Kayla Rzepa is a communications professional currently living in Vancouver, working within the government relations space.I am writing this not just to share my story, but to show why young Canadians must speak up. I want to illustrate the challenges facing those of us who hold conservative values, proudly identify as Jewish, and believe in defending the freedoms and identity of Canada.I don’t want this message to only reach Jewish people, because I know I have a community who will always support me. I want the average Canadian, people who may not face these threats directly, to be made aware of what is really happening in their country. If they see it, and they are not okay with it, then they have a responsibility to take action and be part of the change. My hope is that by sharing my experiences, I can inspire other young people to find their voice, take action, and help shape a future where our values are not silenced, but celebrated.A Journey Shaped by People, Community, and Conversation I recently graduated from Mount Royal University with a degree in Public Relations; a field built entirely on strong communication and interpersonal skills. My university years revolved around building connections. I met new people, networked with professionals, engaged in conversation with peers and professors, and sat through endless job interviews. What I didn’t do, at the time, was involve myself in politics or government-related activities. That world felt distant, something reserved for older generations, not people like me. Politics always seemed like a space where younger voices didn’t matter, where what I believed in wouldn’t make any real impact. Outside of my university framework, I was a proud and active member of my Jewish community. I joined every youth group, fellowship, and club I could. My identity and values were rooted in that heritage long before I ever thought about politics.The Day Everything Changed On October 7th, 2023, the trajectory of my life shifted overnight. I never expected that my Jewish identity and conservative values in Canada, a country so far from the conflict at hand, would result in such hostility. Especially not on a university campus that is meant to be a place for open dialogue across differences. Instead of dialogue, I witnessed division. Friends I once trusted had distanced themselves from me. Some stopped speaking to me entirely. The fear of backlash became so overwhelming that I felt uncomfortable simply attending class, participating in discussions, or engaging with peers. I had been actively posting on social media about my stance on the conflict, openly saying that I support Israel, and am a proud Jew. But instead of sparking conversation, those posts made me a target. I worried about who was watching, who was talking about me, and what might happen the next time I walked into a classroom..Yet through all of this, I stood my ground. These challenges pushed me to become more involved in both my faith and the political sphere. I joined every Jewish event, both on campus and in the broader community, and began my involvement with the Conservative Party. I refused to abandon who I was or apologize for the values I hold true. In my final year of my university degree, I took action by participating in the CJPAC (Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee) Fellowship, and had the opportunity to travel to Ottawa where I saw firsthand how political advocacy, policy, and community engagement intersect. I then organized a campus event engaging students who have a strong passion for political engagement. These experiences opened my eyes to the importance of having strong, unapologetic voices in Canadian politics; especially young voices. More recently, I volunteered on MP Shuv Majumdar’s federal election campaign, gaining real, on-the-ground experience in federal politics and witnessing the impact of grassroots organizing. Now, I’ve taken that passion into my professional life, working in the government relations and public affairs space. Antisemitism Isn’t Going Away, But Canadians Need to See What This Country is Really Facing If my experiences have taught me one thing, it’s that antisemitism in Canada is not going anywhere. It has resurfaced in ways many of us never imagined we would witness in our lifetime. We have seen Jewish institutions vandalized and synagogues forced to increase security just to operate safely. I have personally received death threats on social media simply for expressing my identity and my beliefs. On university campuses, student groups intentionally target Jewish students and allies with aggressive BDS campaigns, exclusionary tactics, and rhetoric that crosses the line from political activism into outright harassment.And, while that reality is painful, what matters most is how we choose to confront it. We need more than awareness. We need clarity. Canadians must understand that antisemitism today is part of something larger: a growing movement that is not only hostile toward Jews, but openly hostile toward Western values and the country we call home. .This rising ideological force isn’t interested in strengthening Canada. It isn’t trying to make our society more unified or just. Instead, we are seeing groups that reject Canadian identity altogether. Groups that burn our flag, dismiss our democratic principles, and openly call for the dismantling of the very freedoms that make this country worth defending. We have seen campus landmarks painted over for Remembrance Day, a day meant to honour our veterans, vandalized and replaced with anti-Western slogans, violent rhetoric, and calls for the death of Jews. We are watching this same movement spill onto our streets in protests that no longer resemble peaceful demonstrations. Instead, they have become dangerous spaces filled with aggression, harassment, and destruction, places where the average Canadian does not feel safe, and where hate is allowed to thrive unchecked.That reality should