Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized the importance of acknowledging the past and combating hatred and ignorance during a Holocaust Remembrance Day event in Ottawa. Carney highlighted Canada’s historical complicity in the Holocaust and stressed the need to remember history to prevent its repetition. He described the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau as a stark reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and urged against turning a blind eye to such horrors.
Holocaust Remembrance Day, established by the United Nations in 2005, serves as a tribute to the millions of lives lost under the Nazi regime. Carney pointed out that Canada’s history of antisemitism influenced immigration policies that hindered Jewish refugees from seeking shelter in Canada during World War II. Despite this, Canada eventually provided a home for approximately 40,000 Holocaust survivors post-war.
Carney emphasized the responsibility of Canadians to learn from the Holocaust’s lessons and support survivors and their families. He noted a concerning uptick in anti-Jewish hate crimes in recent years, including violent incidents targeting Jewish institutions. In response, discussions in Parliament, such as Bill C-9, aim to address hate crimes and protect religious and cultural spaces.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre echoed Carney’s sentiments, condemning the rise of antisemitism globally. He highlighted the dissemination of antisemitic views within educational settings and emphasized the need to safeguard the rights of Jewish individuals to openly practice their faith without fear. Poilievre stressed the importance of creating a society where every Jewish person feels secure and embraced, aligning with the principle of “never again.”
Both Carney and Poilievre’s remarks underscore the ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and promote tolerance and inclusivity in Canadian society.