This coming Saturday, November 11th, we will once again pause to remember, as we have for over a century, those men and women who gave their lives, or had their lives irrevocably changed, defending freedom and democracy and opposing tyranny and hate. It is of course fitting that we do that, perhaps even more so this year, as our present world is rife with conflict.
We haven’t heard much of the war in Ukraine lately because the conflict in the Middle East has captured most of the headlines. But that war is still ongoing. Ukraine is fighting an uphill battle and thousands of its citizens have died defending its sovereignty against Russian aggression. Although the focus now is elsewhere, they must not be forgotten.
Nor should we forget the thousands of people, of all ages, dying in the Middle East right now in the war between Israel and Hamas. Every human life is precious, whether Jewish or Palestinian. But Hamas, who controls Palestinian governance, must be held accountable for their unprovoked acts of terrorism against Israel.
They must also be held accountable for using innocent Palestinians as human shields. They use the basements of hospitals as their headquarters. They shuttle their leaders around in ambulances and gather them in refugee camps. They promote spilling the blood of their own people in order to ignite the “Revolution.”
As I mentioned in a previous article, it would take a very hard heart not to empathize with the horror many innocent Palestinians are enduring during this present conflict. It would be wrong, however, in my view, to place all of the blame for that on Israel.
A terrifying consequence of the current war in the Middle East is the re-emerging of global antisemitism. We might have expected to see it in Russia, and we did, but it has also raised its ugly head in many Western countries, including France, Great Britain, and Canada.
In France, a Jewish woman was murdered on her doorstep and a swastika was painted on her door. In Canada alone, there have been demonstrations and protests in at least two dozen cities. Thousands have blocked traffic in Toronto for days running, in support of Hamas.
Quite often, these are labeled as Pro-Palestinian protests but that is a misnomer. They are in the main, pro-Hamas rallies supporting their intent to destroy Israel and its Jewish population. In Toronto, there were signs encouraging Hamas to kill Zionists. One sign read, “Smash the Zionists head”. Once again, there was a swastika on Parliament Hill. Hamas Flags are everywhere.
In Toronto, there has been a call for a boycott of Jewish businesses. I have heard from a number of individuals who are Jewish, fearing for their personal safety, here in Muskoka.
All of this speaks to a resurgence of antisemitism in a manner that we have not seen since the Second World War.
So, the hard question is, are we going to tolerate this in Canada?
In responding to the demonstrations across the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “When we see or hear hateful language and imagery, we must condemn it. The display of a swastika by an individual on Parliament Hill is unacceptable. Canadians have a right to assemble peacefully – but we cannot tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, or hate of any kind.” That, of course, is true, and Trudeau is covering his political bases here. But these demonstrations are clearly about antisemitism, not Islamophobia and it is a fair question to ask who is promoting these attacks against Jewish people.
Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Official Opposition said this. “All Canadians should condemn the displays of hate and antisemitism that we continue to see across the country, including the targeting of Jewish businesses and the open display of swastikas on Parliament Hill.”
Anthony Housefather, a Liberal member of Parliament also spoke out about the protests in Canada. “Demonstrations in Canada are a protected right. Free Speech is precious. Even hate speech, though reprehensible, is not criminal. (I strongly disagree with him there) But glorifying terrorism, extolling violence against an identifiable group, that crosses the line and police need to step in when that line is crossed.”
I find it difficult to believe that hate speech is not against the law in Canada. But section 319(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada does outlaw “anyone who by communicating statements in any public place incites hatred against any identifiable group.”
That should be enough in my view, to shut these demonstrations down They are antisemitic in nature and target both Israel and Jewish people. So, where are the police and where are the politicians that will not only say, “STOP” but also actually DO something about it? And where is the mainstream media on this? Pretty quiet on most fronts, in my estimation. I wonder why?
There can, in my view, be no excuse for antisemitism. It is wrong, it is cruel, it is racist, and it is dangerous. That it is now creeping into so much of our society should be very concerning. There may be a cost to shutting it down but nevertheless, that is what must happen.
As I also mentioned in a previous article, I was in Normandy a month ago and visited the Canadian War Cemetery. It is an image and a moment I will never forget; well-kept graves of thousands of Canadians who gave up their lives in the pursuit of freedom and justice.
