‘STAGGERING’: Jewish group calls out Kinew’s anti-Islamophobia program

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A Jewish civil rights group with international reach is calling out the province for announcing an anti-Islamophobia working group in the K through 12 school system.

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The backdrop for last week’s announcement is the months-long problem of Jew hatred in Winnipeg — including swastikas painted on a synagogue, vulgar graffiti, and a recent pro-Palestine demonstration in a Jewish neighbourhood — said members of the Jewish community.

“It is staggering that in the middle of a nationwide antisemitism crisis that imposes ever-increasing trauma on Manitoba’s Jewish community, turning back decades of progress in human rights protections and equity for this minority community, the Manitoba government has chosen to turn its back on its Jewish citizens and instead focus on Islamophobia,” said Gerard Filitti, senior lawyer with The Lawfare Project in New York.

According to statistics compiled by B’nai Brith Canada, the country’s oldest independent Jewish human rights organization, antisemitism in Canada has skyrocketed. There were 5,791 reported incidents of antisemitism in 2023 — the worst year ever recorded — up 109% from 2,769 incidents in 2022. Acts of violence against Jews were up 208%. Harassment was up 124%.

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Islamophobia is fear or hostility towards Islam or Muslims. Islamophobia is a form of religious and cultural discrimination — and people who harbour such ideas frequently stereotype Muslims as a global threat or a source of terrorism.

Islamophobia in Canada has been on the rise since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Canadian Human Rights Commission on its website.

“We must recognize that for every reported incident of hate, discrimination, or violence, there are many more frightening incidents that go unreported,” it states. “Many people experiencing hate in Canada are bearing the burden in silence.”

In a statement, Premier Wab Kinew said hate is unwanted in Manitoba, and that the province has a role in facilitating unity. He said the anti-Islamophobia working group will focus on creating awareness of Islamophobia and its effects in schools.

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The program will develop training and professional opportunities and resources for educators and provide input to Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning regarding K-12 anti-racism and anti-oppression policy initiatives.

Filitti is concerned the working group may provide input to Manitoba’s education system in the context of false historical narratives about Jews and a near lack of accountability for pro-Hamas protesters in Winnipeg.

“As a matter of equity and justice, we expect the Manitoba government to immediately announce a working group on antisemitism, provide input from this group to anti-racism and anti-oppression policy initiatives, and provide full transparency by making public, and widely available, all communications — not limited to policy input — with the Islamophobia working group,” said Filitti.

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“Full transparency is needed for accountability and to promote equal access to justice. Crucially, we also expect the Manitoba government to act to protect the Jewish community as it faces the worst crisis of antisemitism since the Holocaust.”

Kinew hasn’t remained silent on the issue of rising antisemitism. On Oct. 7, the first anniversary of the Hamas invasion of southern Israel he commented in the Legislature.

“Here at home, we’ve seen a sharp and sudden rise in reports of antisemitism in too many of our com­mu­nities, threats to places of worship, com­mu­nity centres and, notably, at uni­ver­sity campuses in our province,” he said.

“It pains me to hear that Jewish Manitobans have felt threatened and singled out in their everyday lives. We have heard from Jewish people who are afraid to display their identity in public for fear of suffering attack or abuse. Here in Manitoba, that simply isn’t right. All of this is unacceptable, and it must be condemned.”

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Kinew called out the Hamas invasion of southern Israel as a brutal attack on civilians.

“Israel has a right to exist and a right to defend itself,” he said. “So, we must publicly and loudly reject antisemitism and all forms of hatred, including Islamophobia. I stand with your com­mu­nity to ensure all people can display their identity, including their Jewish identity, proudly.”

Jewish Winnipegger Avrom Charach said the announcement of an anti-Islamophobia working group is a misplaced act of political correctness. He said he appreciates parts of the NDP’s education curriculum that includes Holocaust and antisemitism awareness.

“It is tone deaf to do that right now, but I’m trying to give the premier the benefit of the doubt,” Charach said of the announcement. He notes that politicians are too quiet on the matter of Jew hatred as pro-Hamas protesters in Winnipeg have called for the destruction of Zionism and Israel, and published statements encouraging Iran.

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Charach said he is disgusted by the amount of Jew-hating graffiti in the city. He removed a swastika from a synagogue in July.

“Some of the graffiti uses language that you can’t publish,” he said. “Almost weekly I get a call for that. I find it deeply disturbing, but I do find it cathartic to remove the hate.”

When asked if Kinew is doing enough to support the Jewish community, Charach said he hasn’t seen the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Matt Wiebe advance a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism.

“No one was detained by police,” Charach said of the recent anti-Israel protest in a Jewish neighbourhood. “There’s a right to free speech in this country, but that’s where the government can step in to determine when free speech turns to hate speech.”

Over the last year, incidents of Islamophobia have increased in classrooms and schools, said Sadaf Ahmed, advocacy officer for the National Council of Canadian Muslims.

“This is why an anti-Islamophobia strategy is imperative,” he said.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

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