Robert Brym: Yes, anti-Zionism is antisemitic

2026/08/28 Leave a comment

Agree:

…All these findings are in line with results from a 2024 survey of 414 Canadian Jews and a 2018 survey of 2,335 Canadian who identify as Jewish by religion or ethnicity.

Members of the JFN are therefore wrong to claim that being Jewish is only a matter of religion and not a matter of statehood. Moreover, just as it is antisemitic to discriminate against Jews based on their religion, I believe it is antisemitic to erase support for the existence of a Jewish state as a core part of Jewish identify.

Some Jews are anti-Zionists. They deny the need for the existence of a Jewish state. In Canada, a 2025 survey of 332 Jewish Canadians found that one per cent of Canadian Jews at the time regarded themselves as anti-Zionists, while the most recent 2026 survey of 625 Canadian Jews cited earlier puts the number at five per cent. The proportion of Jews who deny the need for Jewish statehood is thus tiny….

It should not surprise us that the JFN has written an op-ed arguing that anti-Zionism isn’t antisemitism. In the principles section of their website, they state that they oppose the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism which was accepted by Canada in 2019. It includes non-legally binding illustrative examples of what might constitute antisemitism, including, “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.”

Notably, the JFN’s “principles” page on their website lacks any mention of the horrific attacks on October 7, and their press release page includes only two entries, one opposing the IHRA definition and one about “anti-Palestinian racism.”

Many Jewish Zionists, including me, are highly critical of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians and its conduct in the Israel-Hamas war. However, for reasons I’ve indicated, I regard the small coterie of Jewish anti-Zionists as misguided.”

Robert Brym is an emeritus professor of sociology and Jewish studies at University of Toronto.

Source: Robert Brym: Yes, anti-Zionism is antisemitic

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Trump administration moves to increase H-1B visa fee to more than $100,000

2026/08/28 4 Comments

Of note, more shooting themselves in the foot given their importance to the tech sector:

President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday released a proposed regulation to codify an unprecedented more than US$100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers that Trump first imposed last year but has been blocked by the courts. 

The fee first imposed by Trump in a temporary proclamation last year vastly raises the cost of the visas that are heavily relied on in the tech, education and research sectors. 

A federal judge in June ruled that the fee was illegal and blocked the Trump administration from collecting it. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing that decision while a different court considers whether a judge in Washington, D.C., properly rejected a challenge to the fee by a major business group.

Trump’s 2025 proclamation imposing the fee expires in September, one year after it was issued, but directed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to adopt regulations making it permanent. 

The proposed US$103,265 fee by DHS, posted online in the Federal Register on Monday to be formally published on Tuesday, kicks off a 30-day public comment period. …

Source: Trump administration moves to increase H-1B visa fee to more than $100,000

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ICYMI – Barutciski: The UNHCR is goading the U.S. into pulling its funding – and putting itself in existential risk

2026/08/28 Leave a comment

Of note:

Will be interesting to hear comments from refugee advocates on this suggestion:

…To avert a crippling U.S. funding freeze or a complete American withdrawalfrom the UNHCR executive committee, the agency must prove it can be reformed, and member states must broker a compromise. Canada can play a constructive role in finding a face-saving solution that maintains U.S. engagement. With the committee holding its annual general session in October, Canada – an influential member of UNHCR’s executive committee, as the sixth-largest donor in 2025 – has an opportunity to bring its middle-power strategy to life with a bold initiative to save one of the UN’s largest operational programs. 

The best way to prove UNHCR is reformable would be to split the deputy position into two distinct roles: one to oversee humanitarian operations and field execution, which Mr. Salih’s current choice could retain, and the other dedicated strictly to resource management and budgeting, which would go to Mr. Trump’s nominee. This would satisfy Washington’s oversight and audit concerns, and mirror structures already used in other UN bodies like UNICEF and the UN Population Fund. 

