Honourable senators, I rise today in support of Motion No. 181, which calls for an urgent second national summit to combat anti-Semitism. Before I get to the crux of the matter on this motion, allow me to provide some background to those who are listening at home.

My colleague Senator Housakos gave notice of this motion on February 29, exactly eight months ago. He spoke on it on April 16, and debate was adjourned by Senator Dalphond. This motion was inspired by the tireless work of Mr. Marvin Rotrand of the Montreal-based organization United Against Hate Canada.

Mr. Rotrand recently contacted all the leaders of the various Senate caucuses to inquire why this motion was not progressed.

Initially, Mr. Rotrand reached out to Senator Gold to inquire about the fate of the motion. Unfortunately, Senator Gold served him the excuse that since it is not a government matter, he would not intervene to push for the motion to be debated. This is another clear example of Senator Gold’s inconsistent stance about his role. He claims he will not intervene on a motion against anti-Semitism under the pretext that this is not a government motion. And yet, the same Senator Gold participated twice, just this week, at the Foreign Affairs Committee because it is studying Bill C-282. In fact, Senator Gold has been attending all committee meetings on Bill C-282, which is not a government bill.

There is an undeniable paradox here. Senator Gold refuses to lift a finger in support of Motion No. 181, but he is willing to invest significant effort in a non-government bill — a private member’s bill — that doesn’t come from the government or the Liberal Party of Canada. His newfound preoccupation and dedication of time towards the future of the chicken, turkey, egg and dairy farming industries is at best questionable, especially when we contrast his efforts with his lack of action and his decision to pass the buck on the issue of anti-Semitism — which we know is very near and dear to his heart.

In any event, after eight months of no progression, it is time for the Senate to move on this motion.

A week ago Tuesday, I invited my fellow leaders to speak on the motion and invite members of their various caucuses to do so as well. I received full cooperation.

This past Tuesday, I informed the leaders we wanted to bring this motion to a vote today. Again, we received cooperation. I am thankful for that.

Colleagues, it is time for this Senate to send a clear signal to Canadians, particularly the Jewish community, that we take the issue of anti-Semitism seriously, stand by our fellow citizens who are attacked and will push the Government to act.

It is time for us to vote on this motion because the issue of anti-Semitism in Canada has not disappeared — quite the contrary.

This motion essentially calls for the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism to convene a second national summit to combat anti-Semitism. As you can see, we are not asking for a lot here. The motion calls for a summit. However, the motion is crucial because it comes at a difficult time for the Jewish community here at home, but also the community everywhere around the world.

While anti-Semitism is a phenomenon that goes back to immemorial times, we have seen a rise in incidents in the past year. It is time to send a clear signal about that.

We all know what anti-Semitism means: prejudice against or hatred of Jews. For reasons that are unclear to me, anti-Semitism has persisted throughout history, disappearing from public discourse only to resurface with unprecedented intensity.

From ancient Egypt to modern times, this hatred of Jews is incomprehensible. Why is there so much hate? For centuries, Jews have been a frequent scapegoat, falsely blamed for catastrophic events, disease, economic hardships and famine.

Even today, some U.S. politicians are accusing Jews of controlling the weather and creating catastrophic wildfires using laser beams from space.

Would you like to enter the debate?

This hate is accompanied by numerous ridiculous and disgusting tropes about Jews. Some people try to rationalize anti‑Semitism by linking it to anti-Zionism, claiming that the hatred of Jews stems from the hatred of Israel.

However, anti-Semitism has been around long before Israel was created in 1948. I have two problems with that argument. First, I cannot accept that profound disagreement with the policies conducted by the state of Israel equates to the hatred of the people of Israel; second, extending this hatred of Israel to people who live here is simply sickening.

Many Canadians disagree with the policies of a foreign government. They are 100% entitled to their opinion and to demonstrate in front of that country’s embassy or consulate. But attacking a synagogue in Montreal or boycotting a restaurant owner in Toronto simply because of a dislike for Israel is disgusting.

Let me make one thing clear: Disagreeing with the policies of Israel does not make one an anti-Semite. But attacking Jews because they are Jews under the pretext of Israel’s actions is anti‑Semitism. It is Jew hatred, pure and simple.

As University of Toronto President Meric Gertler recently noted in a conference:

Discrimination based on creed or place of origin does not cease to be prohibited simply because the word “Jewish” or “Israeli” is replaced with the word “Zionist.”

The position of Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism was created in 2020. In July 2021, the special envoy organized the first National Summit on Antisemitism. As Senator Housakos pointed out in his speech, that summit led to substantial new funding for the special envoy’s office, new money for the security infrastructure program, a commitment to better train civil servants and law enforcement to recognize and react to anti-Semitism and a strong statement by Canada at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in October 2021.

Of course, the creation of the position of special envoy — and the summit — did not mean that anti-Semitism disappeared from Canada. However, it brought concrete results and served as a signal to the Jewish community in Canada that they are not alone.

The events of October 7, 2023, in Israel, when Hamas terrorists killed and injured thousands of innocent people, have opened the floodgates to Jew hatred within Western democracies.

When we talk about foreign interference, it would be interesting to know who finances those violent demonstrations. Notwithstanding which foreign power has launched a war on Jews in Canada, we need to send a clear signal that, as a country, we will not tolerate this anymore.

When someone attacks a synagogue or a Jewish school because they supposedly disagree with the government of Israel, they are an anti-Semite. When someone calls for the boycott of a Canadian business owned by a Jew because they supposedly do not agree with the government of Israel, they are an anti-Semite.

When someone occupies a building of a Canadian university that bears the name of a Canadian-Jewish donor because they supposedly do not agree with the government of Israel, they are an anti-Semite.

When someone goes to a Jewish neighbourhood wearing a mask, shouting “death to Jews” and calling for the destruction of Israel because they supposedly do not agree with the government of Israel, they are an anti-Semite.

When someone organizes a march to glorify the killers of Jews because they supposedly do not agree with the government of Israel, they are an anti-Semite.

Regrettably, what I have just described happens every week in Canada. It is deplorable that anti-Semitism appears regularly in our country.

The resurgence of anti-Semitism in Canada and around the world is of great concern. We must commit ourselves to ensuring Canada is a place where everyone can live and worship in peace and security.

Here in Canada, the Trudeau government is obviously struggling to take a clear position in support of Israel, our long‑time ally.

In November 2023, former Liberal senator Jerry Grafstein wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister entitled, “Dear Justin Trudeau, rampant anti-Semitism on your watch is shameful.” He said:

Attacks on Jews in Canada — bullets at Jewish schools, fire‑bombing a synagogue and vandalizing restaurants or coffee shops in peaceful Jewish residential areas — are unconscionable.

Under your watch, antisemitic attacks at universities, law schools and even medical schools, is unprecedented in modern Canadian history. . . .

A year after the terrible massacre of October 7, Justin Trudeau and Mélanie Joly are still trying to say one thing and then say something contrary depending on the day and audience.

We have zero moral clarity from our government.

Colleagues, we cannot sit here and do nothing. It is time for the Senate to say enough is enough.

Anti-Semitism remains persistent and a deeply troubling issue in Canada. Therefore, the urgent need for a second national summit to combat anti-Semitism cannot be overstated. This summit could be a turning point. It will show to members of the community they are not alone. It will open dialogue on ways to educate and combat hate and discrimination. It may help us understand where the rising tide of hatred comes from.

The motion before us represents a crucial step in addressing the rise of anti-Semitism in Canada and ensuring that our Jewish community is supported and protected.

Our simple message is this: The Senate of Canada stands with you. You are not alone.

Also, we will make it clear that, as believers in the Canadian ideals of equality and nondiscrimination, we will not tolerate anti-Semitism as an acceptable and fashionable form of discrimination or as simply a byproduct of troubled times.

Colleagues, let’s work together as parliamentarians to combat anti-Semitism and hate crimes by voting in favour of Motion No. 181. Thank you.

Senator Plett, will you take a question?

Certainly.

I thank Senator Plett for his speech and share with him the importance of combatting the scourge of anti-Semitism and showing solidarity with Canadian Jews and Jews around the world.

You’re right, Senator Plett, in pointing out there has been a rise in anti-Semitism since the horrendous October 7 Hamas attack on innocent Jewish people in Israel. The motion makes reference to that incident. It says, “. . . since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s duty to respond to it . . . .”

I wonder, though, Senator Plett, if you consider Israel’s duty to respond to the attack as unlimited, without bounds, and whether it should be constrained and subject to international humanitarian law.

I believe wholeheartedly, 100%, full stop that Israel has the right to defend itself, and I stand with it.

My question is whether you agree that Israel’s right to defend itself, which I agree with, should be subject to international humanitarian law, in other words, subject to the regime of war crimes.

As I said, Senator Woo, Israel has the absolute, 100% right to defend itself, and I stand with them. I hope you do too.

I do stand with them. Since you will not answer my question, I hope that this national summit, which I think is sorely needed, will recognize that there are limits to the right of a country to defend itself, that those limits are constrained and defined by international humanitarian law, and that if, in fact, there are credible claims of violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, in the West Bank, this same summit will address those questions.

First of all, Senator Woo, there is one way to assure absolute, complete peace: If Hamas and Hezbollah and every other terrorist out there lay down their weapons, there will be instant peace.

Senator Woo, vote for this motion. I agree; we will allow this forum and this summit to take place, and hopefully they will deal with it in the most proper way. I’m not going to be there. I’m not going to instruct them. There is no amendment to the motion. It’s very clear and straightforward. I hope you support it.

First of all, Senator Simons, I thought it was your seatmate who interjected before. I didn’t know it was you when I asked whether you wanted to enter the debate, but I probably would have made the same comment had I realized it was you.

