Article content

OTTAWA — With Canada’s spring economic statement coming later this month, Jewish groups want to see more funding to protect communities from extremism.

Article content

In a letter sent this week to Mark Carney, a consortium of Jewish groups across Canada want the Prime Minister to make good on campaign promises that increased security costs incurred due to Canada’s unprecedented explosion in antisemitism should not be borne by the Jewish community alone.

Article content

Article content

“However, Canada’s per-capita investment in Jewish community security remains one-third that of the United Kingdom and one-quarter that of Australia,” read an excerpt from that letter.

“We are therefore calling on the Government of Canada to take meaningful action to ensure that Jewish institutions can remain open and safe for the people who rely on them every day.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

Oct. 7 Hamas attacks sparked anti-Jewish hatred in Canada

The letter calls on the government to use the spring economic statement as a means to significantly increase funding to the Canada Community Security Program, bring Canada’s funding into line with other nations on a per capita basis, and cut red tape to ensure the program remains accessible.

Article content

Article content

“This isn’t sort of a one-time surge or short-term issue, the security threats facing the Jewish community have been escalating for some time,” Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, told the Toronto Sun.

“The level of security required to protect Jewish communities would be shocking for most Canadians, simply for people in our community to go to school, drop their kids off at daycare, kids going to play sports after school, visiting elderly parents in long term care facilities. The threats are real.”

Levels of anti-Jewish hatred in Toronto spikes shortly after the Oct. 7 2023 terror attacks, which saw Palestinian terrorists storm Gaza-adjacent communities and inflict a campaign of kidnappings, murders and sexual assault against Israeli men, women and children.

Activists in Toronto used the attacks to convene hundreds of marches, demonstrations and rallies targeting Israeli-Canadians and the city’s Jewish community, which have dealt with vandalism and even gunfire directed at Jewish businesses, community centres, schools and synagogues, and even carried out marches through Jewish neighbourhoods.

Article content

Indeed, efforts to protect Toronto’s Jews during Passover saw a heavily-armed and highly-visible Toronto Police presence at synagogues and community centers as part of Task Force Guardian.

That increased presence aided police in arresting a suspect in the April 3 shooting of a Jewish-owned restaurant near Avenue Rd. and Wilson Ave.

Mohamed Mahdi, 30, of Brampton, faces numerous charges.

Estimates suggest annual security costs to keep Jewish communities safe could top $100 million, Shack said.

Attack targeting Jewish community likely in next six months: ITAC

“The level of security required to protect the Jewish community has become exorbitant and the cost associated has created a significant financial burden that our community has been forced to absorb,” said Sara Lefton, chief development officer for the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Article content

“A much-needed and immediate increase to the Canada Community Security Program can help to provide vital security equipment and other measures that are required to help safeguard our Jewish community.”

Reports from the Integrated Threat Assessment Centre (ITAC) determined the prospect of a major terror attack targeting Canada’s Jewish community is a realistic possibility in the next six months, Shack said, pointing to recent high-profile shootings at three GTA synagogues highlights the threats Toronto’s Jews face.

“If the gunman had come to these synagogues an hour earlier, there would still be people around those windows and doors, we will be dealing with a very different situation,” Shack said.

“We look at it not just as an emergency that needs to be met in the moment, but a sustained challenge that our country is facing.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com

Article content