January 27, 2022

To call out antisemitism we must know what it is

January 27, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Human Rights Commission

Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issues the following statement:

Today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, it is important to acknowledge that antisemitism continues to exist within our society. This vile form of hate threatens our safety, peace and prosperity.

As with many forms of hate, some people in our society continue to deny the prevalence of antisemitism and minimize its harm on the people it seeks to target and diminish.

We all have a responsibility to speak out against antisemitism when we see it. This begins by knowing what it is.

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance defines antisemitism as:

“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.”

The Commission encourages everyone in Canada to learn more about antisemitism. This form of hate most directly affects the Jewish community, but it concerns us all.

Hate has no place in a free and democratic society. We must all speak out and take action against antisemitism in any form. If we are complacent, we are complicit.

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Date modified:: 2022-01-27