Nevertheless, Senator Simons, you are quite free, quite open, quite welcome to introduce a motion that you would like to, and I will certainly review that motion and decide whether or not I can support it. This one has nothing to do with any of the things that you just suggested.

Again, I’m not the author of the motion, Senator Simons. I am a supporter of Israel. I am absolutely opposed to all forms of anti-Semitism. And if we want to have a debate on what anti-Semitism is, some of the things you suggested are I might agree with, and some I might not agree with. This one we probably do agree with. This is the one we are debating. Let’s vote on it.

Would you take a question, Senator Plett?

Absolutely.

Senator Plett, it’s unfortunate in this chamber that a simple motion dealing with anti-Semitism, period, full stop — it’s not a question of anti-Semitism on the left or anti-Semitism on the right, and this motion certainly doesn’t debate whatsoever the geopolitical situation in the Middle East. It’s calling for a conference on anti-Semitism.

I was recently meeting university students who have gotten the full thrust of anti-Semitism on a daily basis, Senator Plett, and they feel abandoned by their institutions, their governments and everyone across the board. Would any common-sense individual oppose, at this particular juncture in Canada where we’ve had so many attacks on the Jewish community, a simple, open conference where we will discuss the issue in a transparent fashion?

Thank you very much, Senator Housakos. I fully agree with that. Senator Simons referred to the fact that she is of Jewish origin. I’m of Mennonite origin. I’m a Christian. I believe in love. I believe in loving all human beings. So I am opposed to all forms of anti-Semitism, as I said.

I am talking about one motion today, and I don’t really know why we need to get into the weeds of “Are you going to support this?” or “Are you going to support that?” Again, I would encourage anyone who wants to debate this particular motion to stand up and do so, and once we have voted — and I’m hoping it is positively on this motion — and others have other motions to bring forward, I certainly will be willing to entertain speaking to or considering those.

I intend to vote in favour of this motion moved by Senator Housakos, which I supported and continue to support. This is not a political issue for me. This is not the time nor the place to decide what is happening in the Middle East. These are serious issues. What we need to talk about is anti-Semitism in Canada, and that is a non-partisan issue.

Honourable senators, I rise as a seconder of Senator Housakos’s motion to condemn anti-Semitism in Canada and around the world.

Hatred and hateful perceptions of Jewish people go back many centuries. The author Robert Wistrich called anti-Semitism “the longest hatred.” Yet, we still have not fully grasped the lesson that history has taught us time and again: The most extreme manifestations of hatred do not happen overnight. They are the culmination of a series of events that society witnesses and fails to confront.

Colleagues, anti-Semitism is a kind of cancer that must be eradicated at its first sign. Failure to respond quickly can lead to the worst consequences.

This was true of the Holocaust, a deliberate, organized, state‑sponsored persecution and genocide of 6 million Jews living in Europe. The alarm bells sounded well before the Nazi regime implemented the final solution, a campaign of annihilation that would take the lives of two out of every three European Jews.

Upon assuming power, Hitler stripped Jews of their property and their positions in academia, the judiciary, the military and the civil service. Then came the Nuremberg Laws, enshrining in law discrimination against Jewish people.

On Kristallnacht in November 1938, more than 250 synagogues were destroyed, innumerable Jewish businesses and homes were vandalized and destroyed, 91 people were murdered and some 30,000 Jewish men were sent to Nazi concentration camps. Still, the world did not act quickly and decisively. This genocide and the collective failure to respond to it quickly will forever stain human history. In the wake of the Holocaust, humanity vowed, “never again.” Sadly, however, anti-Semitism continues to poison the minds of many people around the world today.

Unfortunately, Canada has not been shielded against the resurgence of anti-Semitism. Last year in Montreal, we saw firebombings of a synagogue and a Jewish community centre. We saw Montreal’s oldest synagogue defaced with Nazi signs. In May in Toronto and Montreal, we saw shots fired at Jewish schools. This resulted in parents becoming afraid to send their kids to school.

I met with representatives of Jewish communities in Montreal and Toronto who spoke to me about their fears and the prevailing insecurity for them and their children. This month in Toronto, on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, we again saw shots fired at the same Jewish girls’ elementary school. It breaks my heart that anyone wanted to terrify students — children — and their families because they are Jewish. These incidents are only the tip of the iceberg.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2023 there were 900 police-reported hate crimes against Jewish people, representing a 71% increase from the previous year. In October 2024, Statistics Canada data for the first two quarters indicated that our Jewish neighbours were the number one overall group to be targeted in reported hate crimes, making up 17.6% of the total.

Colleagues, we know all too well that incidents of hate have risen since the atrocities of the October 7 terrorist attacks last year. New acts of hate seem to happen constantly, but let’s all be united in saying that this hatred and violence have no place in Canada or anywhere. Our country is a society of Charter values, where freedom of speech is protected to sustain respectful dialogue. However, hate speech, intimidation and threats have no place in our country.

