A recent Privy Council report reveals that the Canadian government conducted focus groups to understand how to promote the rights and safety of Arab Canadians, but failed to hold corresponding discussions with Jewish Canadians.
Blacklock's Reporter says the report, Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views, highlights concerns about rising Islamophobia and anti-Arab sentiment, particularly after the October 7th, 2023, Hamas attacks against Israel.
Many participants felt that the government needed to do more to protect Palestinian civilians and promote the rights and safety of Arab Canadians.
The report also notes that most participants believed the government was "on the wrong track" in addressing these issues. Researchers suggested that increased outreach to Arab communities and organizations within Canada could help improve engagement with Arab Canadians.
In contrast, a Statistics Canada report released last July 25 identified Canadian Jews as the leading target of police-reported hate crimes, with incidents of anti-Semitic violence increasing 71% year over year.
The Census reports 335,000 Jews in Canada, less than 1% of the population, while Muslims number 1.8 million.
By 2036, Muslims are projected to become the third-largest religious group in Canada, with a population of 2.8 million.