Irwin Cotler, former special envoy, emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated approach to tackle the rising threat of antisemitism, stating that the government has not fully grasped the severity of the issue. In an interview with CBC’s The House, Cotler stressed the importance of collective responsibility in addressing antisemitism, rather than working in isolation.
Appointed in 2020 as Canada’s inaugural special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Cotler discussed the recent incident in northern England where a car plowed into individuals outside a synagogue, followed by stabbings that resulted in casualties.
While initial reports suggested a terrorist attack, subsequent investigations revealed that British police may have inadvertently shot victims, including a fatality, during the incident. This development prompted a closer examination by the police complaints watchdog.
Police have shot and killed a suspect who is said to have driven a car into people outside a synagogue in northern England before going on a stabbing rampage, killing two and seriously wounding four on the holiest day of the Jewish year.
Cotler highlighted the global impact of antisemitic hate crimes, noting that incidents like the one in the U.K. resonate across borders, affecting Jewish communities worldwide. He cautioned that the surge in antisemitism poses a threat not only to these communities but also to democratic principles.
In the two years since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, incidents of antisemitism have risen dramatically around the world. What has to happen to stop it? Human rights lawyer and former justice minister Irwin Cotler joins Catherine Cullen to talk about the rise of antisemitism in Canada and how to address it.
Cotler cautioned against the escalating trend of antisemitism, stating that historical evidence indicates that such hatred, if left unchecked, can have broader implications beyond the Jewish community.
According to Statistics Canada, there were 920 reported hate crimes against Jewish