At this difficult time, we must listen to Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. As I referenced in a statement in May in a joint interview with Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Ms. Lyons said:

Amira and I work very closely together, and I think it’s important that we demonstrate to Canadians that, even during a time of fracture and pain, we as Canadians come together — based on our Canadian values — compassionately, respectfully, to work together, even when we disagree, but to work together toward the kind of Canada we want to have.

Despite that appeal, we have to recognize that many people of the Jewish faith in Canada still live in constant fear, whether in the streets, on campuses or elsewhere.

As I said, anti-Semitism is a cancer that must be eradicated from our society. What can we do to combat anti-Semitism and support our Jewish fellow citizens?

As I was reflecting on this, I was moved by an interview broadcast on Radio-Canada last May. Author Lawrence Hill said:

These are very serious times, and I find that sometimes it’s easier for some people to hate than to love. But loving is what you have to do.

Colleagues, I agree with Mr. Hill that love can vanquish hate. Love must spread through education, dialogue and empathy. We are all responsible for building bridges as parliamentarians, as neighbours, as teachers, as coaches, as friends and as fellow citizens. This is what our Canada must be, and we must never let racism and hatred build walls between us.

As the Torah says in Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

To Jewish people — in Canada, in Israel and around the world — I speak for many when I say that there should be no place where anti-Semitism can hide and instill hatred. The better angels of humanity wish for your safety, peace and peace of mind.

Though my focus is not on current events in the Middle East, I must add that any positive depiction of the terrorist attacks of October 7 is despicable and un-Canadian. The celebration of murder, rape, torture, hostage taking and other atrocities must never be tolerated in our society.

Sadly, we have seen this disgrace occur in Canada since October 7 of last year. Canadians are entitled to scrutinize Israel’s conduct of hostilities and the policies of its government, just as Israelis do — as in any robust democracy. However, the acts of glorification and support for Hamas seen since October 7 are an entirely different and disturbing matter.

We are collectively responsible for sounding the alarm and taking action when legitimate discussion or criticism of Israeli government policy or conduct crosses the line into anti-Semitism or the marginalization of our Jewish neighbours. In some cases criminal prosecutions may be justified, but the most effective response must be respectful dialogue between those holding different views on these events and finding ways to restore peace.

We should also be united in calling for the safety and immediate release of all hostages. Fathers, mothers and children must be returned to their families. This is the only option if you believe in love.

As you know, colleagues, our country is home to the third-largest Jewish population outside of Israel. The immense contributions of Jewish Canadians have enriched our democracy and our multicultural society.

I think of Bora Laskin, a labour law icon and the first Jewish man appointed to our Supreme Court of Canada and was the Chief Justice of Canada when I had the honour to clerk at the Supreme Court.

I think of the Honourable Irwin Cotler, our former minister of justice and a human rights icon with whom I have the honour to work from time to time on international human rights issues.

I think of Rosalie Abella, a champion for women’s rights and equality for all, the first Jewish woman appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada and the first refugee appointed to the bench in Canada.

I think of the Right Honourable Herb Gray, a former deputy prime minister and the first Jewish federal cabinet minister in Canada.

I think of the Honourable Marc Gold, our second Government Representative in the Senate, as well as his father, the late Alan Gold, Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Québec from 1983 to 1992.

I think of Minister Ya’ara Saks, the first dual Canadian-Israeli citizen in the federal cabinet. I think of Barbara, Linda and David Frum. Former senator Linda Frum was a distinguished member of this chamber with whom it was always a pleasure to work. I think of Bobbie Rosenfeld, Leonard Cohen, Mordecai Richler, Neve Campbell, Eugene and Dan Levy, William Shatner and Seth Rogen.

Our society has come a long way since 1807. That year, fellow Quebecer Ezekiel Hart was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, making him the second Jewish person elected to office in the British Empire. However, he was not allowed to take his seat because of his faith. It was only decades later, in 1832, that the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada granted Jewish people political rights.

In 1926, McGill University adopted an informal ban on Hebrew students from outside of Quebec. In 1934, interns at the Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal went on strike, the first medical strike in Canada, to demand the resignation of Dr. Sam Rabinovitch because he was Jewish. Think about our refusal to let the passengers of the MS St. Louis — including over 900 German Jews — disembark and enter Canada, forcing them to return to Europe in 1939. The Nazis murdered 254 of them in the Holocaust. That fact will haunt Canada forever.

However, no society is beyond redemption. Montreal’s Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights reminds us of our ideals and of progress towards equality and justice for all people, as well as the need to denounce all forms of fundamental human rights violations.

Sadly, the fraught and heated Canada we sometimes see since last year in our cities is not our country at its best. We as senators must do our part to restore respectful relations and dialogue between all communities in our country.

I’m glad to the hear the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights will soon initiate a study on anti-Semitism in Canada.

In this effort, I agree with our Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and former ambassador to Israel, Ms. Lyons, when she said, “No greater remedy to the antisemitism threat than a full effort on education for all ages.”

This includes teaching Canadians, especially youth, about the horrors of the Holocaust. Indeed, the fact that young people lead in Holocaust skepticism in Canada shows us just how much work needs to be done.

As Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, observes:

. . . Many youths today regard history not in the sense of where they have come from, but rather as a bygone series of events that are “past,” while they themselves are living “post.” This viewpoint is dangerous in that it is disjunctive rather than connective.

In addition to Holocaust education, there is also a vital need for learning around contemporary forms of anti-Semitism. On this point, I was very pleased to learn that — just today and thanks to the leadership of the special envoy — Canada has published a new guide to combat anti-Semitism, which is available online. The Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism is available now on the website.

In drafting the handbook, over 100 individuals were consulted, including Jewish community leaders, the Canadian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA, rabbis, academics, teachers, lawyers, civil servants, political staff and law enforcement personnel. Numerous experts on anti‑Semitism were included in the consultations.

The rise of anti-Semitism in Canada is a cancer that demands an immediate response using various means.

Of course, our schools need to educate kids about the dangers of anti-Semitism and the horrors of the Holocaust, and police and prosecutors need to be trained on how to deal with hate speech, but all leaders, whether they are religious, political or community leaders, also need to adopt responsible behaviours.

We also need more tools to help us identify and combat all forms of anti-Semitism, like the handbook we published today. The office of the special envoy, Ms. Lyons, is also partnering with government agencies to gather information and research. She is in touch with researchers and organizations across the country.

In adopting this motion, we are also asking her to convene a second National Summit on Antisemitism in due course as a complement to her current efforts on other aspects of the strategy to combat anti-Semitism.

However, this work is not her responsibility alone.

Everyone, but especially senators, given our special role of protecting minorities within our society, should hold our Canadian values high and encourage respectful dialogue, not hate. Our chief concern should be to build bridges, not walls, between communities.

The fight against anti-Semitism must be multi-pronged, involving education, research, publications, conferences, public awareness campaigns, including on social media, and, in some cases, criminal and civil prosecution. No tool must be overlooked in the fight against this scourge that is not only an attack on our Canadian values, but a threat to our fellow Canadians of the Jewish faith.

It is in this spirit that I, along with my colleague Senator Housakos, whom I thank once again, drafted the motion we are seized with today. I urge you to consider it as a means of drawing Canadians’ attention to the rise of anti-Semitism in Canada and the urgent need to address it.

Thank you, shalom.

Senator Dalphond, would you take a question?

Of course.

I’d like to begin by congratulating you on your profound and heartfelt speech. Obviously, like you, I deplore the rise of anti-Semitism since the events of October 7, 2023.

Like you, I was stunned by the horrors of the October 7 attack, which not only killed civilians, but also involved the terrible act of rape committed against Jewish women, as we later learned. It’s all horrific.

That being said, I have carefully read and reread the text of the motion you drafted with Senator Housakos.

I’d like to understand why the following words were chosen, and I quote: “since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s duty to respond to it.” I must admit that I’ve reflected carefully on this word choice, “Israel’s duty to respond,” because now we start to get into what happened. We start to get into the highly controversial issue of the scale of Israel’s response to what we can all agree was a horrific attack.

Is it appropriate to use these words, given what’s happening in Gaza? I’m talking about the words “Israel’s duty to respond” instead of “right to respond” or something a little more neutral.

The motion was written several months ago in a context that is different from today’s. There is no doubt in my mind that any country that is attacked has a duty to protect its citizens and respond to the attacks.

Beyond that, international law sets out rules of engagement, limits on how to respond, and so on, and I don’t want to get into that.

My goal is to say that we can discuss these matters. The question you are asking is valid : Is the use of force excessive? These are valid questions that many people in Israel and Canada are asking and that we have the right to debate. Let’s do it respectfully, in an educated and well-informed manner, always with the same objective of finding a path forward, compromises and answers that might lead to the peace we want to see for everyone in the Middle East.

We don’t want to add fuel to the fire or make it impossible to walk down the street without fear. Senator Marc Gold’s wife was harassed for being Jewish while walking around in her neighbourhood. That kind of thing is unacceptable.

Senator Dalphond, I will ask a question and make a comment. Have you ever heard of the Rabinovitch family from Toronto? They are the sponsors of the Giller Prize, which is the greatest prize in literature in Canada. They are a Jewish family, and they raised the profile of dozens of Canadian writers, one of them being me, and I’m eternally grateful to them. They are wonderful human beings. Last year, the Giller Prize was invaded and taken over. This year, when I received my invitation, they didn’t disclose the location of the prize’s gala because they are afraid that people will find out where it is and invade it again. They are under threat because they are giving one of the greatest prizes in Canadian literature that has ever been awarded to the public. I thought I would mention them, and that’s why I’m supporting this motion.

Was there a question, Senator Richards?

My question was asked first. I asked whether Senator Dalphond has ever heard of the Rabinovitch family.

Thank you for reminding me.

Just at the beginning, I remembered there was a question. Honestly, I was not aware of that prize, and I’m not as well written as you are. I refer more to people who have left their imprint on law and politics, which I know better. Certainly, what you said is in line with what I am saying and with what I hear.

