e-4985 (Public safety)

Petition to the House of Commons

• On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other terrorist organizations, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), launched a massive terrorist attack on Israel;
• Hamas and PIJ are designated terrorist entities;
• Police vigilance to the Jewish community has since increased;
• Bomb threats, death threats, violence, vandalism of Jewish homes, schools, and synagogues, and boycotting of Jewish-owned businesses are causing many Jewish Canadians to experience re-traumatization of the Holocaust and feel unsafe to reveal their Jewish identity;
• Rallies across Canada include antisemitic rhetoric, hate symbols, intimidation, illegal encampments on campus and praise for Hamas and other terrorist groups;
• While Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows for peaceful demonstrations and protests, sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code forbid the promotion of genocide, public incitement of hatred, and the wilful promotion of hatred;
• Section 83.01 ff. of the Criminal Code address offences pertaining to committing and facilitating terrorism;
• Robust enforcement of Sections 318, 319 and 83.01 ff. of the Criminal Code will help restrict proliferation of threats and keep our communities safer;
• Deferred intervention communicates public tolerance of antisemitism, allows further victimization of Jewish Canadians, emboldens terrorists and those espousing extremist views, and can incite further violence and raise Canada’s national terrorism threat level; and
• Urgent action is needed to counter antisemitism and keep all Canadians safe.