My monthly summary of events in Canada that have come to my attention.
Ontario MPP Michelle Cooper’s private members’ bill to establish a dedicated hate crimes Crown Prosecution Unit was passed unanimously by provincial lawmakers. Hate crime charges have been dropped, stayed or resolved without conviction in between 50% and 60% or cases. This unit is meant to bring together dedicated and experienced crown prosecutors with focused expertise in hate-motivated offences so that victims of hate crimes are no longer denied justice.
B’nai Brith Canada’s League for Human Rights recently released a report documenting 6,800 antisemitic incidents across the country in 2025. Statistics Canada reported that the Jewish community was the target of 70% of hate crimes in Canada in 2024. The Jewish community comprises 1% of Canada’s population. Statistics for 2025 will be available this summer.
Retired Toronto Police Force (TPF) homicide inspector, Hank Idsinga, describes antisemitism and anti-black racism in the upper ranks of the TPF in an April 22nd CBC interview before the release of his book. TPF chief Demkiw has stated that a full internal investigation will take place. Mr. Idsinga has expressed doubts as to the value of an internal process.
On April 19th, a Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) organized event took place at the Centre St. Pierre in Montreal that celebrated convicted terrorists involved in stabbings, murders and a failed suicide bombing. PYM has links to recognized terrorist entities, PFLP and Samidoun, and has publicly endorsed Hamas and the October 7th massacre in Israel. Centre St. Pierre has received millions of taxpayer dollars, and this is the second time it has hosted a hate-promoting event.
Seventeen months after Samidoun was designated a terrorist entity, its active listing on Corporations Canada’s official database was removed because of Samidoun’s failure to submit annual paperwork. It was dissolved for non-compliance and not because Samidoun is a terrorist entity, a fact that will reassure other designated Canadian terrorist entities who will assiduously attend to their paperwork.
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) was successfully nominated to the UN Committee for Programme and Coordination with the help of Canada and other Western democracies. This committee addresses critical issues, including women’s rights and terrorism prevention. Only the United States formally objected to the IRI’s nomination. By not formally objecting, which it has done on other occasions, Canada has endorsed this nomination despite Minister Anand’s denials. In addition, there is no evidence that Canada took any action to oppose or protest the numerous positions of influence recently awarded to the IRI, including the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, the UN Commission for Social Development and the UN Charter Committee.
A Temporary Resident’s Permit was issued by the government of Canada to Mehdi Taj, a former commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who is otherwise inadmissible to Canada. The IRGC was designated a terrorist entity by the Canadian Government in 2024. Leo Housakis, Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian Senate, eloquently objected to the inability of the Canadian government to deport IRGC members in Canada and, at the same time, ‘rolling out a red carpet’ for Mehdi Taj. Following a public backlash, Taj was sent back from Canada hours after landing in Toronto.
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights has published a report on antisemitism. In the 72-page report, Islamic extremism as a driving force of antisemitism is never mentioned. Within its opening summary, antisemitism is likened to sexism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate. In a document dedicated to examining antisemitism because of its astronomical increase in Canada, its particularity is not recognized. There are twenty-two recommendations, including restoring the position of a Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism, ensuring government funding does not go to antisemites, and immediately retracting charitable and non-profit status of organizations when they are listed as terrorist entities. It is noteworthy that submissions were received by anti-Zionist groups like IJV, CJPME, CAPE for Palestine and Ottawa Forum on Israel and Palestine, anti-Zionist individuals and not a single Jewish senator was on the committee.
Following a campaign against Canadian Jewish summer camps launched in February by anti- Israel groups, now anti-Zionist groups have lodged a complaint to the Canadian Revenue Agency seeking to strip 11 Jewish schools of their charitable status for “promoting the Israeli military and potentially aiding and abetting illegal military recruiting”. The complaints extend to attacking school curricula, including Zionism, Israel engagement and teaching students how to advocate for their views.
The North American Values Institute (NAVI) has launched a K-12 extremism tracker for the United States and Canada. This tracker exposes activists and organizations that influence what happens in K-12 classrooms. To report, contact: K12tracker@proton.me
Government of Canada Bills to watch:
Sponsor: MP Roman Baber PC
Aim: to create a new criminal offence – to willfully promote a terrorist group or terrorist activity – with a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment