The Government of Israel has been contacting the Mark Carney government regarding alleged antisemitism in Canada this year, but Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is keeping records of those communications secret.
On March 17, The Maple requested via access to information copies of all correspondence sent by the Israeli government to Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand regarding alleged antisemitism in Canada.
On April 24, GAC told The Maple: “We regret to inform you that the records you requested are all withheld.”
The department cited a section of the Access to Information Act that allows the federal government to exempt confidential documents sent by foreign states from public disclosure.
Israeli government officials, meanwhile, have publicly complained about alleged antisemitism in Canada after members of the Carney government criticized Israel’s brutalization of activists on board an aid flotilla bound for Gaza earlier this month.
The Maple asked GAC and the Israeli embassy for information about the nature of Israel’s correspondence with the Canadian government regarding alleged antisemitism and whether the Israeli government called for any specific policy changes in Canada.
GAC provided a generic statement that said “the Government of Canada strongly condemns the recent rise in antisemitic violence and hate speech that has taken place in Canada and worldwide.” The department did not answer The Maple’s questions.
No response from the Israeli embassy was received.
On March 17, the Israeli government launched a public relations campaign encouraging Canada to crack down on alleged antisemitism with a particular focus on pro-Palestine protests. Israel’s Ambassador to Canada, Iddo Moed, said that certain “freedoms” should be limited to address the issue.
Moed did not say what freedoms he was referring to, and the Israeli consulate did not respond to questions from The Maple regarding the ambassador's comments.
His remarks came days after three synagogues in Toronto were shot at overnight.
The Israel lobby has already succeeded in restricting some freedoms in Canada. Following pressure from the Israel lobby, municipal governments in Ontario introduced “bubble zone” laws last year that restricted protest near places of worship, schools and child-care centres.
The federal government similarly introduced legislation that would “make it a crime to intimidate and obstruct people from accessing places of worship, as well as schools, community centres and other places primarily used by an identifiable group.”
The laws came after Palestine solidarity activists protested synagogues that were used to host sales of real estate on occupied Palestinian territory.
In March, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unsuccessfully sought to obtain a court injunction to ban a pro-Palestine Al Quds day protest.
A lawyer for the protest organizers said: “The attempt for the injunction was a politically motivated attack on our rights and so we were happy to vindicate those rights.”