Rather than thumbing their noses at the White House, other major members of the executive committee should also admit they share American concerns about a misguided asylum system that is fuelling uncontrolled mass migration. This reality was highlighted in the recent Chisinau declaration, where all 46 members of the Council of Europe – including staunchly progressive Western European nations – agreed that the current asylum system must be reined in to be saved. This non-binding political text explores the self-inflicted dilemmas resulting from overly generous judicial decisions, implicitly acknowledging the Trump administration’s migration-related criticisms of Europe and indicating that Washington’s stance is far from isolated. U.S. pressure has already pushed Ottawa to tighten border controls and amend its asylum procedures. …

Source: The UNHCR is goading the U.S. into pulling its funding – and putting itself in existential risk

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ICYMI: Muslim Association promises ‘Jew-free’ incident will not recur at future youth events

2026/08/28 Leave a comment

Demonstrates the need for moderation…:

In June 30 submission to National Post, Sharaf Sharafeldin, president of strategy at the Muslim Association of Canada, stated that during the three-day conference that attracted thousands of Muslim-Canadians, speakers and attendees examined “faith-rooted life” in Canada. The incident involving the “jew-free” phrase occurred during a youth session and was “a public, anonymous audience-participation exercise” that produced a word cloud image, when asked what kind of community they wanted. It has since been widely circulated.

There were 50 entries visible in the word cloud, wrote Sharafeldin. But the facilitator did not notice the “jew-free” entry.

The August 12 update follows an “internal investigation” into the incident.

“MAC regrets that this phrase appeared at our Convention, even briefly and even though it originated from an anonymous, bad-faith submission with no connection to the youth or the discussion taking place in the session.” The organization did not explain what it meant by bad faith….

Source: Muslim Association promises ‘Jew-free’ incident will not recur at future youth events

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

Karas: Canada’s deportation backlog is real. The solution is competent enforcement 

2026/08/27 Leave a comment

Hard not to argue with the release of more detailed data on removals and greater oversight:

…First, dedicate a defined portion of the 1,000 new CBSA officers being recruited over three years to inland enforcement, warrant review, travel-document work, and removals case management. More officers at ports of entry will not by themselves resolve inland files. Resources should follow regional workload and case complexity, not headline-driven national quotas.

Second, assign every enforceable case a responsible officer, a next-action date, and an automatic escalation when a file becomes inactive. CBSA and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada must also finish integrating their case-management information so that court decisions, risk assessments and changes in status move between agencies without delay. Better technology will not remove anyone by itself, but it can prevent thousands of files from disappearing into administrative limbo.

Third, use detention and monitoring proportionately. Detention should remain a last resort, particularly for vulnerable and low-risk individuals. But credible flight risks and serious criminal or security cases require close supervision. For cooperative, lower-risk cases, reporting requirements and alternatives to detention can preserve compliance without the expense and human cost of unnecessary detention.

Fourth, make voluntary departure the default for suitable low-risk cases. Most removals are already unescorted, and CBSA has a dedicated telephone line for people subject to removal orders. A carefully limited return-assistance program could free enforcement officers for fugitives and complex cases—but only if independently evaluated. Canada’s earlier pilot achieved 3,950 removals against a projected 6,955 and became less cost-effective as participation declined. That record argues for disciplined experimentation, not another open-ended program.

Finally, use diplomacy more aggressively where foreign governments delay travel documents. Canada has previously developed country-specific removal and repatriation plans with Global Affairs Canada. Those plans should include clear timelines, senior-level escalation, and public reporting on persistent non-cooperation, while respecting Canada’s international protection obligations.

Parliament has now required monthly reporting on removals, unenforced orders, and the reasons for delay. That transparency should be used to publish outcomes by risk category, inventory age, and impediment—not merely the largest possible removal total. Raw numbers can reward easy administrative closures while difficult public-safety cases remain unresolved.

A credible immigration system must be fair at the front end and final at the back end. Canada should never remove someone before the law permits it. But when every legitimate avenue has been exhausted, a removal order must mean something. The answer is neither mass detention nor empty promises. It is competent case management, risk-based enforcement, international cooperation, and transparent accountability.

source: OP-ED: Canada’s deportation backlog is real. The solution is competent enforcement

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Jewish public servants face disproportionately high levels of discrimination at work, survey finds

2026/08/27 Leave a comment

Of note:

The federal public service is facing calls to combat antisemitism after Jewish civil servants reported experiencing disproportionately high levels of discrimination in the workplace.

