In recent years, the troubling rise of Jew-hatred in Canada, with antisemitic incidents growing in number and severity, has become a nationalemergency. As with any other national emergency, national unity is essentialin tackling the challenges that communities face across Canada, as is the call for collective action from all sectors of society.
JEWS ‘UNDER SIEGE’ IN TRUDEAU’S CANADA AMID SOARING ANTISEMITISMThis past year, Hamas released a video where one of its leaders, GhaziHamad, thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his support – a shockingmoment that should serve as a wake-up call to all Canadians of goodconscience. Then, to the surprise of many Canadians, Canada voted in favorof a non-binding United Nations resolution calling for an “immediatehumanitarian ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war. This signaled a markeddeparture from Canada’s historical pattern of supporting the Jewish state atthe UN in its battle against terror.
TORONTO POLICE RESPOND TO VIRAL VIDEO OF OFFICERS DELIVERING COFFEE TO ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS
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 toeradicate Jews.
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to speak to reporters at the Liberal Caucus retreat in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)
Unfortunately, the lack of moral clarity among Canadian leaders extends toother levels of government too, with some mayors siding with the terroristswhich 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 openedthe 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 abreeding ground for extremists. A recent exposé by Canary Mission revealedthat no fewer than 154 professors were involved in radical activities at theUniversity of Toronto. It’s no surprise that students are becoming increasingly radicalized.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem on September 2, 2024. (OHAD ZWIGENBERG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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 Ifounded, initiated an investigation into the Canadian government’s funding ofUNRWA.
Legal accountability goes hand in hand with imposingsocietal consequences to denormalize Jew-hatred. As we have learned from other social justicemovements, grassroots mobilization is key. This is why I also founded the#EndJewHatred movement. There must be accountability, or the behaviorwill persist unchecked.
The #EndJewHatred movement unites individuals from coast to coast toparticipate in campaigns advocating for Jewish civil rights. Nationalcollaboration amplifies our voices, allows for meaningful dialogue, andfacilitates coordinated actions to confront hate and promote tolerance.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
Our efforts to foster unity extend beyond grassroots mobilization and into educational institutions. After anti-Jewish protesters violently disrupted anevent at York University hosted by Herut, a Jewish group, and both groupswere suspended, The Lawfare Project’s pro bono legal services resulted inYork reinstating Herut and harshly criticizing the protest organizers.
We have partnered with Canadian lawyers to file cases against the OntarioCollege of Art & Design University (OCAD), and McMaster University toaddress rampant and systemic antisemitic discrimination. These legalactions not only protect Jewish Canadians, but also reinforce democraticvalues, ensuring that discrimination has no place in Canada.
As Jew-hatred has spiraled in Canada over the past year, with masked mobstaking to the streets in support of foreign terrorist organizations committedto destruction and genocide, our community is increasingly empowered torise up, join with our allies, and fight for our democracy. Our immediatechallenge is to unmask the hate, expose the haters, and impose legal andsocial 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”
Brooke Goldstein is a human rights attorney, author, and filmmaker. She is executive director of The Lawfare Project, which provides pro bono legal services to protect the civil and human rights of the Jewish people worldwide.
Leave a Reply