Nov. 15, 2021
OTTAWA — B’nai Brith Canada is proposing a four-point action plan to the Government in hopes of combating increasing antisemitism.
A letter sent Monday morning to Irwin Cotler, Special Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism, contained recommendations from B’nai Brith that would transform into concrete gains the significant commitments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at last month’s Malmo Forum. B’nai Brith is confident the four-point action plan will be realized during the next 12 months.
Detailed letters also were sent to Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage, and David Lametti, Attorney General. The letters were signed by Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada, and Marvin Rotrand, National Director for B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights.
In particular, the letter for Mr. Cotler specified steps the Special Envoy ought to encourage the Government to take in combating antisemitism.
The letter calls for a four-point plan that:
- Encourages legislation to be tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks to combat a disturbing increase in online hate;
- Invites the Special Envoy to promote implementing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) Holocaust Definition across provincial, territorial, and municipal governments and civil society;
- Urges robust Holocaust Remembrance across Canada to combat Jew-hate in educational systems, with a particular focus on university campuses;
- Insists that the Canadian international development assistance and domestic funding of NGOs must not enable or facilitate antisemitism and incitement.
“We are truly encouraged by the promises made at Malmo,” Rotrand said. “Our hope is that the Special Envoy will implement the recommendations in our letter. In doing so, Canadian Jews can rest assured that our concerns regarding unacceptable increases in antisemitism are being addressed.”
“The Special Envoy must have teeth in his position and powers,” Mostyn said. “Although there are limits to his position, our hope is with this letter, he can advance the interests of Canadian Jewry more effectively. In doing so, we can secure a more tranquil future for Jewish Canadians and all other groups who encounter hate.”
