In The Know

Antisemitism in Canada indicates a failure to stand up for our Jewish communities: ON Point

Jewish communities across the globe are experiencing a rise of antisemitic hate and incidences amid the recent renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas. The Jewish diaspora in Canada have also been impacted by this disturbing trend

MLI Foreign Policy Director and Munk Senior Fellow Shuvaloy Majumdar joined Alex Pierson on her show ON Point to discuss this inflammation of hate and the situation here in Canada.

“I can’t even begin to articulate how frustrating it is for someone who cares about Canada and our incredible diversity that for some reason this ancient, pernicious hatred of Jews is now being manifest in an expectation that the Jewish community somehow has to be ‘less Jewish’ in order for the rest of Canada to be Canadian.”

Certainly there are fair ways to criticize the state of Israel, Pierson adds, but that criticism must be grounded in truth and include proper context that reflects the actual situation and not just disinformation that freely flows online, often spread by celebrities and high-profile activists. 

This failure to stand up for our Jewish communities is an abrogation of responsibility from all levels of society, from our government and our media to our academic, corporate, and social institutions, Majumdar says. It is also a symptom of broader societal rot, he argues. 

“Our town square is broken and falling. Our institutions are corrupted and misguided. And our public advocates are weak and incapable of moral leadership—the stuff that makes our democracy thrive,” he writes.

Majumdar concludes with a recommendation: “This is the tenth anniversary of the Ottawa Protocol against antisemitism. What a great time to renew it.”

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