Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism

Last updated

Formed in March 2009, the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism (CPCCA) was a group of Canadian parliamentarians organized for the stated purpose of confronting and combating antisemitism in Canada. [1] In particular, the CPCCA focused on what it calls the "new antisemitism," which it saw as the revival of classically antisemitic beliefs in the guise of anti-Zionism.

Contents

The CPCCA comprised former and sitting Members of Parliament from the Conservative Party of Canada, Liberal Party of Canada, New Democratic Party and initially also from the Bloc Québécois. The coalition was not an official committee and was not established by the Canadian government or Parliament as a whole, [2] but organized itself to conduct hearings and produce a report in the same manner as a parliamentary committee.

On July 7, 2011, the CPCCA released its final report on antisemitism in Canada. [3]

History

The CPCCA was founded in association with the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) which had its inaugural conference in London, England in 2009. The ICCA released a Declaration on Combating Antisemitism, which led to the formation of the CPCCA. [1]

Noting that while antisemitism is not a new phenomenon, there has been recently a resurgence of antisemitism both internationally and in Canada, so much so that, according to the CPCCA, "Jewish students...are fearful to wear a Jewish skull cap or Jewish star of David around their necks" on Canadian university campuses. [1]

On 9 March 2010, the Bloc Québécois withdrew from the CPCCA, asserting that the CPCCA had refused to meet with groups who opposed the view that criticism of Zionism and of the Israeli government is not antisemitism. The Bloc Québécois claimed that the Coalition was biased in favor of Israeli policies and noted that they "consider that the Coalition is tainted, partisan and presents a single side of the coin. We desired a much more moderate approach, more consensual, and still with the outlook to find peace." [4]

The CPCCA hosted the Second Annual Inter-parliamentary Conference to Combat Antisemitism which was held in November 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Steering Committee

The steering committee of the CPCCA consists of the following current or former Canadian Members of Parliament:

Secretariat

Criticism

The Bloc Québécois accused the unofficial parliamentary committee of an unwillingness to hear diverse voices. When the party withdrew from the committee, it criticized "the inequality of opinions presented before the coalition" and "the refusal of the steering committee to hear groups with opposing viewpoints." [5] Bloc parliamentarian Michel Guimond has said that the committee's approach "was not sufficiently balanced." [6]

A number of critics asserted that the Coalition's goal is to conflate criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism. For example:

Response

The CPCCA denied any intention to limit legitimate criticism of Israel. In particular, it stated that, while it affirmed others' alarm at "the resurrection of the old language of prejudice and its modern manifestations – in rhetoric and political action – against Jews, Jewish belief and practice and the State of Israel", nonetheless "dissent and opposition to individual actions of the Israeli government are both permitted and encouraged in and outside of Israel, just as political dissent is permitted and encouraged with respect to any democratic nation." [11]

Steering Committee Chair Scott Reid rejected the suggestion that the group's focus on antisemitism is misdirected, since he argued that these will not use up all of the goodwill that exists on the part of Canadians for resolving issues related hate directed at minority groups: "I think the best way to think of this is [that as a result of our hearings into antisemitism, Canada's] anti-xenophobic, anti-racist, anti-bigotry muscle gets exercised and the more it gets exercised, the stronger it is for dealing with all of those other forms of racism, xenophobia and bigotry." [12]

2011 Release of Inquiry Panel Report

On July 7, 2011, Conservative MP Scott Reid and former Liberal MP Mario Silva announced the release of the CPCCA Final Report. [3] The Final Report was the product of the Inquiry Panel of the CPPCA. [1]

The Panel stated that "criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic" but that "denying its right to exist, or seeking its destruction, could be considered anti-Semitic acts." It further stated that "in the most vile and clear expressions of the new anti-Semitism, Jewish support for Israel and the notion of Israel as a criminal state is used to further traditional anti-Semitic themes. These manifestations use the discourse of politics but, in fact, constitute masked hatred."

The committee recommended, among other things that:

Related Research Articles

Irwin Cotler Canadian politician

Irwin Cotler, PC, OC, OQ is a retired Canadian politician who was Member of Parliament for Mount Royal from 1999 to 2015. He served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada from 2003 until the Liberal government of Paul Martin lost power following the 2006 federal election. He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in a by-election in November 1999, winning 92% of votes cast.

