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Rochelle Wilner |
Frank Dimant |
Prof. Stephen Scheinberg |
Ruth Klein |
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Rochelle Wilner |
Frank Dimant |
Prof. Stephen Scheinberg |
Ruth Klein |
An Environics poll released on April 28, 2004 found that Canadians did not believe antisemitism is on the rise in this country. This is hardly surprising since there is an obvious reluctance to recognize that behaviour being dismissed as harmless helps create a climate in which open expression of antisemitism is becoming increasingly acceptable. For example, the wearing of T-shirts with anti-Jewish themes has reportedly become popular amongst youth. In another example of insensitivity towards minorities, the comedian Dieudonné, despite the fact that he had attracted the negative attention of the authorities in France for his “comedy” routine on Jews, had no problem in appealing to capacity audiences in Quebec.
Even amongst those who express sensitivity to the issue of antisemitism, there is often a tendency to search for ways of rationalizing the huge increase in the number of incidents, and to focus instead on positive developments. There were indeed some initiatives in Canada in 2004 that offer encouragement. For example, two different City Councils in York Region (ON) passed resolutions condemning antisemitism following a rash of anti-Jewish activity in the areas under their jurisdiction, while the Law Society of Upper Canada resolved not only to condemn antisemitism but to dedicate resources to counter it. In addition, Justice Minister Irwin Cotler’s announcement of a new national anti-racism strategy for Canada has raised hopes that not only will constitutional and legal protections be enforced and enhanced, but that community-based human rights efforts will be supported by the appropriate level of government funding.
However, as long as hate-related activity continues to escalate against the Jewish community in this country, the integration of all minority groups into the Canadian multicultural mosaic is at risk. This type of threat to our values of diversity and tolerance cannot be countered with isolated measures, but must be addressed consistently in a number of sectors - the courts, the human rights system, and the educational sector. Equally important is the necessity to demonstrate in a vocal and sustained way - whether through the media, in political discourse or via initiatives taken by anti-racism groups and private citizens - that antisemitism will not be tolerated. The message must be sent that all minority groups will be protected, whether from systemic discrimination, overt hate-related activity, or the type of malicious commentary that is often justified on the basis of “free speech”. It is necessary for the government to demonstrate, in an unequivocal way, that the political will to ensure respect for all Canadians does exist, and that the message of multiculturalism is not merely a platitude.
There are a number of alarming findings in this year’s Audit that warrant immediate attention and thoughtful follow-up. Two, however, stand out as particularly new and significant this year.
Firstly, it appears that the safeguards that are meant to be built into the public school system to ensure diversity and respect for all students are somehow breaking down. A system that was meant to promote multiculturalism clearly needs a reality check. Educators must be on the alert given a youth culture in which the graphics and lyrics of hate have become more potent than the semantics of tolerance, and an increased tendency to violence has been noted both within and outside the school environment. As the incubator of society, the health of the school system should be a matter of national concern.
Secondly, there is something especially chilling in the idea that perpetrators of antisemitic incidents are going to the trouble of seeking out Jews in their own homes, rather than being content with expressing their hate through spraypainting graffiti in public places or posting racist messages in cyberspace. This indicates a measure of premeditation and is an invasion of the personal space and privacy of the victim that continues to terrify long after the episode has occurred. The invidious nature of this type of activity is a reflection of the gravity of the overall situation that we are seeing in Canada today. The firebombing of the UTT Elementary School in Montreal is cited with justification as the ugliest anti-Jewish attack of 2004, but many incidents considered far more modest should not be dismissed lightly, since their capacity for demoralizing a community and discouraging it from full participation in Canadian society is no less potent.