Much of that freedom and justice is at risk today. Tyranny and antisemitism have often been precursors to war. We owe it not only to ourselves but also to those who have gone before, especially to those who have fallen, to see that it never happens again.
Lest We Forget.
Hugh Mackenzie
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District of Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has also served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently, Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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See You All at the Remembrance Day Service at The Legion on Saturday ….11 A.M. Sharp !
Well said, Hugh.
It is ALWAYS wrong to stigmatize and demonize ANY group based on ethnicity, identifiable physical characteristics, religion or even political opinions, rising out of religious considerations. The generation of hate toward one group or another seeks to legitimize genocide. The genocide of Jews in WWII was preceded by hatred and proposing violence toward them. But the Holocaust genocide was preceded by the earlier Holodomor (1932-33) in Ukraine, perpetrated by the Soviets under the leadership of Joseph Stalin.
As the background to the Holodomor of Ukraine: At the time of the Communist takeover of Russia, the more prosperous, small farm-owning peasants of the food-growing regions (like Ukraine), were demonized as “Kulaks” by the Communists, for their resistance to collectivization. Many, many Ukrainians (as well as Russians) were either murdered outright, in particularly barbaric ways,, sent to “re-education” (in the Gulags), or forced into exile with little but the shirts on their backs. However, the majority of deaths were those who were deliberately starved to death. Ukraine has always been the “bread basket” for Russia and it was hardest hit. It has been estimated that approximately 4 million Ukrainians lost their lives in this way–the vast majority were Christians.
It was known among the atheistic socialist/Communists that Christians were more or less responsible for the invention of modern capitalism. From the days of the devout Christian, Adam Smith onward, Christians were often at the forefront of the development of Western capitalism and the general prosperity that was the result. Thus the Communist antipathy toward the more enterprising peasants–who were largely Christian, and, out of Christian principle, given to protesting the collectivism of the Stalinist regime based on the writings of Adam Smith. Adam Smith felt that the earlier practice of European mercantilism, the invention of elitists–especially the “crowned heads” of Europe, was immoral and deprived the people of the just rewards of their labours.
In Stalinist Russia, the growing middle class, stemming from the nascent capitalism, was seen as a threat to the collectivist goals of the socialist/Communists. The knowledge of the Holodomor was suppressed by the Communists until the breakup of the Soviet Union–for obvious reasons. But Ukraninians remember.
Well said Hugh. Hamas is recognized in Canada as a terrorist organization and as such, anyone here on a work or student visa should be deported for supporting this or any other terrorist organization. I agree that those who live here who spew hate should be arrested and charged under the criminal code of Canada.
Our society has become week and anything goes. There is no sense of right and wrong and with that goes the sense of community.
Hugh Mackenzie, well said!
Hugh, I love you man! As a member of the Jewish community both in Muskoka and Toronto, your support of my Jewish people is immeasurable. Especially right now as this rings alarms in my head and reminds me of Europe in the early 1930’s, prior to Hitler’s rise in Germany. Where one could see the same, vile, antisemitic demonstrations all over Europe as we can see right here in beautiful, diverse, Canada. Shameful doesn’t come close to describing our situation. We need many more people like yourself who have the guts to speak out honestly about the world’s oldest form of racism.
Thank You!
Mr. Mackenzie; a thoughtful article, thank you.
As you have previously mentioned, the Middle East conflict is regrettably longstanding and complicated at times.
We have been at the mercy of our own doing, in my view. Populism, which wittles down some more complex issues, then encourages one to pick a side (regardless what we may actually know about an issue) and then protest. I concur with your take on hate speech – a very important distinction to free speech. Just look south, if examples are needed.
I too see red flags as to the anti-semitism in our land, which is horrific. I think we are in the horror of this mess as all diplomacy has long broken down with extremist groupS rising again. There is certainly an element of ignorance, forgetting of world history. We remember how the Jewish people were “dealt” with under Nazi Germany in WW2 (Jews, black people, and people with disabilities were wiped from the face of the earth, in order to build the superior arian race – Disgusting).
In the past, some of those moderate leaders in the Middle East were assassinated by their own group. Peace didn’t stand a chance. Condemnation of any bloodshed is appropriate for Canadian leaders.
Extremism is what needs to be condemned – of all stripes. One possible answer is “back to the table” for a 2 state solution. However, I well recognize this is for another day, when immediate and actual threats are the reality.