B’nai Brith Canada’s 7-Point Plan to Combat Antisemitism in Canada
1
ALL OF GOVERNMENT Approach to the Implementation and Application of the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism
Rationale:
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism provides a comprehensive framework for identifying and combating antisemitism in all its forms. This definition is crucial for policymakers, law enforcement, and educational institutions to effectively address antisemitism.
- National Adoption: The federal, provincial, and municipal governments should adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism across all levels, including within public institutions like schools and universities.
- Implementation Guidelines: Governments and institutions that have adopted the IHRA definition should establish clear guidelines and protocols for its implementation. This includes incorporating the definition into hate crime legislation, anti-discrimination policies, and educational curricula.
- Training and Education: Law enforcement, educators, and public servants should undergo training on the IHRA definition and its application in various contexts to ensure antisemitic incidents are recognized and addressed appropriately.
- Monitoring and Reporting: A national monitoring system should be established to track the adoption and implementation of the IHRA definition, identifying areas where it is not being effectively applied, and implementing improvements where necessary.
2
Ban Al-Quds Day Rallies and Rallies That Support Terror Entities and Sanctioned Regimes
Rationale:
Ban Al–Quds Day Rallies and Rallies That Support Terror Entities and Sanctioned Regimes
- National Ban: The federal government must implement a national ban on all rallies that promote hate speech, violence, and extremism, including those like Al-Quds Day. These events have no place in a society that values diversity, tolerance, and the safety of all its citizens.
- Enforcement: Law enforcement agencies must actively monitor and intervene at events where hate speech and incitement to violence are likely, ensuring that participants and organizers face legal consequences.
- Accountability: Local governments and universities must take a firm stance against permitting their facilities to be used for hate rallies, ensuring alignment with Canada’s commitment to combating all forms of hate speech.
3
Comprehensive Listing of Terrorist Organizations
Terrorist organizations pose significant threats not only globally but also within Canada. Terrorist organizations have been directly or indirectly involved in activities that endanger Canadian citizens, promote violence, and spread extremist ideologies.
- Designation of All Terror Groups: The federal government should officially list these and other emerging groups with known terrorist activities as terrorist organizations under Canadian law. This designation would make it illegal to provide any form of support or affiliation to these entities.
- Collaboration with Allies: The Canadian government should work closely with international allies to ensure these groups are recognized as terrorist entities worldwide, promoting a coordinated global response to their activities.
4
Combat the Importation and Exportation of Hate and Terror
Rationale:
Canada has increasingly become a target for the importation of extremist ideologies and the exportation of terror from within its borders. Lax immigration policies and insufficient monitoring of individuals who promote or participate in extremist activities have allowed foreign hate groups to spread their ideology within Canada. This influence often extends into educational institutions, community organizations, and even political movements, undermining Canadian values and endangering the safety of Canadian citizens. At the same time, weak enforcement has permitted the exportation of radicalization and terror activities abroad. Strengthening laws and border security to prevent the import and export of hate and terror is critical for ensuring the safety of Canadians and preserving Canada’s values of tolerance and respect.
- Stricter Immigration Controls: The federal government must implement more rigorous screening for foreign students, immigrants, refugees, and visitors with respect to extremism and radicalization. This should include in-depth background checks and ongoing monitoring to ensure that individuals with ties to extremist groups are not allowed to enter or remain in Canada. As well, the continuous monitoring of these individuals should be performed during their stay in Canada to prevent the spread of extremist views.
- Enhanced Monitoring of Foreign Influence: Law enforcement agencies must actively monitor foreign groups or individuals attempting to spread extremist ideologies or engage in terrorist activities within Canada. This includes working closely with intelligence agencies to identify foreign actors who seek to radicalize Canadian citizens.
- Deportation of Extremists: Government authorities should identify and deport leaders of extremist groups or individuals who actively promote hate and violence within Canada. This measure is critical for dismantling networks that threaten Canadian communities, particularly the Jewish community.
- Prevent the Export of Terrorism: The government must establish stricter penalties and laws to prevent the export of terror and radicalization. Canadians or residents involved in extremist activities or supporting terror abroad should face immediate legal consequences, including deportation or long-term imprisonment.
5
Proactively Confront Antisemitism on Campuses
Rationale:
Antisemitism on university campuses has been a growing concern and is now at crisis levels. With incidents ranging from antisemitic speech by professors to the spread of extremist views through student organizations, ensuring that educational institutions take responsibility for combating antisemitism is critical to protecting students and promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment.
