Zionist organizations cannot credibly address the full spectrum of hate in Canada, and should not shape how it’s prosecuted

In May, the Manitoba government announced through a news release that it, along with the federal government, was partnering with the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) to “provide specialized training to Crown attorneys on prosecuting hate crimes.”

Antisemitism is a real and pernicious problem in Canada, and prosecutors should be equipped to combat it. However, antisemitism is not the only form hate crimes can take, and CIJA cannot credibly claim expertise on Islamophobia, anti-Indigenous racism, or other manifestations of hate. The organization’s demonstrable anti-Palestinian politics should in fact disqualify it from being considered by both levels of governments as an authority on hate crime.