OP-ED: The Ottawa stabbing is a wake-up call for Canada to act on antisemitism

Dotan Rousso writes, "Canada is facing a disturbing and undeniable surge in antisemitism — and empty words from our leaders will not be enough to confront it."

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By Dotan Rousso

Canada is facing a disturbing and undeniable surge in antisemitism — and empty words from our leaders will not be enough to confront it.

This week, a 70-year-old Jewish woman was stabbed in the kosher section of a grocery store in Ottawa. Police have classified the attack as hate-motivated. Prime Minister Carney called it “deeply disturbing,” assuring Jewish Canadians, “you are not alone… we will work to combat antisemitism wherever it appears.” Those words matter, but they are not enough. They won’t stop the next attack.

The numbers tell a grim story. In 2022, Canada recorded 2,769 antisemitic incidents. In 2023, that number more than doubled to 5,791. By 2024, it climbed even higher to 6,219 — the highest total since tracking began in 1982. Jewish Canadians, though just one percent of the population, account for a wildly disproportionate share of religion-based hate crimes. From schools to synagogues, from vandalism and intimidation to physical violence, the pattern is undeniable.

If Canada is serious about fighting this growing crisis, the first step is clarity. Antisemitism is not limited to crude caricatures or hateful slurs. It is also embedded in rhetoric that seeks to delegitimize and erase the State of Israel. The slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is not an innocent political statement — it is a call for the elimination of Israel and the physical eradication of more than eight million Jews who live there, almost 60% of the world’s Jewish population. Praising Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to killing Jews worldwide, is not an “acceptable exercise of free speech”; it is antisemitism in its most dangerous form.

Until our government has the courage to say this clearly and consistently, every declaration of “support” for Canada’s Jewish community will remain hollow. The response must go beyond words. Canada needs legislation that clearly defines antisemitism — including anti-Zionist rhetoric that seeks to erase Israel — and applies that definition across public institutions, from universities to government offices.

Education is equally urgent. Across Canada, students are exposed to misinformation and hostile narratives about Israel and Jews. Public campaigns must make clear what antisemitism looks like in 2025, and why certain language, symbols, and slogans are dangerous. Ontario’s recent expansion of Holocaust education offers a model: when students are taught the truth, their understanding and empathy grow. National programs should build on that success.

And finally, there must be enforcement. Hate speech, incitement, and intimidation should be met with zero tolerance. Jewish Canadians deserve to know that the laws protecting them will be applied consistently and decisively, not negotiated or minimized in the name of political convenience.

This is not only about protecting Jewish Canadians. It is about protecting Canada itself. When calls for genocide are normalized, when public spaces are surrendered to mobs chanting for the destruction of an entire nation, and when leaders respond with vague platitudes instead of firm action, the values that define this country — tolerance, diversity, and safety — are eroded.

Technology, social media, and political polarization are accelerating the spread of hate. If Canada fails to meet this moment with clarity, courage, and action, the problem will only deepen. The Ottawa stabbing is not an isolated incident; it is the predictable result of an atmosphere that has been allowed to fester unchecked.

Defining antisemitism clearly, legislating against it, educating Canadians, and enforcing existing laws is the only way forward. Canada has said “never again” before. The time has come to prove that we mean it.