- Establish Clear Guidelines: The federal and provincial governments should develop and enforce comprehensive guidelines requiring universities and other educational institutions to create antisemitism prevention and response strategies. These guidelines should include policies for addressing hate speech, antisemitic incidents, and incorporating antisemitism into broader diversity and inclusion programs.
- Educational Programs: The government should ensure that antisemitism education is integrated into school curricula at all levels, from elementary to post-secondary. These programs should cover the history of antisemitism, its modern manifestations, and its impact on Jewish communities.
- Mandatory Training: Universities should provide regular, mandatory training on antisemitism for faculty, staff, and students. This will ensure they are equipped to recognize and respond appropriately to antisemitic behaviour.
- Incident Reporting and Response: A transparent and accessible system for reporting antisemitic incidents should be developed for campuses. Clear protocols for investigating and addressing these reports should be implemented, and universities should be required to publish annual reports on their efforts to combat antisemitism. Conditional Funding: Government funding and support for educational institutions should be contingent upon the active implementation of antisemitism policies and programs. Universities that fail to comply should face financial penalties and reputational consequences.
6
Proactively Confront Antisemitism Within the Education Sector
Rationale:
Antisemitism is increasingly being normalized within the education sector, from K-12 schools to post-secondary institutions. Whether through biased curricula, antisemitic rhetoric from educators, or the presence of antisemitic groups and symbols, Jewish students and educators are facing a hostile environment that undermines the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and safety within Canada’s education system.
- Curriculum Reform: The federal and provincial governments should review and revise educational curricula to ensure the accurate representation of Jewish history and the inclusion of antisemitism awareness. This should include combating Holocaust denial and revisionism, as well as addressing contemporary forms of antisemitism.
- Teacher Training Programs: Ministries of education should integrate mandatory antisemitism education into teacher training programs. Teachers should be equipped with the tools to recognize, address, and prevent antisemitic incidents in classrooms, fostering a respectful learning environment for all students.
- Student Support Systems: School boards should establish comprehensive support systems for Jewish students who experience antisemitism. These systems should include accessible reporting mechanisms, swift disciplinary measures for perpetrators, and counselling services for affected students.
- Campus Accountability: Schools and universities should be held accountable for any failure to address antisemitic incidents. Independent oversight committees should be created to investigate complaints and ensure that corrective actions are taken swiftly and transparently.
7
Amend The Criminal Code to Better Assist in the Combating of Hate
Rationale:
The current legal framework in Canada does not fully address the growing threat of hate speech and hate-motivated violence in public spaces. Loopholes in the Criminal Code, such as lenient penalties for hate-motivated crimes and the ability to conceal identity through mask-wearing at protests, have allowed individuals to evade accountability while engaging in harmful and illegal activities. Amending the Criminal Code to strengthen measures against all forms of hate-motivated offences will provide law enforcement with better tools to prevent and address these behaviours. By closing these gaps, Canada can more effectively combat hate and uphold the values of tolerance, safety, and respect for all its citizens.
- Strengthen Penalties for Hate Crimes: The federal government should introduce amendments to the Criminal Code to increase penalties for hate-motivated crimes. This includes harsher sentencing guidelines for crimes committed with a hateful intent, ensuring that perpetrators face significant consequences.
- Legal Framework for Mask Prohibition: The federal and provincial governments should introduce legislation that prohibits the wearing of masks or face coverings at protests, except for those with legitimate medical or religious reasons. This law should balance the right to protest with the need to prevent hate speech, violence, and other illegal activities.
- Broaden the Definition of Hate Speech: Amend the Criminal Code to broaden the definition of hate speech to include modern forms of online and digital harassment, which are often used to target minority communities, including the Jewish community. This will ensure that hate speech in all forms is recognized and punishable by law.
- Criminalize the Display of the Flags and Emblems of Listed Terror Entities: Amend the Criminal Code to include a provision outlawing the display of the Flags and Emblems of Listed Terror entities.
- Enforcement and Penalties: Law enforcement agencies should ensure the effective enforcement of these laws by imposing fines or other penalties on individuals who violate hate crime legislation or the prohibition on mask-wearing at protests. This will help maintain accountability and deter unlawful behaviour.
