06) FLAWED CPCCA REPORT PUSHES BAN ON CRITICISM OF ISRAEL

PV Vancouver Bureau

     On July 7, after a long delay, the so-called "Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism" (CPCCA) released the report of its inquiry. Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) has issued a detailed critique of "grave misrepresentations" by the CPCCA, which includes Conservative, Liberal and NDP MPs, but is not an official Parliamentary group.

     The CPCCA Report argues that antisemitism is on the rise, both in Canadian society generally, and particularly on campuses. But after a review of the testimony, the CJPME found that most of the senior Canadian law enforcement officials who appeared before the inquiry stated that antisemitism in their respective provinces and cities was either not on the rise, or had in fact dropped.

     All 12 university administrators who appeared before the Inquiry testified that antisemitism was not a problem on their campuses. Yet such testimony was ignored or even distorted in the Report to make it appear as if the opposite was the case.

     "It is upsetting and unethical that the CPCCA's Report essentially ignored the most authoritative testimony presented to it," said CJPME director, Thomas Woodley. "In general, the work of the Inquiry does not seem credible, as it sought to highlight only those voices which supported its premises, while ignoring all contrary voices."

     Although the Inquiry claimed to have received 200 written submissions, less than half of those are acknowledged in the Report, or on the CPCCA website. At least one Panel member refused to put her name on the report; Liberal MP Joyce Murray told Embassy Magazine that CPCCA members were never brought together to discuss the Report or consider revisions.

     The CPCCA decided to hear from selected persons and groups, mainly representing pro‑Israel organizations. Groups and individuals who challenged the assumptions of the CPCCA were, in the main, excluded from the Inquiry, and the Report refuses to acknowledge their submissions.

     As the CPJME notes, "the principal aim of the CPCCA, apparent from its initial news releases, comments made by members of the Inquiry Panel throughout its hearings, and in its final Report, is to widen the definition of antisemitism to include criticism of Israeli government practices and policies, particularly those that have come to be labelled `Israeli Apartheid'".

     The key recommendation of the Report is that Canada should adopt the European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia ("EUMC") Working Definition of Antisemitism. As the CPJME says, "This definition, drafted in 2005, has no official status; has been adopted by no government and was, in fact, drafted by a prominent member of an extremist pro‑Israel lobby group, the American Jewish Agency." Such a definition would effectively outlaw almost any criticism of Israel in Canada.

     This appears to be the direction of the Harper Tory government. Federal cabinet ministers John Baird and Jason Kenney recently signed the Ottawa Protocol on Combating Antisemitism, one of the steps suggested by the CPCCA report. Legislation relating to criticism of Israel is also expected by the CPJME and other groups which have been active in defense of free speech.

(The above article is from the October 1-15, 2011, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)