Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Antisemitism and Community Security

CIJA has called on Provincial and Federal governments to offer additional support to at-risk communities in order to cover the rising cost of securtiy enhancements and protection mechanisms for community institutions.

The Jewish community continues to be one of Canada's most frequent victims of hate crimes. Most recently, a June 2015 Statistics Canada report concluded that Jews are targeted for hate more than any other religious minority in Canada.^[8] This figure is reflected in Toronto Police reports from 2015^[9] and 2016. According to reports, the vast majority of hate crimes targeting Jews fell under the category of "mischief", defined in the Criminal Code as follows:

• 430. (1) Every one commits mischief who willfully (a) destroys or damages property;
• (b) renders property dangerous, useless, inoperative or ineffective;(c) obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property; or
• (d) obstructs, interrupts or interferes with any person in the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property.

In Ontario, CIJA has called on the Anti-Racism Directorate to include combating antisemitism in its mandate.

CIJA has regularly condemned acts of vandalism targeting places of worship and faith-based schools in Canada, including acts committed against Jewish, Sikh, and Muslim institutions.

Hate Speech Legislation

CIJA has been actively involved in the public debate surrounding the balance between protecting free speech and preventing the spread of hate speech. In 2012, in response to concerns toward Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act (hate speech on the internet), CIJA proposed two options to achieve a reasonable balance. The first entailed reforming the existing act, including through measures to increase evidentiary standards, allow for early rejection of inadmissible Section 13 complaints, and discourage frivolous claims (including the assigning of costs to those who launch vexatious complaints). The second option would repeal Section 13 altogether, and assign responsibility for online hate speech exclusively to a more responsive criminal justice system.^[10]

Preventing Terrorism

CIJA testified before parliamentary committees in support of measures like the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act^[11] and the Anti-Terrorism Act 2015 (Bill C-51). Regarding C-51, CIJA provided the committee with proposals for oversight and privacy protection, and a national de-radicalization program that would bring communities battling radicalization together with those targeted by terror to marginalize violent extremism.

CIJA has successfully advocated for the inclusion of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety as a terrorist entity.^[12] On December 20, 2012, Canada's Minister of Public Safetwey Vic Toews announced changes to the list of terrorist entities:

The list of terrorist entities sends a strong message that Canada will not tolerate terrorist activities, including terrorist financing, or those who support such activities. That is why Canada has made the principled decision to add the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Qods Force to the list.^[13]

Restitution for Canadian Holocaust Survivors

In June 2015, CIJA mobilized a delegation of Jewish community leaders and Holocaust survivors, affiliated with Canadian Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants, to advocate for restitution for Holocaust survivors from Eastern Europe. Approximately 40,000 Holocaust survivors built new lives in Canada, many living in poverty. Together with the World Jewish Restitution Organization, CIJA's delegation met with diplomatic representatives from the European Union, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Serbia. CIJA later engaged the ambassadors of Poland, Latvia, Hungary and Bulgaria as well.

The campaign was based on the 2009 Terezin Declaration on Holocaust-Era Assets,^[14] which was approved by 46 countries (including Canada) and calls for just and fair solutions regarding the status of private, communal and heirless property stolen from Jews during World War II. It specifically calls for relevant governments to "make every effort to provide for the restitution of former Jewish communal and religious property," and it advocates for expeditious compensation for those who lost property during the Holocaust and their heirs.

The Government of Canada, in response, directed Canadian diplomats in relevant countries to raise the restitution issue with implicated governments in early 2015.^[15]

Affordable Access to Kosher Food

In 2012, CIJA successfully intervened to secure a special exemption from Canada's dairy tariff system for Cholov Yisroel cheese imports,^[16] preventing a substantial price increase for consumers across Canada that would have impacted families, caterers, and restaurants.

CIJA also successfully intervened to prevent the Canadian Food Inspection Agency from introducing uniform 'stun' regulations that would prevent kosher slaughter. The proposed regulatory changes were abandoned, averting major price increases and supply issues that would have accompanied the end of domestic kosher meat production.

In May 2013, Ontario's only kosher chicken processor ceased operation. A Montreal supplier has met substantial demand throughout Ontario and Manitoba. However, decreased and unsteady quality issues, variety of product and supply, and increased delivery distances have led to an escalation in the costs borne by consumers.

Preventing Genetic Discrimination

Canada remains the only G7 country without specific protections in place to prevent genetic discrimination. As a result, Canadians who undergo genetic testing can be compelled by insurance companies and employers to disclose their results and may be denied employment or insurance based on their genes. CIJA states, "It is time for the law to catch up with science and bring an end to genetic discrimination in Canada."

CIJA supports legislation that will prevent genetic discrmination at both the provincial and federal levels.^[17]

Other Issues

In October 2012, CIJA called on the Government of Canada to cancel its proposed plan to cut part-time prison chaplains, which would include all Rabbis and other non-Christian chaplains.^[18]

In June 2013, CIJA wrote to the Quebec Soccer Federation, calling on the organization to cancel its ban on Sikh turbans during soccer matches.^[19] At the same time, CIJA wrote to FIFA, calling on the international soccer regulator to issue a statement permitting the use of religious headgear on the soccer pitch.^[20] On June 15, 2013, the Quebec Soccer Federation cancelled its ban on turbans.

