Question Period Note: Antisemitism in Canada

Antisemitism in Canada

Our government strongly condemns the post-October 7, 2023, rise in violent incidents, community-reported hate crimes and hate speech. Hate in any form, including antisemitism, has no place in Canada, and we remain resolute in protecting Jewish communities from bigotry, hate, and religious discrimination.

The Government is investing $110.4 million to renew the
Anti-Racism Strategy, developing an action plan on combatting hate to tackle the rise in hate crimes, and providing $5 million to support the construction of the new Montreal Holocaust Museum.

The Government continues to support the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism in her work to combat antisemitism in Canada and around the world.

Canada has the fourth largest Jewish community in the world, with a population of over 390,000, comprising about 1.4% of Canada’s population.

Prior to October 7, 2023, hate crimes were a pressing concern in Canada. According to a report released by Statistics Canada in 2022, police-reported hate crimes rose to a new high in 2020, with Black (26%) and Jewish (11%) communities continuing to be among the most victimized groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic became a vehicle for antisemitism, and this was further exacerbated by the October 7, 2023, events and the ensuing conflict. According to B’nai Brith Canada, incidents of antisemitic harassment, vandalism and violence in Canada rose by 109.1 per cent in 2023 from the previous year. This is the highest increase in any year since the organization started reporting on antisemitic incidents in 1982.

Among police-reported hate crimes targeting a religion in 2021, the Jewish and Muslim populations continue to be among the most frequent targets, accounting for 13% and 16% of crimes against a religious group. Following the global tensions arising from the Israel-Hamas conflict post October 7, 2023, antisemitic and Islamophobic violence have increased in Canada.

Legal Framework

Countering racism and discrimination is consistent with international obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ratified by Canada in 1970, and Canada’s vision of a multicultural society that is embodied in the Canadian Bill of Rights (1960), entrenched in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), and affirmed in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988).

Further, giving effect to the principle that everyone has the right to equal opportunity and to live free from discrimination in Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) establishes prohibited grounds of discrimination, including race, colour, national or ethnic origin, and religion. Provincial and territorial human rights laws engage similar principles and objectives found in the CHRA, protecting people from discrimination in matters within provincial and territorial jurisdiction.

In 2022, the Criminal Code was amended to make the wilful promotion of antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust a criminal offence in Canada.

Recognizing the impact of online communication, the Government is also taking steps to legislate against severe forms of harmful content and hate speech on the internet. This initiative aims to prevent individuals from using online platforms as a shield for engaging in harmful activities.

On February 26, 2024, the Government introduced Bill C-63, which would enact the Online Harms Act and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content, including antisemitism.

Investments

Since 2019, our government has committed over $200 million through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy. As part of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, Canada adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as a non-legally binding tool.

Budget 2022 allocated $5.1 million in funding over five years beginning in 2022-23, including $1.2 million ongoing, to support the work of the Special Envoy for Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism. It also provided $20 million in 2022-23 to support the construction of the new Holocaust Museum in Montréal, $2.5 million for the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre along with $25 million in federal infrastructure support for the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

Budget 2023 also provided $49.5 million over five years, starting in 2023-24, to Public Safety Canada to enhance and expand the Communities at Risk: Security Infrastructure Program.

This program with an initial investment of $5 million, was initially launched on November 9, 2023 and provides time-limited funding and support for communities at risk of hate-motivated incidents and hate-motivated crimes to enhance physical security at their gathering spaces; such as community centres, places of worship and other institutions;

In December 2023, an additional $5 million investment was made to support a program expansion This new temporary measure will cover new sites, such as office spaces and daycares associated to communities at-risk of hate-motivated incidents and hate-motivated crimes; as well as cover costs associated with time-limited security guards, until March 31, 2024.

Budget 2024 proposes to provide $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024-25, with $29.3 million ongoing, for an action plan on combatting hate to support community outreach and law enforcement reform, tackle the rise in hate crimes, enhance community security, counter radicalization, and increase support for victims. These investments include:

$10 million over three years, starting in 2024-25, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the Changing Narratives Fund. This builds on previous funding of $5 million provided in Budget 2022;

$25 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support Anti-Hate programming and promoting intercultural ties and community-based activities;

$5 million over two years, starting 2024-25, to support the construction of the new Montreal Holocaust Museum, which will greatly expand the number of people, including schoolchildren, who can learn from its important collections;

To create a new National Holocaust Remembrance Program, Budget 2024 proposes to provide $5 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, and $2 million ongoing, to the Department of Canadian Heritage, to support initiatives that seek to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and help improve Canadians’ understanding, awareness of the Holocaust and antisemitism.

Budget 2024 also announces that the Department of Canadian Heritage will launch a project to review and renew Canada’s National Holocaust Monument, using existing resources, including to broaden its visibility and engagement in Ottawa and with Canadians across the country.

Special Envoy on preserving holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism

Deborah Lyons was appointed as Canada’s new Special Envoy in October 2023 to continue this mandate; which includes:

Providing advice and guidance to support government efforts to combat antisemitism through policies, legislative proposals, programs and regulations;

Advancing Holocaust education, remembrance and research;

Promoting public awareness and understanding about Jewish communities in Canada;

Engage with all types of diverse stakeholders in Canada, including communities, non-governmental organizations, other orders of government and academia, on current and emerging challenges and issues to advance community-informed solutions, policies, and actions;

Internationally, the special Envoy leads Canada’s delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), whose purpose is to promote Holocaust education, remembrance and research. Canada has been a member since 2009 and chaired the organization in 2013-2014.

Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST): The Committee agreed to undertake a study on the issue of antisemitism and a study on the issue of Islamophobia, and the additional measures that could be taken to address the valid fears that are being expressed by Canada’s Jewish and Muslim communities, including but not limited to the issue of antisemitism and Islamophobia on university campuses. The Committee will report its findings on both studies to the House and request a government response (motion adopted on March 21, 2024). The committee agreed that the number of meetings be three for each study. The Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism appeared on May 23.

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