Canadian. Advocacy. Federal Issues Guide - CIJA · 2020. 8. 26. · The Centre for Israel and Jewish Afairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA. As

cija.ca | @cijainfo CIJA: Federal Issues Guide 2020 | 1

Federal IssuesGuide

The Advocacy Agent of Canada’s Jewish Federations

2020

Canadian.

Jewish.

Advocacy.

cija.ca | @cijainfo CIJA: Federal Issues Guide 2020 | 3

Who We Are

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA. As a Canada-wide, non-partisan, non-profit organization, we represent the unique perspectives and concerns of more than 150,000 Canadian Jews affiliated with their local Jewish Federation. As the Canadian affiliate of the World Jewish Congress, CIJA is also connected to the organized Jewish community internationally.

What We Do

CIJA’s mission is to improve the quality of Jewish life in Canada through advocacy. We advance the public policy interests of the organized Canadian Jewish community. Our main priorities include combating antisemitism, ensuring the security of the Jewish community and its institutions, and educating Canadians about the important role Israel plays in Jewish life.

How We Do It

CIJA exists to preserve, protect, and promote Jewish life in Canada through advocacy. To do this, we have built meaningful partnerships with leaders throughout government, academia, media, civil society, and other religious and ethnic communities. These partnerships help us to effectively advocate on behalf of the organized Jewish community, ensuring our voices are reflected in Canadian public policy.

What We Have Achieved

With the support of our Federation partners, stakeholders, and constituents, CIJA has achieved several significant accomplishments recently, including:

Improving protections for Jewish community institutions by successfully lobbying for increased security infrastructure funding and strengthened hate crime laws, including Bill C-305.

Combating antisemitism by advocating for the Federal Government to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which they did in 2019 with their release of Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022.

Lobbying the federal government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into online hate, the first step in developing a national strategy to combat this growing challenge.

Strengthening Canada-Israel relations by ensuring a multi-party condemnation of Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions’ (BDS), and expanding free trade between Canada and Israel.

About CIJA

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As one of the groups targeted for hate-motivated crime, the Jewish community spends millions every year on security measures. These include significant sums spent by synagogues, day schools, and Jewish community centres on security personnel.

Recommendation

The federal government should establish a security rebate program for places of worship, schools and community centres – regardless of identity. Institutions that pay for security personnel (guards from licensed companies or paid duty police officers) could submit those receipts with their annual filing to Canada Revenue Agency and be reimbursed for a portion of the total cost.

Establish a community institution security rebate

Equip police to counter hate crime & support targeted communities

Designated hate crime units ensure that such incidents are investigated by officers equipped with the knowledge, experience, and resources to do so.

Community liaison units also play a vital role in conducting training programs and responding to the unique needs of diverse segments of the population. Unfortunately, many local police agencies struggle with inadequate resources in these two areas.

Recommendation

The Government of Canada should provide additional resources to bolster existing police hate crime and community liaison units. Where such units do not yet exist, such funding could be used to establish them.


Iran remains a leading threat to human rights and global security. The Jewish people globally are targeted by this threat, as seen in Iran’s genocidal rhetoric against Israel and sponsorship of terror groups, such as Hezbollah, that have targeted Jews in multiple countries.

In a 2018 vote, the House of Commons called on the Government of Canada to immediately end all discussions with Iran to restore diplomatic ties. Building on this cross-party consensus, Canada should ensure there is no renewal of ties or lifting of sanctions until the Iranian regime demonstrates meaningful improvements in its behaviour.

Clear benchmarks should be set to ensure diplomatic pressure is not relaxed so long as the regime continues violating the rights of Iranians, sponsoring terrorism, and seeking Israel’s destruction. Canada should use the “Magnitsky Law” to freeze assets and block entry of Iranian officials involved in human rights violations.

Recommendation

The government should ensure that the list of Iranian officials targeted by Canadian sanctions matches that of the European Union, the United States, and other key allies.

Maintain diplomatic pressure on the Iranian regime

Canada is not immune from international terrorism, as is painfully clear from cases of Canadians who have died in terror attacks abroad in recent years. Research also reveals that Canadians involved in foreign terrorism have murdered or maimed more than 300 people since 2012.

Justice Canada provides funding for Canadian victims of overseas terrorism, but experience suggests these resources are inadequate. Police agencies have a mandate to arrest and charge Canadian terrorists returning to our country. But this cannot happen without sufficient evidence, which is often lacking.

Recommendation

Parliament should launch a study into Canadian victims and perpetrators of foreign terrorism to identify gaps and propose solutions in two areas: federal support for victims, and evidence collection on perpetrators.

Launch a parliamentary inquiry into Canadians and global terrorism


Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act, an effective but flawed tool in combating online hate speech, was removed in 2013. This left a gap in the effort to protect Canadians from hate speech, which could be addressed in several ways.