I was attending a conference here in Ottawa one night, and it happened to be organized by leaders of the Jewish communities regarding human rights. I couldn’t believe that my friend Irwin Cotler had to be escorted by four RCMP members because there were so many threats that they would be killed, so they needed 24-hour protection. His house has to be under constant surveillance by the Montreal police. To me, it is beyond what I can accept.

If we let this continue, we are destroying our values. We have to stand up and say, “No, that’s enough.” You have the right to protest, you have the right to oppose and you have the right to support this or that, but when you’re on the side of the street, don’t harass people and be respectful. There is no excuse to threaten people and to make the lives of people miserable. That’s not the way we are going to solve problems. That’s building walls.

Honourable senators, I rise today to express my support for Motion No. 181, which asks the Government of Canada and the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism to convene a second National Summit on Antisemitism. This is a critical moment for Canada — a time when we must confront the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in our country.

As the motion rightly states, the shocking increase in anti‑Semitic incidents across Canada is backed by clear and unambiguous data. B’nai Brith reported 5,791 anti-Semitic incidents in 2023 — the highest ever recorded in Canada, marking a 109% increase over the previous year.

Moreover, Statistics Canada confirms that Jewish people are the most targeted religious group in the country, accounting for more than 56% of religiously motivated hate crimes, despite comprising less than 1% of the population. The number of police-reported hate crimes against Jewish people increased by 64% between 2019 and 2022.

This alarming trend is not confined to Canada. Across Europe and North America, reports from the Anti-Defamation League, or ADL, and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights indicate that anti-Semitism is rising globally, exacerbated by events in the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

The Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism is uniquely positioned to coordinate stakeholders across sectors, including government, law enforcement and community leaders.

A second summit would provide a valuable platform for developing cohesive strategies to combat the unprecedented wave of hate crimes aimed at Jewish people, which our society must confront without delay.

In addition to convening the summit, we should take note that the Senate continues its tradition of supporting human rights, including the rights of Jewish people. The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has committed to studying anti‑Semitism in the Canadian context commencing later this year in November. As the committee previously explored the issue of Islamophobia in November of 2023 — it was a year ago when our report was made public — such a study will generate a companion report into the specific challenges facing Jewish Canadians today. It will build on existing data from Jewish organizations and help us evaluate the effectiveness of current policies.

I believe that a study and a national summit will be complementary and support meaningful action. Experiential and data-driven insights must be used to inform effective policies, enhance resource allocation and improve law enforcement efforts. This unbiased work should create public awareness and foster social cohesion at a time when divisions within our society are deepening.

We must also acknowledge there are potential challenges with holding a summit or a study. In addition to treading carefully to balance free speech and hate speech, especially in discussions about Israel and Palestine, we know that the issues drive divisive and sometimes hostile responses.

There may also be concerns about government overreach if new measures and regulations are proposed to curb online hate. Despite these challenges, the benefits far outweigh the risks. A thorough examination will allow us to address anti-Semitism in a measured, evidence-based way while upholding Canadian values of human dignity and freedom.

Honourable senators, Motion No. 181 is a call to action that Canada cannot afford to ignore. A second National Summit on Antisemitism would provide a vital forum for collaboration across sectors. The Senate Human Rights Committee’s own study will ensure our efforts are informed, inclusive and effective.

In the face of unprecedented hate, we must act decisively. Anti-Semitism has no place in Canada, and, together, through education, law enforcement and policy reforms, we can blunt the wave of hate and build a society where all Canadians feel safe and respected.

I support Motion No. 181 and invite you to do so as well. Thank you.

Honourable senators, I rise to support Motion No. 181. It is important in the context of this debate that we reflect our own values because, too often, when we talk about issues of anti-Semitism, as we also talk of Islamophobia, it is not an abstract debate or discussion. We are talking about the impact on the lives of our fellow citizens, our friends, our neighbours and our own children. I think since, of course, the period of October 7, we have seen it increasingly rise.

But anti-Semitism was also here. It was maybe not as apparent to many of us, but it was also here, and it continued to thrive. The reality is that it is always going to take a tremendous effort on behalf of all of us if we truly want to build a society that is equal.

I’m speaking to you today as somebody with a Muslim name. I’m not a religious person. I never was when I was young, and I’m not today. I also know my own equality and treatment cannot be assured if the equality of treatment of my sisters and brothers in the Jewish community is not assured. Because what I like to take for granted, I know, is dependent on the rest of society accepting me as an equal citizen in my own country.

Now, I wasn’t born here. I came here when I was 16 years old. I grew up in a country that perpetuated racism. I was too young to really understand it when I left, only later to realize fundamentally how it shaped my own life and the impact it had on me and my own family. Two of my uncles were murdered because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I understand what it’s like for a community to feel that they are by themselves. How could somebody possibly want to firebomb a place of worship? This is Canada. How could they possibly want to shoot at a school, where children are trying to get an education? Why would you want to disrupt the place where people go to pray?

