What has CIJA accomplished?

CIJA achieves results for our community. For example, after years of relationship-building and extensive advocacy by CIJA…

  • With the help of thousands of community members who answered CIJA’s call to action, the Board of Trustees at the Toronto District School Board determined that Trustee Lulka did not breach the code of conduct in speaking out against antisemitism and rejected the Integrity Commissioner’s recommendation that she be censured.
  • CIJA staff ensured that Jewish Federations and their agencies benefited from various COVID-related government benefits, generating well over $1M and alleviating the financial stress on Jewish Federations. 
  • CIJA has been actively engaged with the federal government on issues pertaining to online hate. After consultation with our community and others, it appears that the government will propose a policy in 2022, which we anticipate will include the many of CIJA’s recommendations concerning social media platforms. CIJA led the Coalition to End Online Hate, a broad-based alliance of 40+ organizations representing a diverse array of communities working with the Government to implement a national government strategy to curb the spread of hate online.
  • The federal government increased investment in security infrastructure, making shuls, JCCs, and schools safer for our children.
  • The federal government, the Provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick, and several municipalities and agencies have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism as part of their anti-racism strategies, an effective tool to recognize and address antisemitism in all its evolving forms, including anti-Zionism.
  • The government of Canada renewed the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, which means deeper and closer economic ties between sister democracies to the benefit of Canadians and Israelis alike.
  • Canadian parliament outlawed discrimination based on genetics by employers and insurance companies, which means that all Canadians – and particularly Jewish Canadians who disproportionately carry genes that predict genetic disease – can benefit from the powerful tool of genetic diagnostic medicine without fear of putting employment or insurance at risk.
  • CIJA is a steering committee member of the Canadian Blood Ban Coalition to end the gbMSM blood ban, a human rights issue that impacts many Canadians. As a result of the Coalition’s advocacy, the Canadian government has recently announced the repeal of the blood ban. Due to our track record of effective advocacy, CIJA was invited as the only non-LGBTQ2+ or HIV-AIDS organization to act as a steering committee member.
  • CIJA is home to a National LGBTQ2+ Advisory Committee that advises on issues of concern to the gender and sexually diverse community. Over the past five+ years, CIJA has maintained a meaningful presence at Pride Festival and Society offerings nationwide. CIJA presented an online forum featuring queer Jewish individuals, comprising Rabbis, researchers, Indigenous Canadians and more, highlighting the diversity of the Jewish community.
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