New antisemitism is the idea that a new form of antisemitism has developed in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, tending to manifest itself as anti-Zionism and criticism of the Israeli government. The concept is included in some definitions of antisemitism, such as the Working Definition of Antisemitism and the 3D test of antisemitism.

Antisemitism in universities has taken place in many countries at various times. Antisemitism has been manifested in various policies and practices, such as restricting the admission of Jewish students by a Jewish quota, or ostracism, intimidation or violence against Jewish students, as well as in the hiring, retention and treatment of Jewish staff. In some instances, universities have supported antisemitic government or social policies and condoned the development of antisemitic cultures on campus. In many jurisdictions, especially since World War II, discriminatory practices, including within the context of a university, are in breach of anti-discrimination laws, though antisemitic cultural values still persists on many campuses.

The War on Britain's Jews? is a 2007 documentary film by British journalist, broadcaster, writer and Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn. It was first broadcast on Channel 4 television on 9 July 2007.

Canada–Israel relations Bilateral relations

Canada–Israel relations refer to the bilateral diplomatic, commercial, and cultural ties between Canada and the State of Israel. Canada recognized Israel on 11 May 1949, almost one year after the Israeli Declaration of Independence, and currently maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv; Israel maintains an embassy in Ottawa and regional consulates in Montreal and Toronto.

Anti-Zionism is the opposition to Zionism, the movement that sought and ultimately succeeded in establishing a Jewish state in the region of Palestine. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, anti-Zionism evolved into opposition to the state and its policies.

Antisemitic incidents escalated worldwide in frequency and intensity during the Gaza War, and were widely considered to be a wave of reprisal attacks in response to the conflict.

Antisemitism in Canada is the manifestation of hostility, prejudice or discrimination against the Canadian Jewish people or Judaism as a religious, ethnic or racial group. This form of racism has affected Jews since Canada's Jewish community was established in the 18th century.

The Delisle–Richler controversy is the name given by academics to an historical controversy in Canadian history surrounding allegations of antisemitism made by Mordecai Richler and Esther Delisle on several pre-World War II Quebec personalities, notably against the priest-historian Lionel Groulx.

The Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) is an international coalition of Parliamentarians from around the world that work together to combat antisemitism. Among its goals is the understanding and awareness of modern antisemitism and ways to combat it on a global scale.

Durban III is an informal name for a high-level United Nations General Assembly meeting marking the 10th anniversary of the adoption of The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action that was held in New York City on 22 September 2011. It was mandated by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution 64/148 of 18 December 2009 to commemorate the World Conference against Racism 2001, and given additional form and visibility by a UNGA Third Committee draft resolution adopted on 24 November 2010. It followed the Durban Review Conference, the official name of the 2009 United Nations World Conference Against Racism (WCAR), also known as Durban II.

Criticism of the Israeli government Disapproval towards the Israeli government

Criticism of the Israeli government, often referred to simply as criticism of Israel, is a subject of journalistic and scholarly commentary and research within the scope of international relations theory, expressed in terms of political science. Within the scope of global aspirations for a community of nations, Israel has faced international criticism since its declaration of independence in 1948 relating to a variety of topics, both historical and contemporary.

The Canadian Institute for the Study of Antisemitism (CISA) is one of seven institutes in the world dedicated to the scholarly study of antisemitism. Founded in 2010 by Canadian historian Catherine Chatterley, the Institute is a national organization based in Winnipeg.

The "three Ds" or the "3D test" of antisemitism is a set of criteria which was formulated by Israeli politician Natan Sharansky in order to distinguish legitimate criticism of Israel from antisemitism. The three Ds stand for delegitimization, demonization, and double standards, each of which, according to the test, indicates antisemitism. The test is intended to draw the line between legitimate criticism of the State of Israel, its actions and policies, and non-legitimate criticism which becomes antisemitic. The three Ds test is intended to rebut arguments which say that "any criticism toward the State of Israel is considered antisemitic, and therefore legitimate criticism is silenced and ignored". This test was adopted by the U.S. Department of State in 2010, and replaced by the Working Definition of Antisemitism in 2017. The test, however, has been criticized for vagueness and its use to define criticism of Israel as antisemitic.

