The Rise of Antisemitism in Canada

"We think the situation [rampant antisemitism] now is more critical [currently than was the case in 2021 at Canada's first antisemitism summit], and we point to police statistics to make our case."

"We feel that our demand [to convene a second national antisemitism summit] will be well-received by elected officials."

"It's critical to get stakeholders all at the same table."

"The fight against antisemitism is everyone's fight."

Marvin Rotrand, interim director-general, United Against Hate Canada

 

"We know that an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."

"If someone hates a person for being Jewish, they're going to hate me for being Chinese, someone else for being Filipino, and so on."

"The action summit must address the alleged confusion about what that chant ["From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free"] means and remove the excuse for inaction, so that the people we trust to keep us safe and uphold our laws can do so with full clarity." 

Member of Parliament Kevin Vuong

Ottawa police officers keep watch as crews clean anti-Israel grafitti painted on the office tower housing the Israeli embassy on O'Connor Street in downtown Ottawa, Ont. on Monday, April 15, 2024. Photo by Bryan Passifiume /Postmedia Network

A call has arisen to convene a second Canadian national antisemitism summit in the wake of the wave of antisemitism that has swept through Canada following the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack in southern Israel that left 1,200 Israeli children, women, men, and the elderly dead. A sinister paroxysm of sadistic savagery unlike anything witnessed before, as Palestinian terrorists gang-raped, mutilated and murdered girls and women in Israel, and burned families alive in their homes on that unforgettable day.

An open letter signed by 200 politicians, community and spiritual leaders called for another antisemitism summit. With it came a motion set to be tabled in the Senate of Canada. A call for Canada's antisemitism envoy, Deborah Lyons via an open letter, urged that a follow-up meeting to continue the work of the initial summit held by former envoy Irwin Cotler, Canada's long-time and premier human rights campaigner, to be slated as soon as possible.

After hundreds of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, along with PLO terrorists rampaged through kibbutzim located close to the border with Gaza, a campaign of hate, threats and intimidation erupted throughout Canada, with Palestinians and other Arabs living in Canada as citizens organized 'pro-Palestinian' protests in the immediate wake of the savagery committed by Palestinians. Following which such protests became frequent episodes of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish hate-fests.

Incidents of such hate expressed against Canadian Jews more than doubled in Toronto where antisemitism has become the most reported hate crime for years, compared to last year's statistics. Across Canada other cities report as well significant increases since October 7 of anti-Jewish hate-fests. In Ottawa, the office tower where the Israeli embassy is located saw vandals spray-paint anti-Israel graffiti on the building exterior.

Simultaneously a group of anti-Israel protesters once again shut down an intersection south of the embassy, evidently a coordinated effort to create 'economic blockades' against nations considered to be supportive of Israel. Sitting and retired politicians at all levels of government, mayors, school trustees, cultural and ethnic groups and faith leaders were among the 200 individuals who signed the open letter. 

 

Among them MP Kevin Vuong who emphasized that combating antisemitism requires commitment and action, not merely words and platitudes. The call for a summit saw a motion tabled in the Senate by Senator Leo Housakos.

 

Senate of Canada

"We cannot allow antisemitism to become normalized, and we cannot allow the haters to believe they can act with impunity."

"It is totally unacceptable that the Jewish community, whose history dates to the foundation of our country and who have contributed so much to Canada's well-being and success, should feel unsafe in their own communities."

Senator Leo Housakos