Jewish advocates on Tuesday called on individuals to volunteer as plaintiffs in civil court cases against individuals engaging in anti-Semitic activities at Canadian universities.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, this action comes in response to a request made by the Commons Justice committee, urging immediate action to safeguard religious freedoms.“Our volunteer lawyers will represent you pro bono in any preliminary, investigative or legal proceedings,” the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs wrote in a national appeal. “You will not be liable for costs as those would be covered. The whole Jewish community stands with you.”“We don’t need to tell you about the huge spike in anti-Semitism experienced by Jews here at home,” wrote the Centre for Israel’s legal task force. Co-chairs of the task force are Nanette Rosen, former federal department of justice counsel, and Mark Freiman, former deputy Ontario attorney general.“Administrators have failed to address Jew hatred in our educational institutions,” wrote the Centre. “Universities and schools have all too often failed to keep our students safe. Let’s be clear, all students, all faculty members, staff and administrators are entitled to a safe learning or working environment. This should not be the exception. It should be the rule.”The Centre's request comes after private lawyers filed a motion to officially recognize a $15 million class-action lawsuit against the University of British Columbia, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Queen's University. This lawsuit alleges acts of anti-Semitic "hate speech."On November 2, the motion was filed November 2 by the firm Diamond & Diamond LLP.The police have not compiled data on the total number of anti-Semitic incidents occurring on college campuses across the country.On October 26, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) issued a "solidarity with Palestine” shortly after the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.“We uplift the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and resistance and remain rooted in the understanding that colonized people have the right to resist the processes of settler-colonialism,” wrote the CFS. CFS accused Israel of “war crimes,” “genocide” and “apartheid” and disparaged friends of Israel in “so-called Canada.”Anti-Semitic incidents prompted the Commons Justice committee to issue an all-party December 6 report Measures to Protect Canadians that recommended the cabinet “create an Anti-Hate Crime Task Force to coordinate the protection of faith communities.” The cabinet should also blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code, “expel the estimated 700 Iranian agents operating in Canada,” and establish a public registry of foreign agents, it said.“Shameful acts have one goal, to terrorize Canadians,” said Conservative MP Rob Moore (Fundy Royal, NB), sponsor of the Measures to Protect motion. “This cannot be tolerated. All Canadians must be able to freely live their lives and follow their dreams without fear and without intimidation.”
