Less than 1 minute to write a letter to the Ontario New Democratic Party (ONDP) caucus and executive.

On October 25, the Ontario government did an end run, putting in place Order In Council 1450/2020, that by Royal Prerogative, adopted and recognized the working definition of antisemitism, as adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary on May 26, 2016. Simultaneously the hearings scheduled by the Ontario legislative Justice Policy standing committee that were to begin the next day were cancelled.

The Ontario New Democratic Party (ONDP)  said in a statement issued on October 28, they “voted for the bill on second reading while explicitly and specifically saying it was doing so in order to ensure Ontarians would be welcomed into committee hearings, and amendments could be proposed.”

While the support of democratic procedure is laudable, to vote in favour of a Bill that silences people is problematic.

Nearly 100 Ontarians asked for a chance to appear before a legislative committee, with more written submissions originally to be accepted until October 30. The Standing Committee on Social Justice, when it met on October 22, indicated it had received around 3,000 letters from those concerned about IHRA being adopted.

Given the end run by Premier Ford, please write to ONDP leader Horwath and her caucus, as well as the ONDP executive, and ask them to publicly:

1)     Condemn the IHRA definition and revoke the Order-in-Council

2)     Condemn the implementation of the IHRA definition behind closed doors by the Premier, through an Order in Council 1450/2020

3)     Call for the withdrawal of Bill 168

Read more at:

30+ Legal & civil society organizations to say no IHRA

Independent Jewish Voices No IHRA

#NoIHRA

Register for November 2 webinar Israel as a Racist Endeavour: Unpacking the IHRA

In partnership with Palestinian and Jewish Unity/Palestiniens et juifs unis.