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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000497 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CA
SUBJECT: RISE IN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS IN CANADA 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  On April 9, the League for Human Rights of 
B'nai Brith Canada released its 2007 "Audit of Antisemitic 
Incidents."  According to the audit, 1,042 incidents of 
anti-Semitism took place in Canada in 2007, the highest 
figure since B'nai Brith released its first audit 26 years 
ago, and an 11.4% increase from 2006. The audit cited a 
significant increase in the number of incidents that occurred 
outside of city centers, an increase in incidents on college 
campuses, and a new phenomenon of individuals who have spoken 
out against anti-Semitism becoming targets of retaliatory 
attacks.  Notably, the report linked a November spike in 
anti-Semitic incidents, representing 13.7% of the total, to 
the "reasonable accommodation" hearings in Quebec, perhaps 
not reflecting a disturbing new trend.  End summary. 
 
TROUBLING TREND 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (U) According to B'nai Brith's 2007 "Audit of Antisemitic 
Incidents," in 2007 Canada experienced 1,042 incidents of 
anti-Semitism, representing the highest number of incidents 
since B'nai Brith released its first report 26 years ago. 
This number also represents an 11.4% increase from 2006, and 
a more than four-fold increase over the past decade. 
According to the audit, these figures contrast with reports 
from countries such as the UK and U.S., which experienced 8% 
and 13% declines in anti-Semitic incidents, respectively. 
The audit also stated that, with the Jewish community 
representing barely 1% of the total Canadian population, 
B'nai Brith's audit demonstrated a disproportionate targeting 
of hate crimes at the Jewish community compared to other 
ethnic and religious groups in Canada. 
 
¶3. (U) The audit detailed how anti-Semitic incidents took 
place across Canada, but the majority occurred in Ontario and 
Quebec provinces, home to the largest Jewish communities. 
Ontario, Canada's most populous province with its largest 
city (Toronto), had the highest number of incidents (585), 
representing 56% of the total incidents for 2007.  While 
previous audits had reported that city centers experienced 
the highest increases in anti-Semitic incidents, areas 
outside of city centers experienced the highest increases in 
¶2007.  Regional Ontario -- outside Toronto and Ottawa -- saw 
an almost doubling of incidents, from 52 in 2006 to 95 in 
¶2007.  There was also a significant increase of incidents in 
Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 
provinces, with only Alberta seeing a substantial decline 
(38%). 
 
TYPES OF INCIDENTS 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (U) Cases of harassment were the most common type of 
anti-Semitic incidents, representing 67% of the total number 
for 2007.  The report noted a dramatic increase in the number 
of anti-Semitic incidents on university campuses, with the 
number more than doubling, from 36 cases in 2006 to 78 in 
¶2007.  In February 2007, a poster supporting a Jewish 
candidate for student government was defaced with 
anti-Semitic graffiti at an Ottawa university.  The audit 
also pointed to annual "Israel Apartheid Week" events at 
campuses as causing Jewish students to feel intimidated.  In 
addition, the audit cited what it called a new phenomenon of 
individuals who had spoken out against anti-Semitism becoming 
targets of retaliatory attacks.  B'nai Brith expressed 
concern that this will have an intimidating effect, leading 
to an under-estimation of the extent of the problem. 
 
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION LINKED TO INCREASE IN INCIDENTS 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶5. (U) The audit noted that two spikes in incidents occurred 
in Canada in 2007.  The first spike occurred in January, with 
Qin Canada in 2007.  The first spike occurred in January, with 
121 incidents (11.6% of the total) taking place.  B'nai Brith 
linked this increase to Iranian President Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad's genocidal statements against Israel at the end 
of 2006, as well as the controversy surrounding a Canadian 
professor's attendance at Iran's Holocaust Denial Conference. 
 
 
¶6. (U) The audit attributed the larger spike in anti-Semitic 
events, however, to a domestic event -- the Quebec 
Bouchard-Taylor Commission hearings on "reasonable 
accommodation" of minorities.  In November, at exactly the 
height of the hearings, 143 incidents (13.7 percent of the 
total) took place, more than in any other month.  The 
majority -- 99 out of 143 -- occurred in Quebec, where the 
hearings took place.  B'nai Brith commented that the public 
format of the hearings -- which involved individuals, groups, 
and experts discussing Quebec's treatment of minorities -- 
"gave bigots a virtually unrestricted public platform" to 
disseminate prejudices against many different minorities, 
including Jews.  According to B'nai Brith, the sharp increase 
 
OTTAWA 00000497  002 OF 002 
 
 
in anti-Semitic incidents in Quebec demonstrates that the 
Bouchard-Taylor Commission hearings were a "botched attempt" 
at inclusive public debate and illustrated that "latent 
prejudice will flourish openly when given the opportunity." 
 
 
CANADA'S RESPONSE 
----------------- 
 
¶7. (U) According to the audit, police received reports of 
just over one-third of cases reported to B'nai Brith.  Police 
laid eighteen charges in connection with incidents reported 
to police, representing a slight increase from the 15 charges 
police laid in 2006.  The audit stated that police units 
across Canada "continue to grapple with limited budgets" as 
they reach out to various communities in their jurisdictions. 
 It also noted that the B'nai Brith League for Human Rights 
has once again called for Montreal to establish a dedicated 
hate crime unit.  The audit noted that the government has put 
in place some initiatives to fight racism, including an 
Ontario government provision of funding to bolster services 
to hate crime victims, as well as a program to provide 
federal government grants to vulnerable community 
institutions at risk of hate crimes. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (U) While Canadians have traditionally prided themselves 
on their acceptance of minorities, even Canada is not immune 
to racism and discrimination.  With one in every five 
Canadians now self-identifying as a "visible minority," 
Canada increasing may feel the effects of its growing 
diversity.  However, with 13.7% of all anti-Semitic incidents 
taking place in November and the great majority of those 
occurring in Quebec, B'nai Brith's report of a rise in 
anti-Semitic incidents appears to stem from a specific event 
-- Quebec's reasonable accommodation hearings -- rather than 
representing a broader trend. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
WILKINS