concern every Canadian, not just the Jewish community. Our job, not just as Jewish people, but as Canadian conservatives, is to educate, inform, and show people what is truly at stake. We need to build understanding, not fear. When Canadians see the full picture, when they see that the same forces targeting Jews are also attacking Canada’s identity, institutions, and core values, they will understand that defending Jewish safety and defending this country go hand in hand. Protecting our community and protecting Canada are not separate fights. They are deeply interconnected. Now, we need more people to recognize that, before the damage becomes irreversible. I believe this change needs to start from the very core place that changed me: university campuses. The Leftward Tilt of Campus Life University opened my eyes to a truth many students quietly feel, campuses today lean heavily to the left. I want to be clear: everyone is entitled to their political beliefs. I’m not opposed to people having different values, ideologies, or worldviews. What I do oppose is when one ideology, the dominant “leftist woke” approach that restricts free expression of language and debate through moral policing and censorship, silences students and faculty who hold traditional, Canadian, or conservative values..I witnessed this silencing firsthand. Conservative students, pro‑Israel students, and openly Jewish students became targets in an environment that preached inclusivity while practicing the polar opposite. The blame doesn’t lie with one group alone. It is both the institution itself and the individuals within it. Faculty members, through their teachings, policies, and the biases they allow to go unchecked, often set the tone for what is acceptable on campus. But it’s also students who hold positions in student government, clubs, and other campus leadership roles who mirror those attitudes, enforcing the same ideology and further marginalizing anyone who challenges the prevailing narrative. In this way, the silencing becomes systemic, making it incredibly difficult for those with conservative, pro‑Israel, and Jewish values to feel safe or heard.The emphasis on this divide became even more evident throughout the recent federal election. I witnessed the ways in which the Liberal Party maintained enough trust from young Canadians to secure another win. While young progressives mobilized quickly and loudly, it left many of us young, hardworking Canadians with strong conservative values, wondering why we weren’t able to do the same. A Parallel Between My Jewish Identity and My Conservative Beliefs In the last couple of years, I’ve noticed a striking parallel between the Jewish/pro‑Israel movement and the conservative movement in Canada. Both are rooted in strong convictions, deep values, and a clear sense of identity and community. Yet when it comes to pushing back, organizing, and driving meaningful change, we often hesitate or remain silent.We may not be strong in numbers, but we are strong in our moral clarity, in our truths, and in our vision for the future of Canada. Despite what many people believe, neither Jews nor conservatives are these “powerful, controlling forces” that society paints us to be. For Jews, people often assume we have all the money, all the influence, and that we will “be fine” no matter what, but that couldn’t be further from reality. We are only 0.2% of the world’s population, and yet we have been targeted again and again throughout history, including right here in Canada..And the same type of misconception affects conservatives: people assume we are extreme in our policies, when in truth, we are simply speaking the reality of our values and standing firmly for what we believe Canada should be.Even our political leaders have faced this backlash. Many of Canada’s leading conservative voices have been outspoken about the rise of hate, violence, and division in our country. They have addressed it clearly and directly, and because of that, they themselves have been targeted during election campaigns, protested aggressively, and attacked simply for defending Canadian values.These parallels matter. They show that while our numbers may be small, the hostility we face is real, yet so is the responsibility we carry. And if we continue to stay quiet, Canada will continue to shift in a direction that none of us want to see.Stepping Into the Working World and Realizing It Isn’t Enough Since graduating and entering my career, I’ve realized that simply being involved in community and politics isn’t enough; not for me, and not for anyone who wants to see Canada regain the strength, unity, and direction it once had. If we want change, we must become active participants in creating it. We must speak up, show up, and organize. We must be unapologetic about who we are. If we don’t, the growing hostility toward people like us, Jewish Canadians, conservatives, and anyone who cares about the future of this country will only intensify. We Are the Next Generation, It’s Time to Take Action Canada is at a crossroads, and the responsibility to shape its future falls to us, the next generation. We cannot wait for someone else to act. We cannot assume that staying silent will protect us or our communities. We, the young Canadians who care about our country, our freedoms, and our values, must be the voices that lead change.We need more young voices to be heard, in politics, on campuses, in communities, and across this country. Our conviction, clarity, and courage can make a real difference. Change doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people like us decide that staying silent is no longer an option. I am ready to let my voice be heard and take real action, and I challenge you to do the same.Kayla Rzepa is a communications professional currently living in Vancouver, working within the government relations space. She is dedicated to creating meaningful impact through strategic communication and community-focused work.
