Anti-Semitism is at a crisis point in Canada, fueled by various sources including segments of the Muslim and Arab communities, a Senate committee was told during a hearing on rising hate crimes.“There is a crisis of Jew hatred in this country, the anti-Semitism emanating from the extreme right, the radical left, and, to be truthful, from segments of the Muslim and Arab communities,” said Simon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, in testimony to the Senate human rights committee. Blacklock's Reporter said Fogel emphasized the broader implications of such hate, warning, “This is not only about Jews. We’re the low-hanging fruit, the proverbial canary in the coal mine. What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews.”The hearing highlighted a surge in hate crimes against Jews, which has intensified since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas in Israel, where eight Canadians were among the victims. Witnesses detailed crimes, including attempted synagogue firebombings, following the attacks.Mark Sandler, chair of the Alliance of Canadians Combating Anti-Semitism, said the events of October 7 “irrevocably changed” the lives of Canadian Jews. “The Middle East conflict has been brought to our shores, our cities, our schools, our streets,” said Sandler.Sandler criticized the growing use of terms like “anti-Palestinian racism” within anti-racism strategies, arguing it has been framed to delegitimize Zionism. “As a Zionist, I am accused of being racist against Palestinians,” he said. “To be clear, I do not support any form of discrimination against Palestinians, Arabs, or Muslims. We should not support any forms of discrimination.”Statistics Canada reported that Jews were the top target for police-reported hate crimes in 2023, despite making up less than 1% of the Canadian population. Census figures show Jews number approximately 335,000 in Canada, compared to 1.8 million Muslims and 694,000 Arab Canadians.“When you feel comfortable expressing hate, disdain, and discrimination towards one group, it’s a very slippery slope to extend that sentiment to others,” Fogel said.
