Politic?: Canada Making Holocaust Denial A Criminal Offence

"There is no place for antisemitism and Holocaust denial in Canada."

"That's why we've pledged to prohibit the wilful promotion of antisemitism through condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust."
"The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in human history. We must preserve its memory, combat contemporary antisemitism and be unequivocal when we say: never again."
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino

"Jewish Canadians comprise one percent of the Canadian population yet are the target of 62 percent of all religiously motivated hate crimes."
"We live in a time of rising antisemitism."
Richard Marceau, vice-president, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Canada

"Holocaust denial and distortion constitute a cruel assault on memory, truth, and justice -- an antisemitic libel to cover up the worst crime in history."
"And thereby a cruel and mocking rebuke to Holocaust survivors and their legacy."
Irwin Cotler, special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, Canada

The National Holocaust Monument is seen before the official opening ceremony in Ottawa, Wednesday, September 27, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Saskatchewan Conservative Member of Parliament Kevin Waugh brought a private member's bill prohibiting Holocaust denial to parliament earlier in this year. It was his private initiative to move forward on the issue, given the rising incidence of antisemitism in Canada. He pointed out that the proposal for a new law just put forward by the government as its own move was "word for word" in copying his own bill. He was happy to leave the issue to the government to see it become law since represented a "Win for everybody. There is no place for racism in this country".

This is, just incidentally, the same government of Justin Trudeau's Liberals that inherited a Conservative government move to help build the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa. Under the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau the complex was completed and officially opened. At the opening day ceremonies, Jewish attendees were amazed to discover that the dedication plaque made no mention of Jews whatever, instead speaking of men, women and children who were slaughtered.

Outlawing Holocaust denial has been brought to the stage of necessity in the reality of an atmosphere of rising anti-Semitism, an issue that Members of Parliament and anti-hate groups have emphasized. When this criminalizing of Holocaust denial is passed into law Canada will stand among a number of European countries that includes Germany, Greece, France, Belgium and the Czech Republic which have themselves long since prohibited Holocaust denial.

The memorializing of the six million Jews systematically killed in Nazi-occupied Europe is one way the world can recall the depths to which hatred and propaganda geared to justify the murder of people based on their ethnic and cultural and religious origins -- downplaying their humanity, portraying them as unworthy of life as a menace to others -- can cause a genocide.

Despite the government's move to take charge of the issue, in essence neutralizing MP Waugh's bill, he chose not to withdraw it. Despite the government override, MP Kevin Waugh expects his bill to have its second reading debate at month's end in the House of Commons. The reason for which is that he wants to ensure the change to the Criminal Code is enacted sooner rather than later.

There is no information of any penalty to be served should a conviction of Holocaust denial occur. A penalty of up to two years in prison is linked to MP Waugh's bill. Once the government's move is brought into law the MP's bill prohibiting Holocaust denial will be rendered redundant. It will be interesting to see in the near future how the law will handle such cases.

Pro-Palestinian protesters run from police following a demonstration in Montreal after attacking pro-Israel counter-demonstrators with rocks. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Given the fact that rising antisemitism can be seen in a linkage to rising immigration from the Middle East, including refugees. Which has resulted in BDS campaigns, and Palestinian influences in public displays of antisemitism in Palestinian flags, along with those of the terrorist group Hamas flown on the streets of Canada's cities while Jews are excoriated with libelous slurs in antisemitic, anti-Israel campaigns.