"Jewish people must be able to worship safely. To live free, open, proud Jewish Lives."

"Canada's government will do everything in our power to support law enforcement in ensuring that the perpetrator is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

"My thoughts are with the injured officer and his family, and the entire Jewish community."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney

 

"This vile antisemitic violence in Canada must end, and this Liberal government must act now to protect our people."

"Jewish Canadians must once again be able to live in their communities and pray in their places of worship without fear of being shot at or attacked."

Opposition Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre 

Sons of Jacob Synagogue, Belleville, Ontario

 

Of the two political leaders' statements with respect to the latest violent attack on a synagogue in Ontario, that of the prime minister of Canada is one of studied sanctimony. This is a prime minister who cannot mouth 'antisemitism' without pairing it with 'Islamophobia'. One descriptive is a reality, the second is a mockery. It is not Jews who worldwide commit terrorist acts -- against Western symbols and non-Muslims but jihad-infested Muslims who are also creating mortal carnage among their own. Under this Liberal government the gates of Canada were flung wide open to welcome largely unvetted migrants, refugees and immigrants from cultures reflecting Islamic values incapable of ever accommodating themselves to Democratic and human rights laws.

 

On Sunday evening in Belleville, Ontario, at the cusp of the arrival of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Day of Atonement...Yom Kippur, congregants in the Sons of Jacob Synagogue became suddenly alert to the sounds of gunfire. Outside, on the street near the  synagogue, sat a Belleville police officer in an unmarked vehicle, on protective duty at the synagogue. Approached by a man with a shotgun, Constable Jeffrey Smith was shot and seriously injured. Nonetheless, he returned fire and with the assistance of another officer who soon arrived detained the attacker from his intent to enter the synagogue.

 

A barrage of shots rang out, many hitting the synagogue, before the attacker was subdued. His goal was obvious, to murder Jews at prayer during the most sacred day of the year for Jews. His injuries were critical. Both the assailant who was identified as a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces in Alberta, and Constable Smith were taken to Kingston General Hospital. Constable Smith will survive his ordeal, the would-be terrorist succumbed to his wounds and in this way 'justice was done'.

 

Politicians declare their horror at the violent event and thoughts of the possible outcome with scores of people dead. In Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow expressed her insincere sympathy: "My thoughts are with the Jewish community and the injured officer in Belleville. The Jewish community will see an increased police presence as we take precautions to keep people safe." This is a mayor who refused to take part in a discussion on rampant antisemitism in Toronto. 

"Jewish Torontonians should not need police presence to observe Yom Kippur, or to simply live their day-to-day lives."

"As long as we contend with rising antisemitism and hate, we will spare no expense keeping the community safe."

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow 

These hypocritical words of comforting empathy from a mayor of all the people who has somehow found herself unable to support the Jewish community, preferring the company of Muslim associations where she obligingly mouths condemnation of Israel for its 'genocidal' actions in Gaza, effectively smearing the Toronto Jewish community even further at a time of rancid, growing antisemitism expressed in threats and covert vandalization of Jewish businesses, houses of prayer, children's schools and old-age homes.

 

On the board of Allies for a Strong Canada, dedicated to mobilizing non-Jewish Canadians in an effort to fight antisemitism in Canada, Laryssa Waler expressed her goal to have decision-makers and policy leaders understand that "it's not the responsibility of the Jewish community to solve antisemitism". The plain fact is that Jews in Canada have been abandoned by their governments at all levels, who are all too aware of the weight of the voting bloc of Canada's new Muslim demographic, as opposed to the infinitely smaller Jewish presence of far longer presence.

Police vehicles on scene after a shooting near a Belleville synagogue on Sept. 20, 2026. CITYNEWS/Bert Dandy

 

"Jewish people can't make non-Jews not hate them. They can't be nicer. They can't be more giving. They can't be more polite. It's on us not to hate them and to defend them and to say loudly 'We live in Canada. You can't hate another group of people."

"In Canada, we would not tolerate any other community being shot at, being harassed. We would lose our collective minds if a Catholic girls' school was shot at three times."

"Are Canadians going to continue to be tolerant of other Canadians being shot at, harassed and made victims of violence for the crime of their religion?"

Laryssa Waler, board member, Allies for a Strong Canada