There are some things in our society that we take as sacred, but the reality is, of course, as we know, we weren’t born with these values. We learn them over time.

My young daughter came back one day from therapy, and she said, “Dad, one of my friends in therapy told me that there was a bomb threat in their school.” And I said, “How did you deal with it?” She said, “I didn’t know what to say.” I said, “Well, what if it was a bomb threat in your school?” And she said, “I wouldn’t like that.”

Her friend’s school was a Jewish school.

I said, “You need to understand that when these things happen, not only do you need to have empathy, but you also need to understand that they are fundamentally wrong, and you need to recognize that no school — whether it is a Jewish school or a Muslim school or any religious school — should ever have to go through that, and no children should ever have to live in that reality.”

Colleagues, as we know, hatred is something that no matter how much the summit will accomplish, no matter how much the secretariat work will be relied upon for us to educate Canadians, we will not end hatred in our society, and especially hatred for our Jewish brothers and sisters. It will take a continuous effort of every generation to stand up and say, “We will not tolerate it.”

For the longest time in my life, I could not go to Germany because I couldn’t get over the war. I couldn’t get over what happened. When I finally went there, I went to one of the memorials, and, for the life of me, I know German people struggled when they erected that to remind the world that they understood and they take responsibility.

I stood there for the longest time, complete pain in my heart, trying to understand how something like that could happen in the world, where 6 million brothers and sisters were murdered, and yet in a modern society, people still carry that hatred. How is that possible?

Colleagues, I know we will pass this motion unanimously in this chamber, but a motion is only the words. It is the action that we must live every single day in the work that we do.

As for my young daughter, I hope she grows up in a world — when she becomes an adult — where hatred is not part of the world that she will live in. But I know I’m deluding myself. I know I’m deluding myself.

We are part of the most beautiful country in the world where, possibly, human beings from every part of the planet have come to settle, and we recognize one of the fundamental things about coming to this country is the way we live. We accept each other, and we should treat each other with respect and dignity. Too often, we tend to forget that. It will take a generation.

When I was a leader in the labour movement, I recognized a long time ago that the movement that I grew up in was rife with racism. I was a co-chair of the first National Anti-Racism Task Force for the Canadian Labour Congress. As I went across the country to talk to my fellow union brothers and sisters, it broke my heart when I heard what fellow union members were facing in their own union.

When the report was finally released, I remember a journalist saying, “Why would the labour movement examine itself and then make it public?” One of my responses was, “I hope we will take action to change our behaviour because if we don’t acknowledge it, we cannot fight it. And if we don’t have a commitment in the leadership, we will never change how we behave.”

Colleagues, I know the importance of this motion and what it means, not just for our debate here in the chamber but also for my sisters and brothers in the Jewish community. But it should mean more than that. It should mean that it is what we talk about on a constant basis and what the reality is that our Jewish brothers are facing on a daily basis.

I hope my young daughter’s life has been enriched because of her Jewish friendship. I can tell you that some of my friends, as we are constantly meeting and talking about anti-Semitism and some of the issues that they are struggling with, worry about the future. I cannot reassure them any more that things will get better, except I make the commitment in my own life and in my own actions and behaviour that I will do my part to ensure our country is rid of anti-Semitism.

Thank you so much.

I don’t have prepared remarks, but I want to say a few words. I feel obliged, as a Cape Bretoner, to say a few words.

Most people don’t know this history, but for the first half of the 20th century, the largest Jewish community in Canada east of Montreal was in industrial Cape Breton. In fact, there was a time that there were four synagogues in industrial Cape Breton. There is only one today, and the community is much reduced in numbers, but that reduction in numbers is one of upward mobility, not of social marginalization.

The Jewish community in Cape Breton was an early community. Most of them arrived over before the First World War. At one time, there were over 300 families. The first generation really came over with nothing, and they worked so hard. The first day, when the young guys would come over, their family would be there, and they’d have dinner for them, and then the next day they would put them out to work. Most of them at that time were, I guess, peddlers. They went out and worked around the island and tried to save enough money to set up a business and establish themselves.

They did a great job of it. By the end of the Second World War and the mid-1950s, when I was born, they were by far the most notable business community on the island, and they were so philanthropic. They gave so much back to the community.

I remember when I got appointed to the Senate, there was a Jewish meeting here on the Hill, and Rabbi Medjuck was the guest speaker, so I wanted to go. Rabbi Medjuck was from Glace Bay. His brother Ralph was a law partner for years with John Buchanan, who was the Premier of Nova Scotia later and, of course, a senator. I went to the meeting, and Rabbi Medjuck talked about his life growing up in Cape Breton. I was so proud when he said this. He said that growing up in Cape Breton, neither he nor his family nor any of his friends ever experienced one anti-Semitic incident. I think that’s a wonderful reflection on the Cape Breton that he grew up in.

They always punched above their weight in Cape Breton. The contribution they made, and I know Senator Cuzner would back me up on this, being from that area — I think we have an obligation to speak up for them, and I will.

There are some great stories from the community. I always loved the one that was told by the Nathansons where one of the young sons came over, and he was 14 or 15, and they put him out on the road in the early fall, saying, “Go out and make some money and work.” He was walking around rural Cape Breton before the First World War. He was gone for six months, and he finally gets back to his table with his family and, of course, they’re all speaking Yiddish. Then they stop and say, “Okay, enough Yiddish. Let’s hear your English. How is your English coming along?” So he started to speak, and their jaws dropped. Not a word of English, nothing but Scottish Gaelic. He got snowbound in Cape North for about three months. The MacLeod family took him in, and he learned all the English he could learn.

I remember my grandfather roomed with Dave Epstein at the home when they got older, and Dave had all kinds of stories. He was one of those young men who went around the island. He’d say to me, “Michael, Michael, Michael, I speak five languages. Can you guess them?” I’d say Russian — yes. German — yes. Yiddish — Yes. English — yes. I couldn’t get the fifth, and he’d say, “Scotch.” The same thing.

He would tell me that when he opened his business — he had a very successful clothing business for many years — all the old people from the country, who didn’t have a lot English then, would always frequent his store because he could communicate with them.

There are so many great stories. They made a great contribution to Cape Breton. They are respected in Cape Breton. Again, they’re all over this country. Many of the Cape Breton community are in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, New York — you name it. They’re all so successful, and they all come back, and they’re still very philanthropic towards the island.

I find it extremely difficult to see what’s going on in this country when it comes to the open expression of anti-Semitism. I think our universities had better reassess how they’re handling this matter because I think they’ve been far too active in promoting this mindset in this country.

I certainly support this motion, and I encourage all honourable senators to do the same. Thank you.

Honourable senators, as you can see, I have no prepared notes, but I feel compelled to speak as a practising Muslim and as someone who has Jewish family members. I have a sister-in-law who is Jewish; I have a nephew who is married to a Jewish woman. This hatred puzzles me. As a family, we have lived together. We love each other. So I am puzzled.

I want to share with you that when I came to this country 43 years ago — most of my life has been spent in this country — if anything happened to the Muslims, it was our Jewish brothers and sisters who stood up and spoke in support of us. So now I struggle, and as a human rights person I struggle, because I don’t have hatred for anyone based on their ethnicity, their religion or colour. Because I see the similarities between us. I see what we want for ourselves and what we want for our children.

We need to stand in solidarity with each other at this time, be it with the Jewish community or be it with the Muslim community. We need to stand with Canadians who are hurting.

I didn’t intend to speak, but after Senator Yussuff, Senator Dalphond, Senator Plett and Senator Arnot spoke — and as you learned, the Human Rights Committee — when we did the study on Islamophobia and I found out there hadn’t been a study on anti-Semitism, I was surprised. That’s why we propose that we look at anti-Semitism.

I want to say that I stand in solidarity with those who are suffering. I stand in solidarity with the children who don’t understand this hate. I will tell you the story about my daughter when she was in kindergarten, and she came back from school and said, “Oh, we have a new kid in class.” You know my mindset; we grew up differently. I said, “Oh, what ethnicity is she?” And she said, “Let me think.” And that day, I realized that children see beyond colour and beyond ethnicity. That is what makes Canada so beautiful, and that is why people all over the world aspire to come to Canada — because they can practise their faith. They can be who they want to be, but in love and respect for each other.

I just want to say that I stand in solidarity with my Jewish brothers. There is no need for anti-Semitism. As leaders, we need to be examples. We need not to spread discord and spread hate. We need to show everyone.

We are here in this chamber, and I don’t know what religion most of you practise, what you believe in, yet we all get along. I will stand and support you, and I think that’s the important message — that, as leaders, we support the people of Canada and what they believe in. Thank you.

Honourable senators, I was not planning to speak, but I want to say a few words in my personal capacity as a Jew and as somebody who was blessed to be born in this country at a time — and I’m one of the oldest folks in this chamber, so I think I can speak for all of us. We didn’t think — at least those of us who were born and raised here in the 1950s and the 1960s, and I certainly didn’t think — that my community would be going through what it has gone through for the last year.

I just want to thank all of you for your expressions of support. The speeches have been very touching to me and to my community and my family. It encourages us through the study that our committee is doing to dig deep and unpack what truly is the oldest and longest hatred.

It is necessary but not sufficient to show empathy. Actions are what is needed but also understanding, really understanding and peeling back the layers of the rhetoric. Because anti-Semitism — I’m not sure; it might have been Senator Plett who called it a virus or someone else — it morphs. In every generation, the Jewish community becomes the avatar into which people fill their frustrations, their anger and their beliefs — conspiratorial most of the time if not all the time — for what ails the world.

We have a job of self-education, and we have a job of action. But most importantly, I just want to stand here and thank you. It means a great deal.

Are senators ready for the question?

Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?

Hon. Senators: Agreed.

(Motion agreed to.)