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National Post

Avi Benlolo: The Jewish community deserves to live in peace

Canada is at a crossroads. In the face of growing hatred and escalating threats toward the Jewish community, we must confront a difficult truth: antisemitic violence is no longer a fringe concern — it is now a coordinated and dangerous threat to public safety and national values. Article content Over the past year, antisemitic incidents have surged. In cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, Jewish schools, synagogues, and community centres have been targeted with threats, vandalism, arson, and even gunfire. These are not isolated events — they reflect a disturbing pattern of extremism taking root in the public square, online spaces, and protests where hate speech and glorification of terrorism go unchecked. Article content Article content Article content The case for a national response is stark. After the Hamas-led October 7th massacre in Israel, Canada experienced a sharp rise in antisemitism. Toronto recorded 443 hate incidents in 2024 alone — 40 per cent targeting Jews. Across Canada, there was a 670 per cent increase in antisemitic incidents since the attack. In Vancouver, Jewish institutions were threatened and set on fire. Most shockingly, a Jewish girls' school in Toronto was shot at three times. These are not abstract statistics — they reflect a wave of hate crossing into real-world violence. Article content Article content In response, I've begun writing a White Paper for a new national conversation — working with friends and leaders in government and law enforcement to explore concrete actions that protect the Jewish community and reinforce the values of our democracy. The response to having the conversation has been overwhelmingly positive across the country. Article content One of the greatest concerns is deterrence. Hate groups and extremists feel emboldened, often because they believe they can act with impunity. This must change. Deterrence theory offers a clear path forward: offenders must know they will be caught swiftly. In other words, the response must be immediate and the severity must be strong and unambiguous, with meaningful penalties that reflect the seriousness of these crimes. Article content Article content In order for this to succeed, first, we must reform how hate crimes are prosecuted. In Canada, charges require the consent of the Attorney General — a political hurdle that delays justice. That requirement should be removed, allowing police to lay charges based on evidence and the courts to determine outcomes. Article content Article content Second, existing hate crime laws must be applied consistently as the law of the land. Canada already prohibits hate speech, incitement to genocide, and the promotion of violence, but enforcement appears to be timid and selective. These laws must be used fully and without hesitation. Article content Third, we need a dedicated national enforcement unit focused on antisemitic and ideological hate. Canada has long had units to combat organized crime — this is no less urgent. Hate groups are becoming more coordinated and violent against Jewish citizens. Law enforcement must be equally coordinated in its response. Article content Fourth, I'm proposing a new national security strategy — S.N.A.P.: Share, Notify, Act, Protect. It calls for improved intelligence sharing across agencies, real-time alerts for Jewish communities, swift legal action, and visible protection of high-risk institutions. This model moves us from a reactive stance to a proactive one. Article content Fifth, we must modernize protest laws. Inspired by recent U.K. reforms, Canada should adopt clear rules: require and enforce advance notice of protest marches; place limits on time, location, and methods; prevent seriously disruptive protests; and restrict demonstrations near Jewish events. Issue immediate and heavy fines. These measures preserve freedom of expression while safeguarding public order and safety. Article content Sixth, legal definitions must be updated to reflect modern threats. Online radicalization, glorification of terror, and hate propaganda must be addressed with new legislation, including reinstating Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act curtailing hate online and digitally. Article content Canada also rightly recognizes that free speech has limits — especially when it infringes on the safety and rights of others. Pro-Hamas groups may have the right to protest peacefully, but they are not free to block Jewish Canadians from attending events or entering synagogues. They are not free to harass, intimidate, or chant genocidal slogans. This is not free speech — it is hate speech. And under Canadian law, it is not protected. Article content These ideas are drawn from my extensive consultation with political leaders and law enforcement leaders. They are not the final word — but the beginning of a critical national conversation. In the 1980s and 1990s, it was primarily the Jewish community that helped shape Canada's hate crime laws in response to a rising Neo-Nazi threat. Today, the threat is more lethal, more ideological, and more public — and reforms must rise to meet this moment. Article content