In response to rising antisemitism in Quebec and across Canada, an advocacy organization is calling on the province’s political parties to pledge to combat hate in their platforms for the upcoming provincial election.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) noted that over the last year, religiously motivated hate crimes have soared by 67 percent compared to 2020, according to Statistics Canada.
The Jewish community was the most frequent target for these crimes, representing 55 percent of all reported cases.
“Despite the fact Quebec is an open and tolerant society, there are still hateful individuals who have not understood this message. All Quebecers have the right to feel safe in their homes, and that includes those of Jewish faith and descent,” CIJA Quebec Vice President Eta Yudin said. “We have provided Quebec’s political parties with concrete proposals to fight hate and are now waiting to see what they propose in response.”
To help authorities combat antisemitism, CIJA proposed a series of measures to Quebec’s political parties.
These include increasing resources for police force staff specializing in fighting hate crimes and the creation of a community security fund to respond to security needs for groups frequently targeted by hate crimes.
CIJA also urged political parties to add to the Citizenship Education course plan a segment on the history of Quebec’s Jewish community, and its contributions to the province's political, cultural, and economic success.
“Quebec’s Jewish community represents more than 250 years of belonging and contributions to our common nation,” Yudin said. “The history of Quebec’s Jewish community is integral to Quebec’s history, and that must be recognized in the way Citizenship Education will be taught.”