP Candidate Out for Troubling Tweets about Holocaust (CBC 106.1 CBAM)

Trente-six CPE sélectionnent selon l’ethnie ou la religion (La Presse)

NDP candidate withdraws after criticism from Jewish groups; another Jewish group comes to her defence (Halifax Examiner)

NDP candidate in Eastern Passage resigns after Jewish groups condemn posts about Israel (Saltwire)

Nova Scotia NDP, candidate part ways after concerns raised by Jewish organizations (CBC News)

FederationCJA holds moving Remembrance Day ceremony (The Suburban)

Teens accused of plotting to bomb pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill (Global News)

Organisme Kars4kids: où va l'argent exactement? (Noovo Info)

WARMINGTON: Organizer says Sinwar vigil still on despite Mississauga mayor's denial (Toronto Sun)

'Hamas is applauding': Mississauga mayor urged to stop vigil for terror leader Yahya Sinwar (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

CBC labels anti-Israel activists in violent Amsterdam pogrom as “Dutch Youth” (True North)

«On ROULE sur les juifs!»: tabassés, agressés et martyrisés à l’échelle mondiale (QUB Radio)

L’affaire Bedford : A scandal in a Montreal public school re-ignites a debate over funding private religious education (The Canadian Jewish News)

Jewish groups warn 'anti-Palestinian racism' push could muzzle pro-Israel speech (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

Richard Marceau, Vice President for External Affairs & General Counsel at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, on the group behind a vigil for the Hamas leader killed in an Israeli airstrike is real and happening, despite what the mayor previously said. – Moore in the Morning (Newstalk 1010)

Parliamentarians warn Canada is 'high priority target' after another alleged Islamist attack foiled (National Post)

Mississauga mayor won’t condemn Remembrance Day-style memorial for Hamas leader (True North)

Canadian teens planned to bomb pro-Israel rally at Parliament Hill (Jewish News Syndicate)

Pro-Palestinians disrupt Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue in Westmount (The Suburban)

Two Ottawa youth arrested in connection with alleged terrorist attack targeting pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill (True North)

Chris Selley: The perils of 'defining' bigotry (National Post)

WARMINGTON: Mississauga mayor comparing Hamas leader and Nelson Mandela 'despicable' (Toronto Sun)

Mississauga mayor compares Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela ahead of vigil for Yahya Sinwar (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

Jewish groups applaud Canada’s new resource on Jew-hatred (Jewish News Syndicate)

Reaction to Mayor Parrish’s Sinwar-Mandela Comparison (Global News Radio AM640)

Canadian teenagers arrested for plans to bomb Ottawa Jewish community (Jerusalem Post)

‘Unacceptable,’ Advocacy group condemns antisemitic threats towards Toronto restaurant (Now Toronto)

Mississauga mayor doubles down, refusing to condemn Remembrance Day-style vigil for terrorist leader (True North)

SLOBODIAN: Mississauga mayor compares anti-apartheid Mandela to murderous Hamas terrorist Sinwar (Western Standard)

Jewish community reacts to Mayor Parrish’s comparison of Sinwar to Mandela (Zoomer Radio)

Richard Marceau, Vice President for External Affairs & General Counsel at the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, on Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish comparing the dead Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela. – Moore in the Morning - 20:58 - 26:05 (Newstalk 1010)

‘A lost cause’: Jewish organizations condemn Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish for comparing Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela (The Pointer)

Palestine flag raising cancellation prompts city hall demonstration in Regina | CTV News