Parliamentary committee laments “unprecedented" levels of anti-Semitism in Canada

08 July 2011

A new report by a committee of parliamentarians says Canada is facing unprecedented levels of anti-Semitism, especially on university campuses. The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA), which published the findings, urged the federal government to take action.

The report also suggests legislators and others are not clear on what constitutes anti-Semitism. After two years of hearings, the coalition wants the government in Ottawa to adopt "a clear and concise definition of what anti-Semitism entails." At the same time, it urges the Executive Branch to develop police training to counter anti-Semitism. The CPCCA report also calls for conferences at universities in response to events such as Israeli Apartheid Week, held annually. The parliamentary coalition was formed in March 2009 by 22 lawmakers from all major parties and aims to confront and combat anti-Semitism in Canada.

Last fall, the group co-hosted a conference in Ottawa involving likeminded legislators from more than 50 countries. The conference produced the Ottawa Protocol on Combating Anti-Semitism which expressed concern over the "dramatic increase" in anti-Semitic hate crimes and attacks worldwide.

A total of 74 witnesses testified at ten hearings of the committee, and more than 150 written submissions were made between November 2009 and February 2010.