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"Today, we remember the atrocities of the Holocaust where over 6 million Jews were murdered, and the countless other victims who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. That pain and loss continues to be felt by communities around the world and we grieve in solidarity." — Larry Brown, NUPGE President.
Ottawa (27 Jan. 2022) — On November 1, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly (UN) designated January 27 the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Every year, the UN urges every member state to honor the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism.
Antisemitism in present day Canada
While much time has passed since the Holocaust, harassment and discrimination against Jewish people and communities runs rampant. During this pandemic, statistics reveal that there has been a rise in antisemitic acts. According to a statement by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, in 2020, over 44% of antisemitic violence was COVID-related, including physical assaults, some involving weapons. This abuse was also symbolized by the vandalism of the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa this year.
A recent survey by Liberation75 polled 3,593 teens in Canada and the United States of America, with the majority of participants living in Canada. When asked if the Holocaust actually happened, 22.70% of participants were not sure what to answer, 7.33% believe the Holocaust happened but think the number of Jews who died has been exaggerated, and 2.87% are not certain the Holocaust actually happened. This level of confusion or denial about the Holocaust may in part be due to the fact that no Canadian province or territory mandates Holocaust education as part of their secondary school curricula.
We cannot forget the past
"Today, we remember the atrocities of the Holocaust where over 6 million Jews were murdered, and the countless other victims who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. That pain and loss continues to be felt by communities around the world and we grieve in solidarity," said Larry Brown, NUPGE President.
"As we have learned from the past, we must remain vigilant against the rise of hate in our country," said Bert Blundon, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer. "Acts of violence and discrimination against Jewish people are still occurring today and we must continue to work toward a society of equality, compassion and peace."