Recommendations

Section 13 could be re-established with strong provisions – as advocated by the Hon. Irwin Cotler – to protect legitimate freedom of expression and prevent vexatious use of the Section. Alternatively, the Government of Canada could provide training and guidelines to help provincial attorneys general, prosecutors, and police more effectively enforce Criminal Code hate speech provisions.

Training and parameters should cite the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism as a practical tool, following its recent adoption by the government as part of Canada’s anti-racism strategy.

As seen in the recent attacks on the Jewish communities in Pittsburgh, San Diego County, Jersey City, and Monsey, and mosques in Christchurch, online threats can and do lead to real-world violence.

In 2019, after CIJA mobilized thousands of Canadians to speak out on this issue, the House of Commons Justice Committee conducted a study of online hate. Its report includes a series of recommendations in line with CIJA’s proposals – including a robust plan to track online hate, prevent online hate through education, and make better use of legal tools to stop online hate.

Recommendations

The Government of Canada should create a national strategy to tackle this issue using the Justice Committee’s report as a foundation. This should be done in partnership with social media companies to ensure an effective approach to preventing these platforms from being abused.

This initiative should draw on Canada’s engagement with our allies on this issue, such as the government’s support for the Christchurch Call. This effort should include a significant focus on online antisemitism, using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

Launch a national strategy to tackle online hate & radicalization

Close the legal gap on hate speech


For many Canadians, summer camp is a vital opportunity to develop one’s identity, values, and connection to community. Camp enables children to experience a summer filled with exercise, skills development, and enjoyment of Canada’s natural beauty.

For many families, summer camp fees pose a significant financial burden. While parents can receive the childcare tax credit for day camp fees, overnight camp costs are not eligible.

Recommendation

The Government of Canada should recognize the value of children’s summer camp, either by extending the childcare tax credit to include overnight camp fees or by creating an overnight summer camp tax credit.

Create a tax incentive for summer camps

Recognize, in Canada’s tax laws, the value of volunteering

Volunteers are the lifeblood of Canada’s charities. While promoting financial giving is important, tax policy should also encourage Canadians to give of their time, energy, and passion – without which many charities would not succeed. Such a policy would strengthen Canada’s charities and help foster a culture of volunteering.

There are various models of recognizing volunteering intax law that should be explored. For example, to incentivize youth volunteering, a refundable tax credit is more likely to be successful than a non-refundable one.

Recommendations

Regardless of the parameters, any policy should require a minimum number of volunteer hours completed, a cap on the number of hours that may be claimed, and simple but effective accountability requirements for charities.

Consideration could also be given to limiting the credit to those who volunteer for organizations that provide essential supports to the most vulnerable.


Just as Canadians recognize Israelis as democratic allies who share our values, the Government of Canada has maintained positive relations with the Government of Israel for more than 70 years, including free trade since 1997.

Both countries benefit when Canadians and Israelis work together, as seen in many business, innovation, research, health technology, and university partnerships.

Recommendation

Following the renewal of the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, the government should identify new ways to grow bilateral innovation and research partnerships – and expand these ties into new sectors.

Foster the growth of Canada-Israel trade & research ties

Support Israel in the international community

Israel is a key Canadian ally and the only liberal democracy in the Middle East. Unfortunately, some of the world’s worst human rights violators regularly attempt to misuse UN bodies as platforms to isolate Israel.

This practice unfairly targets Israelis, undermines peace efforts, and distracts the UN from the world’s most serious human rights challenges. In some cases, such as resolutions on Jerusalem’s holy sites that omit the unique centrality of the city to the Jewish people, these initiatives are tainted by antisemitism.

Recommendations

Canada should publicly oppose one-sided UN resolutions that single out Israel as well as efforts to isolate Israel and to negate, in UN forums, the Jewish people’s connection to Jerusalem.

Similarly, the Government of Canada should ensure its positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict affirm the Canada-Israel alliance and draw a clear moral distinction between the defensive actions of Israelis and the illegal aggression of banned terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah.


From 2011 to 2016, the number of Canadians who reported that they are Jewish by ethnic origin dropped by more than half. This was due not to demographic change but to the removal of “Jewish” as a specific example in the census question, which, in previous censuses, had been included along with other examples of ethnic origins. If this is not rectified for 2021, the work of Jewish charities will be drastically undermined.

Jewish Federations and Federation-funded social service agencies collectively spend tens of millions annually on charitable work throughout Canada, including on projects to support seniors, alleviate poverty, educate students, and integrate new Canadians. This vital work requires access to accurate census data providing a clear portrait of Jewish communities across Canada.

Recommendation

While Statistics Canada is working to address the issue, the Government of Canada should ensure the ethnic origin question is amended to prevent the continued underreporting of Jewish Canadians in the next census.

Fix the census to end the underreporting of Jewish Canadians

Improve access to the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)

The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) has proven to be a core pillar of the financial health of Canadians with disabilities or special needs.

Unfortunately, fewer than 40% of adults who report qualifying disabilities claim the DTC. A Senate study noted that people with certain disabilities are disadvantaged by the application criteria.

