Jewish Groups Urge Canadian Government to Combat Antisemitism

OTTAWA — With the Canadian government preparing to unveil its budget for 2025, Jewish organizations are calling for significant measures to combat rising antisemitism. B’nai Brith Canada has urged the administration led by Mark Carney to utilize the upcoming budget as an opportunity to strengthen the nation’s commitment to confronting racism and ensuring public safety.

In a statement, Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy at B’nai Brith, emphasized the need for legislative changes to prevent organizations listed as terrorist entities from maintaining corporate status in Canada. “B’nai Brith has called on the federal government to use the Budget Implementation Act (BIA) to amend the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and other applicable legislation,” he said. “For example, Samidoun, which was designated a terrorist entity in 2024, continues to operate as a non-profit corporation. The forthcoming BIA presents an opportunity for the federal government to remedy this issue and prevent similar occurrences in the future.”

Despite being classified as a terrorist group last October, Samidoun has continued its operations in Canada. The federal government has faced criticism for not delisting the organization as a registered not-for-profit. Following a report in the Toronto Sun, Industry Minister Melanie Joly stated it was “completely unacceptable” for organizations listed as terrorist entities to maintain their status as federally registered non-profits.

The situation escalated earlier this year when Charlotte Kates, a leader of Samidoun, participated in a public funeral for deceased Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who died in an Israeli airstrike. Recent social media reports indicate that Kates has returned to Beirut, where she publicly denounced the classification of her group as terrorists by Canada, the United States, and Germany.

B’nai Brith’s annual report highlights a troubling spike in antisemitic incidents across Canada in 2024. The report noted a rise in hate-related activities, particularly from far-left and anti-Israel activists who have organized rallies and intimidation marches in Toronto, often through Jewish neighbourhoods.

Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), has echoed B’nai Brith’s concerns, urging the government to significantly increase funding through the Canada Community Security Program. He stated that the surge in hate targeting Jewish communities and the growing extremism in Canadian society have led to heightened security threats.

“What we’ve seen over the last two years is a skyrocketing of hate targeting our community,” Shack remarked. “For us to engage in everyday activities—taking our kids to school, attending religious services, or participating in community events—extraordinary security measures have become necessary.”

Shack highlighted that while safety concerns are not new to Jewish communities, the increase in antisemitic incidents since the attacks on October 7, 2023, has made it imperative for the government to act decisively. “The primary responsibility of government is to keep the population safe, and we need more support to achieve that,” he added. “This is not just specific to our community; however, we are facing particularly acute challenges.”

As the federal government prepares to release its budget, the implications of these calls to action remain to be seen. Community leaders are hoping for a robust response that will not only address the current climate of hate but also protect the values of inclusivity and safety for all Canadians.