In recent years, the troubling rise of Jew-hatred in Canada, with antisemitic incidents growing in number and severity, has become a national emergency. As with any other national emergency, national unity is essential in tackling the challenges that communities face across Canada, as is the call for collective action from all sectors of society.
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This past year, Hamas released a video where one of its leaders, Ghazi Hamad, thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his support - a shocking moment that should serve as a wake-up call to all Canadians of good conscience. Then, to the surprise of many Canadians, Canada voted in favor of a non-binding United Nations resolution calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in the Israel-Hamas war. This signaled a marked departure from Canada's historical pattern of supporting the Jewish state at the UN in its battle against terror.
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Trudeau and his Foreign Minister, Mélanie Joly, appeared to align themselves with those extending an invitation to terror at a time when the West is fighting an insurgency by those executing a foreign terrorist agenda on Canadian soil. Trudeau’s moral equivocations in his words and actions appear to be lending support to a violent terrorist organization, notorious for its relentless mission to eradicate Jews.
Unfortunately, the lack of moral clarity among Canadian leaders extends to other levels of government too, with some mayors siding with the terrorists which contributes to making the Jewish community feel unsafe. The absence of strong moral leadership in Canada has contributed significantly to the rise of extreme actions by a small but highly radicalized segment of the population.
Numerous terrorists arrested in North America in recent months were either residing in Canada or held Canadian citizenship, exposing a lax immigration system that neglects to screen out extremists – another failure on the part of the current government to protect our national interests.
A consequence of the lack of strong moral leadership is that it has opened the door for college campuses across Canada to promote anti-democratic narratives, such as the oppressor/oppressed dynamic, colonialism, and the ideology of the "woke" left, which are supported by a higher education system primarily funded by both the federal and provincial governments—unlike in the U.S. where funding is more diversified.
Academic freedom and higher learning have, unfortunately, become a breeding ground for extremists. A recent exposé by Canary Mission revealed that no fewer than 154 professors were involved in radical activities at the University of Toronto. It's no surprise that students are becoming increasingly radicalized.
Foreign funding has also been flagged as a significant concern, as highlighted in discussions with Canadian elected officials regarding the Justice Committee. The use of dark money to fund student organizations and extremist ideologies must be stopped. Likewise, Canada’s contributions to organizations that indirectly support terrorism must cease.
This is why The Lawfare Project, a nonprofit civil rights advocacy group I founded, initiated an investigation into the Canadian government’s funding of UNRWA.
Legal accountability goes hand in hand with imposing societal consequences to denormalize Jew-hatred. As we have learned from other social justice movements, grassroots mobilization is key. This is why I also founded the #EndJewHatred movement. There must be accountability, or the behavior will persist unchecked.
The #EndJewHatred movement unites individuals from coast to coast to participate in campaigns advocating for Jewish civil rights. National collaboration amplifies our voices, allows for meaningful dialogue, and facilitates coordinated actions to confront hate and promote tolerance.
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Our efforts to foster unity extend beyond grassroots mobilization and into educational institutions. After anti-Jewish protesters violently disrupted an event at York University hosted by Herut, a Jewish group, and both groups were suspended, The Lawfare Project’s pro bono legal services resulted in York reinstating Herut and harshly criticizing the protest organizers.
We have partnered with Canadian lawyers to file cases against the Ontario College of Art & Design University (OCAD), and McMaster University to address rampant and systemic antisemitic discrimination. These legal actions not only protect Jewish Canadians, but also reinforce democratic values, ensuring that discrimination has no place in Canada.
As Jew-hatred has spiraled in Canada over the past year, with masked mobs taking to the streets in support of foreign terrorist organizations committed to destruction and genocide, our community is increasingly empowered to rise up, join with our allies, and fight for our democracy. Our immediate challenge is to unmask the hate, expose the haters, and impose legal and social consequences on them to chip away at systemic Jew-hatred.
Brooke Goldstein is a human rights attorney, founder of the Lawfare Project and author of "End Jew Hatred: A Manual for Mobilization"