Recommendations

The DTC should be reformed to ensure it is more inclusive, particularly for those with non-physical and / or episodic disabilities that make gaining employment difficult or impossible.

In addition to making the DTC criteria more inclusive, the government should work with disability advocates to make the application process simpler, less subjective, and more accessible for individuals and medical professionals alike.


The Canadian Caregiver Credit (CCC) is a non-refundable tax credit available to those caring for a dependent family member with a physical or mental impairment.

While a non-refundable tax credit can reduce one’s tax liability to zero, any amount that remains from the credit is automatically forfeited by the taxpayer. Unfortunately, this means that the CCC effectively treats high-income earners more favourably than those of modest means.

Recommendation

The Government of Canada should make the CCC a refundable tax credit, ensuring that all Canadians caring for relatives with a physical or mental impairment are treated equally.

Make the Canada Caregiver Credit a refundable tax credit

Ensure affordable housing is more accessible

In November 2017, the Government of Canada unveiled its national housing strategy, which included an important commitment to fund up to 2,400 new housing units for people with developmental disabilities. While this is welcome, more must be done to address the severe gap in Canada’s efforts to alleviate poverty among the most vulnerable.

There is a lengthy wait list for affordable housing with supports for those with developmental disabilities.

Recommendations

Every affordable housing allocation should include a specific amount earmarked for affordable housing for people with disabilities.

The federal government, in partnership with the provinces, should ensure that the national housing strategy is implemented. Ottawa should set a goal of ensuring five cents of every dollar spent on affordable housing goes to units for those with developmental disabilities.


As a community with a history of fleeing persecution, Jewish Canadians have played a significant role in supporting refugees. Through synagogues and agencies such as JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Services) Toronto, Jewish Canadians have sponsored many Yazidi, Syrian and other regional refugees through private sponsorships.

When faith or ethnic communities are targeted for genocide, or sexual minorities subject to capital punishment, Canada’s refugee system must offer a safe haven.

Recommendations

As the government works to improve the refugee process, the system must continue to support those targeted for their identity – such as Christians and Yazidis in Iraq, LGBTQ2+ people in Chechnya and Iran, and Rohingyas in Myanmar.

As with the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program, emergency initiatives to support targeted minorities should draw on Canadian civil society partners as sponsors and volunteers in supporting integration.

Advocate for restitution for Holocaust Survivors

In 2009, Canada and 45 other countries committed to the Terezin Declaration on Holocaust Era Assets. It calls for just and fair solutions regarding private, communal and heirless property stolen from Jews during WWII, urging governments to “make every effort to provide for the restitution of former Jewish communal and religious property.”

Canadian governments across party lines have since made a priority of urging Eastern European countries that have not already done so to pass effective restitution laws. Some countries – most notably Poland – have failed to do so. This is a tragic failure to act, given that thousands of Holocaust Survivors live in poverty.

Recommendation

Canada should continue leveling diplomatic pressure on countries in Eastern Europe that have evaded their responsibility to pass meaningful restitution laws.

Support refugees fleeing persecution and genocide


At a time of chronic shortages in Canada’s blood supply, LGBTQ2+ Canadians want to help save lives. Unfortunately, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) prohibits many LGBTQ2+ individuals from donating blood unless they have been celibate for at least three months.

CIJA’s National LGBTQ2+ Advisory Council has made a priority of calling for this requirement to be removed, noting that it is prejudiced and promotes negative stereotypes regarding the LGBTQ2+ community. Canadians must have confidence that our blood supply meets the highest safety standards, but this cannot be achieved through discrimination. CBS and the government should end the current policy regarding LGBTQ2+ donations and replace it with a science-based approach rooted in gender-neutral, behaviour-based screening methods. Combined with CBS’ continued testing of donations for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, this new policy would allow for more precise, efficient, and cost-effective screening and would empower more Canadians to donate blood.

Recommendation

Just as Israel and various other countries have ended LGBTQ2+ blood donation bans and restrictions, so too should the Government of Canada end the three-month celibacy requirement.

Eliminate the ban on blood donations from LGBTQ2+ Canadians

Move Canada’s fixed election date away from Jewish high holy days

Under the Elections Act, federal elections take place every four years on the third Monday in October.

On holy days, traditionally observant Jews cannot work, drive, or write – basic activities required of candidates, volunteers, and voters. Elections Canada provides significant alternatives for voters who wish to cast their ballot early, including advance polls and special ballots, ensuring all Jewish voters can participate. However, this requires significant advertising and awareness campaigns – as well as logistical efforts – to engage Jewish voters. Advance voting options can also coincide with Jewish holy days, and observant candidates and volunteers face even greater challenges.

Recommendation

The Government of Canada should eliminate clashes between Jewish High Holy Days and the fixed election date by moving the election date to later in the calendar.

Notes

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Canadian. Advocacy. Federal Issues Guide - CIJA · 2020. 8. 26. · The Centre for Israel and Jewish Afairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA. As