In 2024, the annual federal employee survey tracked responses based on religion for the first time. A breakdown of the responses found that 18 per cent of Jewish civil servants reported experiencing discrimination and harassment in the workplace, including offensive remarks.

Some Jewish community leaders say the survey confirms anecdotal reports they’ve heard about rising antisemitism within the public service. 

Across the federal civil service, 9 per cent of employees who responded to the survey said they had experienced discrimination in the workplace in the preceding 12 months, with 11 per cent reporting they had faced harassment.

Thirteen per cent of Muslim public servants said they had experienced discrimination in the year preceding the survey, with 12 per cent reporting they had experienced harassment. 

Only half of civil servants responded to the survey, including approximately 67,820 Christians, 6,550 Muslims, 3,130 Hindus, 1,830 Sikhs and 1,500 Jews.

Fourteen per cent of Sikh public servants who responded said they had experienced harassment, with 13 per cent saying they had suffered discrimination, including on the basis of their race. …

Source: Jewish public servants face disproportionately high levels of discrimination at work, survey finds

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Trump’s plan to revoke visas of 200,000 asylum seekers should fuel action by Ottawa, experts say

2026/08/27 Leave a comment

Likely there is some planning going on but not necessarily in the direction immigration and refugee advocates would prefer until court case plays out:

Immigration experts say Canada should prepare itself for the arrival of asylum seekers at the border after the Trump administration indicated it is preparing a mass cancellation of visas issued over the past decade. 

This week, Washington signalled plans to revoke the tourist and business visasof up to 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for or are actively seeking asylum in the United States. The move is expected to prompt legal challenges, but if it goes ahead it would be the largest single mass revocation of visas in U.S. history.

Some immigration lawyers and academics researching migration in Canada are urging Ottawa to consider allowing those who face having their visas cancelled to enter Canada on a discretionary basis. 

Under the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S., foreign nationals who have already claimed asylum in the United States are turned away at Canada’s border, with a few exceptions, including for those who have family in Canada.

But experts say the Trump administration has undermined the premise of the responsibility-sharing agreement between the two countries by eroding the rights of asylum seekers in the U.S. This latest plan to cancel visas issued between 2016 and 2026 further undermines the pact, they told The Globe and Mail, which is premised on asylum seekers being treated fairly in the United States…. 

Source: Trump’s plan to revoke visas of 200,000 asylum seekers should fuel action by Ottawa, experts say

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They served in an Iranian force Canada lists as terrorist. They say they were conscripts — but now may face removal

2026/08/27 Leave a comment

Of note. Legitimate distinction between conscripts vs regular members:

…On a single day, a large number of Iranian immigration applicants were notified by the Immigration Department that they may be inadmissible because they previously were conscripted to serve the organization. The Unheard Conscripts Advocacy Network believes the number to be several hundred. 

“Conscription is mandatory in Iran and we cannot flee from that,” said Gharehchahi, 35, who has a background in engineering and was assigned to IRGC’s dam-construction projects in 2014 and 2015, after his undergrad studies in Iran. “We all get punished if we don’t do our conscription over there.”

Since Ottawa’s listing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, immigration officials have begun flagging individual Iranian applicants for inadmissibility over alleged ties to the force. But the recent mass notifications — based on possible IRGC membership as a result of service in the force — have shocked the community. People worry the approach is capturing innocent conscripts who have never participated in terrorism.

Is Canada targeting the right people?

The Liberal government’s response to IRGC has been prompted by the group’s downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 in 2020, alleged involvement with other designated terrorist groups and brutal repression of Iranian people. The federal government has also been criticized for admitting IRGC officials in Canada.

With concerns over the regime’s harassment and intimidation of the diaspora in Canada, the Conservatives have urged stronger enforcement to ensure non-citizens are deemed inadmissible if “involved in regime-linked businesses, spreading propaganda, or human rights abuses.” The opposition also wants inadmissibility be extended to immediate non-citizen family members of regime officials.

“The government of Canada has wanted to show the Iranian community in Canada and the rest of the world that it takes the issue of the human rights violations in Iran seriously,” said Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman, who has had more than 30 consultations with anxious applicants in Canada flagged for potential inadmissibility since Aug. 7….

