Five Liberal members of Parliament have written a letter to 25 Canadian university presidents, inquiring whether advocating for a genocide against Jewish people or the elimination of Israel violates their school policies. This letter, which was shared online by Montreal MP Anthony Housefather, was prompted by the rise in antisemitism on campuses during the Israel-Hamas war.
The letter has been signed by former justice minister David Lametti, Montreal MP Anna Gainey, Winnipeg representative Ben Carr, and former public-safety minister Marco Mendicino. The MPs, two of whom are Jewish, expressed concerns about students in their constituencies who have been facing harassment and hostile environments in some classrooms.
Similar questions about antisemitism on campuses have been raised in the United States during recent congressional hearings, prompting the resignation of former University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill. The Canadian MPs’ letter is requesting that educators respond to their question and outline steps being taken to protect Jewish students. The responses, due by January 20, will be submitted to a parliamentary committee.
The letter emphasizes the need for a safe campus environment and condemns the fear experienced by Jewish students. Canadian universities have grappled with managing tensions since the war began, with McGill University in Montreal requesting a group to remove its reference to the university after characterizing Hamas’s attacks on Israel as “heroic”. The letter does not cite a specific school but highlights the fear and threats faced by Jewish students across the country amid the lack of action by university leadership to protect them.