Enforcing the Pro-Palestinian Narrative by Terror Tactics

"The PD [professional development] is very much needed. That's the number one concern."

"If it's not safe ... to provide PD on antisemitism, what does that communicate about the safety for Jewish educators, for Jewish students and their allies and quite frankly, for all educators and students." 

Tamara Gottlieb, co-founder, Jewish Educators and Families Association (FEFA)

"Our decision was discouraging to members of the Jewish community, and to our Jewish members."

"The point has been made that it would have been helpful for us to consult with the community prior to making the decision to cancel, and we appreciate this valuable feedback."

"As we said to our members in a recent email, this is difficult work, and we won't always get it right. But we are committed to it, and to ongoing dialogue in our efforts to promote understanding and community within our organization."

Nathan Martindale, president, Manitoba Teachers' Society union

Anti-Israel protesters in Winnipeg. Photo by Chris Procaylo /winnipeg sun

Some Manitoba teachers signed up for a professional development course; the subject: "Bearing witness to October 7th", along with fighting antisemitism in the classroom, a talk meant to be delivered by Kelly Hiebert, a history teacher at Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg, tasked by the provincial government to develop a mandatory Holocaust curriculum for Manitoba students. When the event was cancelled, Jewish teachers felt alarmed by the decision of the Manitoba Teachers' union.

In their concern over the cancellation, the teachers for whom the event was both personal and important, contacted the Jewish Educators and Families Association as well as the provincial government, to intervene on their behalf with the union. "This approved and well thought PD session is needed now more than ever. Cancelling it with so little notice before it was to take place leaves many educators without the resources they need", read a letter signed by JEFA along with a few other organizations.

The Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning ministry responded to the letter, stating that the event had been cancelled as a result of unspecified threats. "The decision to cancel the session was made out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the presenters due to online comments related to this event and recent escalations in antisemitic incidents." To which the Manitoba Teachers' Society added that there were "unsettling comments" on social media related to the event.

"Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the presenters and those in attendance, MTS elected to cancel", explained the  union. This is Canada, where factions hostile to the existence of Israel, extending their alienation to Canadian Jews, their institutions, including their support of Zionism, act out in socially exclusionary ways to harass, threaten and isolate Jews in a country that celebrates its pride in multiculturalism.

 

 One group of antisemites essentially closing down the right of free speech, and threatening violence should an initiative to counter antisemitism dare to proceed.

Statistics Canada data show that Jews were the target throughout 2023 of 70 percent of all religiously motivated hate crimes, a situation that in and of itself, is ample reason of the necessity that such professional development courses for teachers proceed, in this climate of exclusion, isolation and threats aimed directly at the Canadian Jewish population. A climate fostered and derived from a conflict of long duration and historical antecedents in the Middle East.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gather in front of the Manitoba Legislative Building   CTV News

"[There had been a 'sharp rise' in antisemitism in the province."

"Threats to places of worship, community centres, and campuses have left many Jewish Manitobans feeling unsafe expressing their identity."

"This past year has been challenging for many, but we stand together, united in rejecting all forms of hate and ensuring that everyone can live freely and without fear."

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew