Latest news with #CentreforIsraelandJewishAffairs
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former diplomats call for arms embargo on Israel, recognition of Palestinian state
OTTAWA – Dozens of former senior Canadian diplomats are calling on Ottawa to recognize a Palestinian state, saying Israel's conduct in the West Bank and Gaza violates Canadian interests and values. In a letter sent to media outlets today, the former diplomats also call on the federal government to impose a full arms embargo on Israel and to give notice it will suspend its trade agreement with Israel if the country doesn't change course. The letter has been signed by 173 former Canadian ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls-general, including some prominent former envoys. They say in the letter the principles Canada stands for 'are being abandoned daily with the massive displacement, indiscriminate bombardment and starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the violent attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank.' The former diplomats say recognition of Palestinian statehood would encourage serious peace talks and tell Israel 'that it does not have a veto' on the matter. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is mounting a campaign against recognizing a Palestinian state, arguing that 'hollow statehood recognition will only reward and embolden Hamas.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Jewish group calls on Ontario government to address antisemitism in schools following federal report
A Canadian Jewish group is calling on its supporters to urge the Ontario government to address antisemitism within schools after a federal report found nearly half of incidents reported to administrators were not investigated. 'Jewish children are being harassed, excluded and dehumanized — sometimes by their classmates, sometimes by their teachers,' the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) said in a statement on Wednesday. 'That's why CIJA has called on the Government of Ontario to implement real, tangible reforms. If nothing changes and school boards fail in their mandate to deliver safe schools, the Minister must stay true to his commitment and step in.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The report, which was commissioned by the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and published this month in Canadian Jewish Studies, found 781 antisemitic incidents in elementary schools and high schools were reported between Oct. 7, 2023 and January 2025. The report found that 49 per cent of the incidents 'were not investigated.' The most troubling episodes highlighted in the report, authored by University of Toronto professor Robert Brym, included a teacher telling a six-year-old Jewish girl with one Jewish parent that she was 'half human.' Others reported hearing comments such as 'Jews are vermin,' 'Jews are cheap,' and 'F–k you, Jews.' Josh Landau, CIJA's director of government relations overseeing Ontario, called on the provincial government to ensure all school boards across the province adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. The non-legally binding definition has been adopted by several provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, as well as the federal government and dozens of foreign countries. It deems comments comparing Jews or Israel to Nazi Germany as antisemitic, along with classic tropes alluding to Jewish control of banks and the media. Critics argue the defnition can curtail legitimate criticism of Israel and can be weaponized to censor Palestinian advocates. In a written comment, Landau told National Post on Wednesday that IHRA remained 'the consensus definition,' yet 'Ontario's school system lacks a clear, shared definition of antisemitism.' The CIJA executive said the provincial government needs to be more proactive as opposed to 'this fragmented, inconsistent approach (which) puts students at risk of hate and violence.' 'Without the proper tools or understanding, this has proven to be problematic for individual school boards to navigate,' he said. The Canadian Jewish group is also asking the province to create a 'standardized hate reporting system' and to streamline the release of its Holocaust education curriculum. The latter was delayed after the Ford government appointed supervisors to oversee some of the largest school boards in the province in early July, including the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). CIJA's public appeal comes just days after it sent a letter to Education Minister Paul Calandra and Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Graham McGregor on July 18 advocating the need for a 'joint strategy to address antisemitism within Ontario public schools.' The letter, which was also authored by Landau and publicized on Wednesday morning, refers extensively to last week's Ontario public school antisemitism report. The report found 10 per cent of Jewish students had 'directly experienced' an antisemitic incident between the October 7 Hamas attacks and January 2025 and that over 40 per cent of encounters 'involved Nazi salutes, glorification of (Adolph) Hitler, or similar expressions of hate.' Following the release of a federal report confirming widespread antisemitism within Ontario's schools, we wrote to the Government of Ontario, urging them to develop and implement a strategy to stop antisemitism in our classrooms. Jewish students are being harassed, excluded, and… On Wednesday, Calandra told the Post in a written statement that he was 'deeply concerned, angry and frustrated with the findings of a recent report on antisemitism in Ontario schools' and he pledged to intervene if school leaders fail to uphold standards. 'Schools must be a safe place for every student to learn in a respectful and supportive environment. I expect school boards across the province to focus on student achievement and creating supportive classrooms, free of discrimination in any form, absent of divisive politics that leave students feeling unsafe, parents frustrated and angry, and teachers who simply want to teach but unable to do so,' the Conservative MPP said. 'If boards are unable to succeed in their main mandate ‚ student achievement — by delivering safe schools, then I will step in.' The minister of citizenship and multiculturalism reiterated Calandra's statement and directed the Post to the Education Minister's statement published on X. Deborah Lyons, Canada's special envoy on antisemitism, told National Post in a written statement last week that the report's findings demonstrated the 'need to seriously consider antisemitism education, not just Holocaust education.' 'Something has gone terribly wrong with our promises of 'Never Again' when over 40 per cent of the incidents in this study involved Nazi salutes, Holocaust denial, and overt verbal hate such as 'Hitler should have finished the job,'' said the former Canadian ambassador to Israel. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Canada's envoy for combatting antisemitism Deborah Lyons leaving post early
Article content Canada's special official for fighting antisemitism announced on Thursday that she is retiring her post, three months before the end of her term. Article content Deborah Lyons served as Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism since October 2023, and was set to serve until this October. In a social media post announcing her departure she did not explain why she is leaving before then. Article content Article content Article content Lyons did say that she is leaving 'with a heavy heart' and with some deep disappointments while also pointing to achievements including work with institutions like universities and polices to improve understanding of anti-Jewish hate. Article content Article content She said her office fought antisemitism 'with a vigour and passion not seen in many other countries,' and yet she leaves with concern over Canadians who feel they must pick a side when it comes to defending humanity. Article content 'Support to one community should never mean, or be interpreted as, minimizing another community. Our value of inclusivity has at its core our ability to hold the concerns of multiple communities, in our hearts and minds,' Lyons wrote. Article content 'It was troubling in the last few years to see our lack of patience, lack of tolerance, and inability to reach out across the gulf to one another.' Article content She says there must be 'seamless co-operation amongst the three levels of government to combat hate' and joint efforts from business, education and faith sectors. Article content Article content On Monday, Lyons took the unconventional step of releasing a report about issues that fall squarely into provincial jurisdiction, urging Ontario school boards to take seriously incidents of anti-Jewish bigotry targeting students, after she commissioned a survey of Jewish parents with children in the province's schools. Article content Lyons was the second person to hold the post of antisemitism envoy, following former attorney general Irwin Cotler who filled the role between 2020 and 2023. She is not Jewish, but served as Canada's ambassador to Israel between 2016 and 2020. Article content Global Affairs Canada has not yet replied to questions about when Lyons' replacement will be appointed. Article content Lyons' departure prompted messages of support from Jewish advocates. Article content 'She's brought clarity, conviction and compassion to a critical mandate,' the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs wrote in a statement.
Vancouver Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Immigration minister won't say if Canada considering barring rap groups Bob Vylan, Kneecap
OTTAWA — A prominent Jewish organization is pushing for Canada to deny entry to two bands being investigated in the U.K. after their appearance at a popular British music festival last month. In late June, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs asked the ministers of public safety and immigration to bar Irish rap group Kneecap and English punk rap duo Bob Vylan. 'I respectfully urge your offices to review the admissibility of the individuals involved with Kneecap and Bob Vylan and to assess whether their presence in Canada aligns with our country's legislation around hate speech,' vice-president of government relations David Cooper wrote in a letter to the ministers. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Avon and Somerset Police launched a criminal probe after reviewing video footage of their performances at the Glastonbury festival in the U.K. on June 25. Bob Vylan led a chant of 'death to the IDF,' in reference to Israel's military, at the Glastonbury Festival. One member of Kneecap had previously been charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at an earlier performance. CIJA says those incidents violate 'Canadian hate speech laws' and contradict 'our core values.' It's urging supporters to write to the government in support of the ban. In his letter to the government, Cooper said allowing 'performers who glorify terrorism or incite hatred to enter Canada and perform here would send a deeply troubling signal.' Kneecap is scheduled to play in Toronto and Vancouver in October. The U.S. State Department revoked the visas issued to the members of Bob Vylan on June 30. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on social media that the U.S. acted due to the 'hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants.' 'Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,' he said. Liberal MP Anthony Housefather welcomed the U.S. visa decision and said that same day that Canada should follow suit. He said he also raised the issue with Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. 'To me neither of these performers … should be admissible to Canada. And they should be refused should any request for entry happen,' Housefather said in an interview on Monday. He said 'it's clear we need certainty that they can't enter the country to incite hatred in Canada.' On Sunday, a group of Indigenous leaders who are part of the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem urged the entertainment companies Live Nation and MRG Group not to allow Kneecap to perform. 'Allowing them to play would not only be a violation of the peace treaties signed by First Nations leaders, but would openly glorify terrorism and hatred,' they said. A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Lena Diab said the government cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy legislation. People seeking to enter Canada have to meet requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, Matthew Krupovich said. 'Each case is assessed individually. Entry to Canada may be refused for a number of reasons, including concerns related to security, human or international rights violations, or criminal activity,' he said. In a statement, CIJA said it had not heard back from either Anandasangaree or Diab and that the situation raises questions about whether Canada's existing laws will be applied to block the admission to Canada of foreigners who glorify violence. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Immigration minister won't say if Canada considering barring rap groups Bob Vylan, Kneecap
Article content OTTAWA — A prominent Jewish organization is pushing for Canada to deny entry to two bands being investigated in the U.K. after their appearance at a popular British music festival last month. Article content In late June, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs asked the ministers of public safety and immigration to bar Irish rap group Kneecap and English punk rap duo Bob Vylan. Article content Article content Article content 'I respectfully urge your offices to review the admissibility of the individuals involved with Kneecap and Bob Vylan and to assess whether their presence in Canada aligns with our country's legislation around hate speech,' vice-president of government relations David Cooper wrote in a letter to the ministers. Article content Bob Vylan led a chant of 'death to the IDF,' in reference to Israel's military, at the Glastonbury Festival. One member of Kneecap had previously been charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at an earlier performance. Article content Article content CIJA says those incidents violate 'Canadian hate speech laws' and contradict 'our core values.' It's urging supporters to write to the government in support of the ban. Article content Article content In his letter to the government, Cooper said allowing 'performers who glorify terrorism or incite hatred to enter Canada and perform here would send a deeply troubling signal.' Article content Kneecap is scheduled to play in Toronto and Vancouver in October. Article content The U.S. State Department revoked the visas issued to the members of Bob Vylan on June 30. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on social media that the U.S. acted due to the 'hateful tirade at Glastonbury, including leading the crowd in death chants.' Article content Article content 'Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,' he said. Article content Liberal MP Anthony Housefather welcomed the U.S. visa decision and said that same day that Canada should follow suit. He said he also raised the issue with Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. Article content 'To me neither of these performers … should be admissible to Canada. And they should be refused should any request for entry happen,' Housefather said in an interview on Monday.
