Toronto (November 1, 2018) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) thanks Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland for speaking out against antisemitism and expressing her support of Israel during a recent trip to the Middle East.

Her statement came during an address before the Israel Council on Foreign Relations, during which she called Canada an ally against antisemitism, discussed the MS St. Louis and the apology that will be expressed next week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,recognized that Jewish people are the most likely to be targeted by hate crimes– referencing the tragic attack in Pittsburgh that left 11 people dead – and stated that Canada’s commitment to Israel’s security is “ironclad.”

“The devastating attack in Pittsburgh reaffirmed what the Jewish community has always believed – that antisemitism continues to exist and that leaders must take more steps to combat hatred and intolerance,” said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. “It’s more important than ever before for the government to increase its support for educational initiatives that teach young people about the Holocaust and other genocides that stemmed from hate.”

During the address, Freeland said Canada supports numerous initiatives to learn from the Holocaust, improve education about genocide and combat antisemitism. She called on everyone to “champion peace and inclusion in the face of hatred, discrimination, and terror." 

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Media Contact:‍

Avital Borisovsky
Communications Associate
416.864.9735 x 29
aborisovsky@fswc.ca