Source: They served in an Iranian force Canada lists as terrorist. They say they were conscripts — but now may face removal

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What is Dominion Society of Canada and why are people of different political backgrounds worried?

2026/08/26 Leave a comment

Of note:

…People with different political ties have criticized Dominion Society. They include Jason Kenney, former Alberta premier and onetime Conservative MP. 

“There are a bunch of totally legitimate concerns about what I would characterize as imprudent or irresponsible immigration policy,” Kenney, federal immigration minister from 2008 to 2013, told CBC Hamilton in an interview this week. 

“But I think that is categorically different than basing our immigration policy on race.”

Dominion Society, he added, seems more interested in the colour of people’s skin than the kind of contribution they’re making to Canada. 

“That is clearly un-Canadian, and it needs to be called out.

“People like me, who are on the right of centre of Canadian politics, have a special obligation to do that,” Kenney said. “I think it’s really problematic to have a group like that wrapping itself in Canadian patriotism and nationalism that is trying to exploit public concern about immigration and turn it into, frankly, a racist message.” …

Source: What is Dominion Society of Canada and why are people of different political backgrounds worried?

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Geist: TMU Picks Damage Control Over Fixing the Damage: Behind Its Shameful Response to the Devastating Benotto Report on Campus Antisemitism

2026/08/26 Leave a comment

The contrast is telling:

…A report like this should have sparked immediate action, and it is difficult to believe that findings of this kind involving any other group would have been met with anything less. For example, in November 2020, amid mounting pressure over Egerton Ryerson’s residential schools legacy, TMU established a task force that issued its report within a year (during which time the Ryerson statue was toppled), and the Board of Governors adopted all 22 recommendations immediately (including changing the name of the university to TMU). But when the issue involves Jewish students, TMU’s response is far different. It sat on the report for nearly two weeks, released it with disciplinary findings redacted, and announced a President’s Implementation Task Force that will report back on the report in 2027. That means students arriving on campus in the next few weeks will face another year of antisemitism with the university signalling that there is no urgency to address the issue.

In fact, the task force membership leaves little doubt that the university intends to reject many of the report’s recommendations. Nearly half of the committee’s members have signed public petitions opposing some of the recommendations, including the adoption of the IHRA definition, and rejecting the report’s findings on the links between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Simply put, delaying the implementation of the Benotto report and stacking a new task force with opponents of its recommendations is precisely what you do when you don’t take the antisemitism report seriously and want to kill its recommendations. As a result, TMU is home to two problems: its antisemitism problem is now the most thoroughly documented in the country, and its leadership is more interested in damage control than fixing the damage. If the university is unable or unwilling to establish a safe environment for all of its students and faculty, it falls to the Ontario government, which already requires universities to implement policies to address and combat hate, including antisemitism, to ensure that it does.

Source: TMU Picks Damage Control Over Fixing the Damage: Behind Its Shameful Response to the Devastating Benotto Report on Campus Antisemitism

From the Globe editorial:

….As both reports show, Jews who don’t renounce Israel’s existence are treated as outcasts: “The redefinition of Zionism to incorporate genocide and the insistence that anyone who fails to actively support anti-Zionism is likewise culpable,” Ms. Benotto writes, “have contributed to an environment that has enabled antisemitism to flourish.” A Jewish lecturer says it’s “incredibly unsafe” to wear a Star of David, and even organizing a non-political Sabbath dinner requires a risk assessment, Ms. Benotto reported.

This is not about isolated episodes. It is about a poisoned environment. Our learning institutions should consistently stand up for the values they claim to represent. As Ms. Benotto documents, TMU already has policies against violence, threats of violence, and discriminatory, intimidating or harassing words and conduct. Every school should, as she urges for TMU, “establish clear behavioural expectations, protect the rights of all members of the community, and enforce its policies consistently, transparently, and predictably.”

It hardly seems too much to ask. Yet TMU has not responded to the eight recommendations of the Benotto report, instead announcing an “implementation committee” that has until next March to come up with a “blueprint.”

The report – again, commissioned by TMU – already lays out a course of action. No blueprint is needed, just a spine.

Source: The betrayal of Jewish students needs to end

Filed under Antisemitism, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

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