Petition | Nelly Shin

Keeping Canadians Safe from Persecution and Public Safety Threats

Antisemitism and Public Safety e-Petition

“While the long-term impacts of the current crisis cannot be easily predicted, it is clear that this conflict has raised tensions within our society . . . Violent rhetoric from extremist actors has increased since the attack by Hamas and, as the conflict continues to unfold, it is possible that these events could impact certain individuals’ intent to mobilize to violence." — Eric Balsam, CSIS spokesperson, CSIS warns of potential violence in Canada from ’extremist actors’ over Israel-Hamas war, National Post, May 6, 2024

With rising antisemitism across Canada, including in my own community, Port Moody—Coquitlam, I was in the process of meeting with local authorities and community members on this issue. As a former MP, I began drafting a civilian petition through the House of Commons. I wanted to address the rise of antisemitism, the lack of action from authorities to stop the spread of threats, and the dangerous implications this may have, not only on normalizing persecution of Jews in Canada, but on public safety and national security.

Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with severe pneumonia in April. After two visits to ER in one week, I had to pause work on the petition and everything else I was doing.

But as I observed the intensifying public expression of Jew-hate, support for Hamas, intimidation of students on campus, disruption of public peace and order, reports about paid protesters and terrorist roots behind some of the antisemitic hate propaganda, I couldn’t just stay in bed.

I knew these problems would only worsen and eventually create a public safety and national security problem in Canada without proper intervention from our decision makers. So whatever small windows of energy and clarity I had, I was compelled to use my capacity toward completing the petition as a first step. It felt like an uphill battle both physically and mentally. But it got completed spread out over period of a month and a half.

I was very fortunate to receive input from a human rights lawyer and a former CSIS intelligence analyst in the drafting stages, and the sponsorship of Marc Dalton, MP for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge. I was relieved like a marathon runner approaching the finish line when I received notification on May 13th that the petition was now publicly available for signatures.

The current crisis is no longer just about the Israel-Hamas War or differing ideologies about Israel, Palestine and statehood. Conflicts in the Middle East have been imported to Canadian soil and it’s bringing harm and destabilization to our society.

While the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom allows for peaceful protest, the Criminal Code forbids harm, violence and proliferation of hate. The Criminal Code also contains anti-terrorism laws.

We are all Canadians regardless of our political, religious or cultural views. We also have an obligation to protect the freedom, peace and opportunities we've all come here to enjoy, whether through ancestry centuries ago or via immigration five years ago. Freedom comes with responsibility. Regardless of what is happening in the Middle East, we have an obligation to maintain peace, order and unity in our own home, Canada.

The current state of heightening hostilities and public disorder in response to the Israel-Hamas War can be resolved if we understand these 5 basic principles:

1. The rule of law requires enforcement of our laws.

2. Passion doesn't justify crime.

3. Grievances about the Israel-Hamas War shouldn't be projected onto the Jewish Canadian community. This is scapegoating and persecution.

4. Calculating political optics and expediency shouldn't cause authorities to stall enforcement of existing laws and deny Jewish Canadians the justice and protection they are lawfully entitled to under the Charter and Criminal Code. Jewish Canadians are Canadians and should be viewed and treated as Canadians, nothing less.

5. Canada has little authority to contribute to a peace process anywhere else in the world if we ourselves are a divided nation.

The petition below is only one small step in the journey ahead, but it is a place to start. If you are a Canadian citizen (living in Canada or abroad) or a resident in Canada, I would like to invite you to contribute your part.

Please read, sign and share the link(s) with your friends and family to send a strong message to the Prime Minister that Canada's majority are peace loving and won't tolerate persecution of our Jewish neighbours, our fellow Canadians, with whom we work and do life.

I hope you will add your voice to also tell the House of Commons that it’s time to come back to the basics of Canadian values, the rule of law and protecting all Canadians from threats abroad and from those incited from within our own borders.

Petition in English:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4985

Petition in French:

https://www.noscommunes.ca/petitions/fr/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4985

Share this Web Page: https://www.nellyshin.com/petition

Regardless of who is sitting in government, ultimately, it is the people who have the power to hold our elected officials to account and our equal obligation to stand on guard for our nation. Thank you for your patriotism.

May God bless you and your loved ones. May he keep our nation, Canada, strong and free.

Nelly Shin

Former Member of Parliament

Port Moody-Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra

E-Petition 4985 (Public Safety)

Please visit one of the links below to sign the petition.

English:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4985

French:

https://www.noscommunes.ca/petitions/fr/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4985

Share this Web Page: https://www.nellyshin.com/petition

Petition to the House of Commons

Whereas:

On October 7, 2023, Hamas and other terrorist organizations, including Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), launched a massive terrorist attack on Israel;
Hamas and PIJ are designated terrorist entities;
Police vigilance to the Jewish community has since increased;
Bomb threats, death threats, violence, vandalism of Jewish homes, schools, and synagogues, and boycotting of Jewish-owned businesses are causing many Jewish Canadians to experience re-traumatization of the Holocaust and feel unsafe to reveal their Jewish identity;
Rallies across Canada include antisemitic rhetoric, hate symbols, intimidation, illegal encampments on campus and praise for Hamas and other terrorist groups;
While Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms allows for peaceful demonstrations and protests, sections 318 and 319 of the Criminal Code forbid the promotion of genocide, public incitement of hatred, and the wilful promotion of hatred;
Section 83.01 ff. of the Criminal Code address offences pertaining to committing and facilitating terrorism;
Robust enforcement of Sections 318, 319 and 83.01 ff. of the Criminal Code will help restrict proliferation of threats and keep our communities safer;
Deferred intervention communicates public tolerance of antisemitism, allows further victimization of Jewish Canadians, emboldens terrorists and those espousing extremist views, and can incite further violence and raise Canada’s national terrorism threat level; and
Urgent action is needed to counter antisemitism and keep all Canadians safe.

We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to enact urgent public safety and national security measures to ensure proper and timely enforcement of Sections 318, 319 and 83.01 ff. of the Criminal Code.

Click language of choice to sign petition:

English

French