The Canada we loved is disappearing with the normalization of Nazi and jihadist activity - opinion

Being Canadian used to be a profound source of pride for us in the Jewish community. Growing up in Toronto meant living in one of the most ethnically and racially integrated cities in the world, a true mosaic of diversity and coexistence, built on the backbone of countless immigrants.

Like many nations, Canada’s history is not without its dark periods. Our community has long been aware of its antisemitic past, particularly during the Holocaust when Canada shamefully accepted only a negligible number of Jewish refugees despite what was happening to Jews under the Nazis. The infamous phrase, “None is too many,” epitomized the government’s stance at the time, a chilling indictment of its moral failure.

Yet, despite this grim chapter, Canada emerged as a beacon of moral clarity on the global stage under prime minister Stephen Harper. His administration stood as one of Israel’s staunchest allies, unwavering in support of its right to self-defense, starting in 2006 in the Second Lebanon War all the way up until Operation Protective Edge in the 2014 Gaza War. Canada was the first country to cut aid to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas’s election and consistently opposed biased, one-sided UN resolutions against Israel. These actions showcased Canada as a principled leader, unafraid to stand firm in its convictions despite global criticism.

But the Canada we once knew and loved now feels unrecognizably distant. Since well before October 7, 2023, Canadian Jews – and, indeed, many average Canadians – have been abandoned. Hateful antisemitic and anti-Canadian protests have erupted nationwide, where agitators openly glorify Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists while desecrating the Canadian flag. Calls to “globalize the intifada” and praise for the groups responsible for atrocities have become alarmingly common.

One particularly harrowing incident occurred outside the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT), one of the city’s largest synagogues. Pro-Hamas activists viciously protested and harassed members of the congregation during an event. In the last week of May 2024, a Jewish school for girls in Toronto was the subject of gunfire, a yeshiva (Jewish seminary) was similarly shot at in the middle of the night in Montreal, and a synagogue in Vancouver was set alight by protesters after a hate-filled rally.

On those same streets of Vancouver, Samidoun’s Charlotte Kates chillingly chanted “Long Live October 7” and lauded various terror groups as “resistance fighters” and “heroes.” Although the Canadian Parliament eventually sanctioned Samidoun as a sham charity linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist organization, this action came after years of harm inflicted on Canadian soil. Only after the group, so emboldened by government inaction, began to shout “Death to Canada” and burn both Israeli and Canadian flags during memorials marking the anniversary of October 7, did the Canadian government finally shut it down.

MOST RECENTLY, as 300 NATO delegates convened in Montreal, jihad supporters once again seized the streets in violent demonstrations. Smoke bombs were set off, cars burned, and buildings vandalized. Masked rioters, waving Palestinian flags and donning keffiyehs, marched through the city while brazenly saluting Hitler.

Some will attempt to rationalize these events as “resistance” in support of Palestinian liberation. Do not be misled. The Hitler salutes and calls for a “final solution” have nothing to do with justice for Palestinians. These are unequivocal acts of hatred and violence aimed at Jews and Canadians, reflecting a deeper agenda rooted in antisemitism.

Normalization of radicalism increasing

Canada is descending into a place where the activities of Nazis and radical jihadists are increasingly normalized. Our leaders and law enforcement’s inability to hold these agitators accountable and the resulting two-tiered police system sends a chilling message: Violence, antisemitism, and harming fellow Canadians will be tolerated.

The promise of Canada has always been that anyone, irrespective of race, religion, or creed, who plays by the rules and works hard, will enjoy a safe, free place to call home. These anti-Zionist, antisemitic jihad supporters have made clear that they do not believe that those with opposing viewpoints should enjoy this fundamental Canadian right, and so do not share the Canadian values we hold dear.

The refrain “hate has no place in Canada” is one we have heard from our leaders after almost every one of the incidents perpetrated above. Yet, the longer our country continues to effectively ignore hate-filled rhetoric, draw false moral equivalence between democratic Israel and the bad actors that openly vow to destroy her, and tolerate unsanctioned violent protests by masked agitators on the streets, the harder it will be for Canada to dislodge the extremism, hatred, and violence that so clearly has found a place for itself in our beloved country.

Zina Rakhamilova is the co-founder and CEO of Social Lite Creative, a digital marketing firm that specializes in geopolitics. Jonah Hart is a wealth management professional with a history of political activism in Canada.