The Ottawa Protocol on Combating Antisemitism is an action plan which "note and reaffirm the London Declaration on Combating Antisemitism as a template document for the fight against Antisemitism". It was developed during the second annual Conference and Summit of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism (ICCA) which took place in Ottawa in November, 2010, by Parliamentarians and experts from over 50 countries around the globe. It endorsed the Working Definition of Antisemitism.

The London Declaration on Combating Antisemitism is a declaration which asserts the need for global cooperation in the fight against Antisemitism by drawing "The Democratic world’s attention to the resurgence of Antisemitism as a potent force in politics, international affairs and society". It was signed on February 17, 2009, in Lancaster House, during the Conference and Summit of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism, by some of the world's leading parliamentarians.

Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law

The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law (LDB) is a nonprofit organization founded by Kenneth L. Marcus in 2012 to advance the civil and human rights of the Jewish people and promote justice for all. LDB is active on American campuses, where it, according to the organization, combats anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism.

Allegations of antisemitism in the Labour Party of the United Kingdom (UK) have been made since Jeremy Corbyn was elected as leader of the party in September 2015. After comments by Naz Shah in 2014 and Ken Livingstone in 2016 resulted in their suspension from membership pending investigation, Corbyn established the Chakrabarti Inquiry, which concluded that the party was not "overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism", although there was an "occasionally toxic atmosphere" and "clear evidence of ignorant attitudes". The Home Affairs Select Committee of Parliament held an inquiry into antisemitism in the UK in the same year and found "no reliable, empirical evidence to support the notion that there is a higher prevalence of antisemitic attitudes within the Labour Party than any other political party", though the leadership's lack of action "risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally antisemitic".

Jewish Voice for Labour British political organisation

Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) is an organisation formed in 2017 for Jewish members of the UK Labour Party. Its aims include a commitment "to strengthen the party in its opposition to all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism... to uphold the right of supporters of justice for Palestinians to engage in solidarity activities" and "to oppose attempts to widen the definition of antisemitism beyond its meaning of hostility towards, or discrimination against, Jews as Jews".

The Working Definition of Antisemitism is a non-legally binding statement on what antisemitism is which was adopted by the IHRA Plenary in Bucharest, Romania, on 26 May 2016. The statement reads:

Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "About Us". The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
  2. ↑ Clark, Campbell (February 9, 2010). "Tories' hard line on criticism of Israel could spark backlash, MP says". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Report of the Inquiry Panel" (PDF). Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-08-12. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
  4. ↑ "Coalition de lutte contre l'antisémitisme: le Bloc se retire", Le Devoir, March 10, 2010
  5. ↑ Gloria Galloway, "Harper vows strong support for Israel no matter the cost," 9 November 2010, A15.
  6. ↑ Daniel Leblanc, "Group to fight anti-Semitism on Internet," Globe and Mail, 10 November 2010, A7.
  7. ↑ "The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat AntiSemitism".
  8. 1 2 The Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism: What It Means For Canadians by Joanne Naiman, The Socialist Project, E-Bulletin No. 310, February 11, 2010.
  9. ↑ Michael Keefer, Antisemitism Real and Imagined: Responses to the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism. Waterloo, ON: The Canadian Charger, forthcoming in February 2010. Much of the general information on the CPCCA, and its legal implications, are taken from the introductory chapter.
  10. ↑ "Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) » IJV submission to the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-semitism". Archived from the original on 2010-09-28. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  11. ↑ "FAQs – CCPA".
  12. ↑ "Tory MP hits back at critics of anti-Semitism conference - The Globe and Mail". The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on 2010-11-11.
  13. ↑ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/anti-semitism-on-the-rise-at-canadian-universities-committee-says/article2089680/ Anti-Semitism on the rise at Canadian universities, committee says] by Gloria Galloway, The Globe and Mail , July 7, 2011.
  14. ↑ Anti-Semitism panel wants more action from Ottawa by Meagan Fitzpatrick, CBC News, July 7, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.