Promoting Greater Multilateral Canada-Israel Diplomatic Cooperation

Canada and Israel enjoy almost 70 years of friendship and diplomatic cooperation. Whether standing up at the United Nations in opposition to anti-Israel resolutions or acting as the diplomatic conduit representing Israel in Cuba and Venezuela, Canada enjoys strong ties with its Israel based on shared values and shared interests.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne with MPP Eric Hoskins and Israeli Consul General DJ Schneeweiss,^[21] announcing a trade mission to Israel (April, 2016)

CIJA aims to promote the Canada-Israel relationship through expanded trade, investment, and scientific and academic exchange.The organization also takes groups to Israel on fact-finding missions.^[22] These missions expose participants to many important aspects of Israel, including tours of Jerusalem's Old City, Yad Vashem, the Knesset, the Supreme Court, border positions along the Golan Heights. Missions are organized and staffed by a dedicated team of Canadian ex-pats with decades of experience designing programs tailored for Canadians.

Mission participants enjoy briefings and dinners with Jewish and Arab Israeli experts with extensive experience in government, media, military, and academia, representing different perspectives of issues that impact Israel and the region. Mission participants also meet with leaders in the Palestinian community.

CIJA often tailors missions by audience, for example:

• Missions for Canadian Members of Parliament include meetings with Members of the Knesset
• A mission for high-tech journalists included visits to many Israeli start-ups and research and development centres of international high tech companies
• A mission for green entrepreneurs provided Canadian businesspeople an opportunity to visit Israeli companies leading development of technologies in solar energy and water conservation
• Academic missions enable university presidents and graduate-level students to meet with officials at Israel's top universities, the Bank of Israel, and Israeli government departments overseeing financial and industrial policy

Opposition to Boycotts of Israel

CIJA has fought boycott, divestment and sanctions efforts against Israel in Canada. In August 2012, CIJA campaigned against a United Church of Canada (UCC) boycott of Israeli settlements. At the time, CIJA's CEO Shimon Fogel distinguished between criticism of Israeli policies and initiatives that single out the Jewish state for economic coercion:

Peace will come only through negotiations and painful concessions by both Israelis and Palestinians. This is the consensus among most Canadians and across the political spectrum (the NDP, under both Jack Layton and Thomas Mulcair, firmly rejected boycott, divestment and sanctions efforts). No doubt this reflects the majority of UCC members, who would hope to play a constructive role in supporting the legitimate aspirations of both sides.... The framework for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict described above is also upheld by the mainstream peace movement, which is engaged in a myriad of projects to bring both sides together. To contribute to this movement, one need not refrain from criticizing particular Israeli policies (as Israeli peace activists can attest). One must simply commit to advancing peace through balance, mutual obligations and reconciliation – rather than coercion and the singling out of one side for blame.^[23]

Ontario BDS Motion

On December 1, 2016, the Ontario Legislative Assembly voted to pass MPP Gila Martow's private Motion 36,^[24] which affirms that the Legislature "stands firmly against any position or movement that promotes or encourages any form of hatred, hostility, prejudice, racism and intolerance in any way." The resolution further affirmed strong bilateral relations between Ontario and Israel and declared that the Legislature "rejects the differential treatment of Israel, including the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement" – also known as BDS. Prior to the vote, CIJA worked with Hillels across the province to launch a campaign that mobilized thousands of Ontarians to contact their MPP in support of the motion.

In response, Joel Reitman, Greater Toronto Area Co-Chair of CIJA, said

We applaud MPP Gila Martow for bringing forward this important motion and commend all MPPs who voted in its favour. Today's motion is a principled declaration that, just as Ontarians rightly oppose all forms of discrimination, our province rejects BDS and other bigoted campaigns against Israelis.^[25]

Sara Lefton, CIJA's Vice President, Greater Toronto Area, added:

Combined with recent provincial and municipal trade missions to Israel, this motion reflects the growing strength of the Ontario-Israel relationship. It also demonstrates that elected officials across party lines recognize that BDS is tainted by antisemitism. Just as we are grateful that the Legislature has taken this stand, we are proud that – in just a few short days – thousands of Ontarians took unified action to urge MPPs to support this motion.^[25]

BUYcott Campaign

CIJA operates the website BuycottIsrael.ca, which alerts consumers to Israeli products that are being targeted for boycott by activists critics of Israel's policies toward Palestinians and provides details on where those products can be purchased in North America. The address buycottisrael.com redirected to a page hosted at the main CIJA page as of 25 December 2015, as the campaign continues.

Opposition to the Iranian government

For years, CIJA has been at the forefront of efforts to increase Canadian sanctions against Iran, as a diplomatic response to Tehran's violations of UN resolutions and IAEA directives. In 2012, CIJA's CEO, Shimon Fogel, warned of the consequences of a nuclear-armed Iran:

...critics dismiss the fact that history is replete with examples of our assumptions crumbling before our very eyes with devastating consequences. The most dangerous assumptions are that rational self-interest will always triumph and no government — even a genocidal one — would really risk the well-being of its own people. If these were rules of nature rather than vain hopes, we would have never witnessed the horrors of World War II. Iran's leaders would not be the first to take self-destructive actions that seem unimaginable to us, and no one can tell Israel that history will not repeat itself. Indeed, Israelis — or any other people — should not be forced to live under a shadow of nuclear annihilation.^[26]

In April 2008, Iran objected to CIJA receiving non-governmental organization accreditation for a United Nations conference on racism; CIJA withdrew its accreditation request.^[27]

Concern for Christians in the Middle East

CIJA has regularly spoken out against the phenomenon of rising violence and intimidation against Christians in parts of the Middle East and Africa. In January 2012, a CIJA spokesperson wrote:

There is a strong case to be made that the persecution of Christians in Egypt and elsewhere (including Nigeria, Iraq, Pakistan, and North Korea) should become the equivalent of the "Free Soviet Jewry" movement for the current generation of Christians – with the support of Jews, Muslims, and people of all faiths.^[28]