A borough within the city of Montreal has joined the growing list of jurisdictions to formally adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism.
According to a statement by B’nai Brith Canada, the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce approved a motion Wednesday which makes the IHRA definition the official guideline for determining what constitutes anti-Semitism within its boundaries.
The initiative was spearheaded by opposition leader Lionel Perez, head of the "Ensemble Montreal" party.
"We commend the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and the entire city of Montreal for this important step towards the goal of eliminating anti-Semitism in this country," said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B'nai Brith Canada. "We can't address the problem without correctly identifying it, and the IHRA Definition is the best tool available for doing just that when it comes to antisemitism.
"Anti-Semitism has been rising in Canada for several years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this problem — including in Quebec and Montreal. We call on the City of Montreal to follow in the borough’s footsteps and do what is right," added Mostyn.
The IHRA working definition offers a comprehensive description of anti-Semitism in its various forms, including hatred and discrimination against Jews, Holocaust denial and, sometimes controversially, the way anti-Semitism relates to the ways criticism of Israel is expressed.
It has been adopted by a host of countries, including Albania, Germany, Britain, Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, France, Cyprus and Argentina.
The government of Canada formally adopted IHRA definition of anti-Semitism in 2019 as part of its anti-racism strategy.
The Canadian province of Ontario adopted the IHRA definition this past October, becoming the first Canadian province to do so.
Some localities in Canada have adopted the definition as well, among them the City of Barrie, which is located 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of Toronto, The York Regional Council, which represents several municipalities located north of Toronto, and the Montreal suburb of Westmount.