Toronto (April 8, 2022) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) welcomes the Government of Canada’s 2022 budget proposals to provide additional funding to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial and boost Holocaust remembrance and education.

In the 2022 federal budget, presented yesterday, the Canadian government proposes:

• $85 million over four years to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and National Action Plan on Combatting Hate
• $5.6 million over five years to support the Hon. Irwin Cotler in his role as Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism
• $20 million to support the construction of the new Holocaust museum in Montreal
• $2.5 million for the Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre
• Amending the Criminal Code to prohibit communication of statements, other than in private conversation, that willfully promote antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust

In response to the proposals outlined in the 2022 federal budget, FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt issued the following statement:

“After long advocating for predictable and stable funding for the office of the Special Envoy and for the Criminal Code to be amended to include Holocaust denial and distortion, we are pleased that the Canadian government is making official commitments in support of these actions. As Canada and the world continue to witness a rise in antisemitism and Holocaust ignorance and trivialization, now more than ever we expect our government leaders to support efforts to combat Jew-hatred, particularly through Holocaust education. Once passed, this funding and amended Criminal Code will have a lasting positive impact in the Jewish community and the fight against antisemitism.”