Janet Ecker: What can a non-Jew do to stop the hate?

For students of history, watching coverage of the tragic shooting of Jewish Australians on Bondi Beach this past weekend was a reminder of how it all started in Nazi Germany before the Second World War.

And the question this author finds herself wrestling with is: what does a non-Jew do? How can we “do something” to stop the carnage, the hate and the violence? Because, make no bones about it, it could happen here. And if things continue as they are, it will.

Many commentators have called out the growing antisemitism, or more bluntly, Jew-hatred, in our country, for the evil that it is. Many have called on politicians to “do something.”

But what about you and I? What can we do? What should we do?

There is a frequently used phrase in security circles — see something, say something — that can be just as applicable in this situation.

Several months ago, I was riding the Toronto subway with a Jewish colleague when we overheard two other passengers loudly making antisemitic comments. My friend moved away and said nothing, so neither did I.

But I look back on that incident with some shame. I know, I know, you don’t want to start an incident that could quickly turn into something more serious, particularly on our subways these days. It is easier to ignore it, to turn away, to pretend it didn’t happen. Perhaps it is safer in the short run. That is certainly what a helpful law enforcement officer would advise, I suspect.

But I was still wrong. What it meant is that a dozen or so passengers heard two men expressing antisemitic sentiments, in a public place, freely, openly, without a shred of fear or condemnation. Our collective silence only served to embolden them, to “normalize” such sentiments.

It may seem a big stretch between words on a subway and two hate-filled people picking up rifles and brazenly shooting innocent Jewish people who were celebrating the first day of Hanukkah on an Australian beach. But it is not.

In Canada, antisemitism is growing, much of it fuelled and funded by foreign intermediaries. Encouraged by demonstrations and marches through Jewish neighbourhoods. Enabled by authorities who believe their mandate is “keeping the peace” rather than enforcing the law to protect the citizens who are targeted. Drive-by shootings of synagogues and daycare centres that send a message: you are next. Harassing customers of Jewish-owned businesses. Throwing Jewish passengers out of Uber cars.

All of it enabled by our typical Canadian instinct to take the moderate middle path.

As Canadians, we have prided ourselves on our unique “multiculturalism.” We create departments with mandates to promote inclusivity and tolerance. We support a multimillion-dollar consulting business that is supposed to “re-educate” those whom we believe have demonstrated insufficient tolerance, sensitivity and inclusiveness. Where are those voices now?

We can’t seem to wrap our heads around what is happening.

A store clerk refusing to serve someone who is Black is wrong and illegal. So is a landlord refusing to rent to a couple because they are gay or an employer refusing to hire a person with a disability or harassing a woman wearing a hijab in a public place.

But we have failed to understand and recognize that what we are facing in our country, in our wonderful open country, is something very different and very, very dangerous.

Yes, our police must be more aggressive in protecting Jewish neighbourhoods and institutions, public streets and individual businesses. And yes, our politicians must forget trying to walk the oh-so traditional Canadian middle path. Moral clarity is required (and Ontario Premier Doug Ford seems to get it), not political nuance.

This has become far more than an exercise in political correctness.

We have let evil within our gates. We all must find a way to deal with it before it is too late.

Originally published in The Niagara Independent.

Janet Ecker is a former Ontario Finance Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Community and Social Services and Government House Leader in the governments of Premier Mike Harris and Premier Ernie Eves. After her political career, she served as the founding CEO of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance, a public-private partnership dedicated to building Toronto region into an international financial centre. She currently sits on a number of corporate and non-profit boards, agencies and advisory committees.

Ms. Ecker received the Order of Canada for her public service contributions and was recognized as one of the “Most Influential People in the World’s Financial Centres” by Financial Centres International. She also received a “Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award” from the Women’s Executive Network and the Richard Ivey School of Business, among other awards. She is also one of the founders of Equal Voice, a national, multi-partisan organization working to elect more women.