Western Jewish Bulletin: Working for a tolerant society

Jul 02, 2004

Working for a tolerant society
New CJC Pacific Region head Mark Weintraub says Jews "got it right."

PAT JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

The work done by Canadian Jewish Congress over the past half-century has helped create a "firewall" in Canada that has prevented a worldwide spike in anti-Semitism from reaching full force here.

That's the view of Mark Weintraub, the new chair of Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region. Weintraub, a Vancouver lawyer and longtime community activist, met with the Bulletin recently to look forward and back at the climate for Canadian Jews. His main message: "I think you can say with some degree of confidence that the Jewish community got it right, in terms of how to [if] not eliminate anti-Semitism, at least erode it."

Since the Second World War, Weintraub said, Canadian Jewish Congress has been among a number of groups at the forefront of advocating for a comprehensive infrastructure of human rights. And while Congress has fought against specific restrictive covenants and discriminatory practices against Jews in particular, the organization also has advocated for more general measures that prevent discrimination against any group.

"We did it in a way that drew upon the roots of our Jewish tradition," said Weintraub. "What we said was this: That there's no place in a country like Canada for any kind of discrimination, whether it be against Jew, or against Native Indian or Indo-Canadian or Chinese. Therefore, our challenges were not specifically with respect to discriminatory provisions against Jews, but we looked at the overall structural system of Canada and said what kinds of institutions do we need that can fundamentally shift our country."

Working with governments, advocacy organizations, civil institutions and other ethnic organizations, Canadian Jewish Congress has played an important role in bringing to life a whole range of institutions that are now intrinsic to Canadian multiculturalism, including the fundamental recognition that Canada is more than just English and French.

"What we ended up with, if one takes a look at the last 50 years, is a very comprehensive system of judicial, legal, administrative and educative structures, which have essentially been effective in combating discrimination against minorities," said Weintraub. "We advocated for the system of human rights tribunals both federally and provincially on the basis that not all prejudice and discrimination ought to be dealt with by the criminal law. Only the most extreme forms of prejudice, namely the fomenting of hate, which can lead to violence, ought to be criminalized. But there have to be other structures to communicate to Canadians at large that vile prejudice and discrimination have no place."

Congress also unequivocally supported the entrenchment of hate-motivated crime in legislation, based on the assumption that crimes motivated by discrimination are crimes of a different quality.

"When someone from a minority gets attacked by reason of their status, it's really an attack on the entire fabric of the country," he said.

Weintraub credited his immediate predecessor at Congress, Nisson Goldman, with a three-year struggle to convince the provincial government to replace the eliminated funding for the provincial Hate Crime Team. Though funding has not yet been restored, Congress has received a commitment from Premier Gordon Campbell that it will be forthcoming.

Weintraub said his top priority is fulfilling the core mandate of Canadian Jewish Congress, which has always been and remains combating anti-Semitism and providing for the safety and security of the Jewish community. This would have been his top priority even five years ago, before the latest spike in anti-Jewish crimes, though it takes an added urgency now, he said. But while acknowledging that the situation for Canadian Jews is as difficult as it has been in decades – a recent report by Canadian chiefs of police determined that one-quarter of all hate crimes reported in this country were directed at Jews – Weintraub insists things are better here than in the United States and far better than the grave situation in places like France.

"I think it's fair to say when there are expressions of anti-Semitism, which in the United States might be permitted because of freedom of expression and because they don't have human rights tribunals, because they don't have criminalized speech, those expressions here in Canada are immediately dealt with," Weintraub said. As examples, he cited the recent publication of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in a B.C. newspaper, the Miracle, and the anti-Semitic expressions of former Saskatchewan First Nations leader David Ahenakew.

"The response [to the Miracle] from the community was quick and overwhelming – the mainstream community, the Muslim community, the human rights community – and we had a venue for dealing with it. We handed that document over to the Hate Crime Team to see if it violated the criminal law," he said. "[In the Ahenakew case], immediately the Assembly [of First Nations] leadership, and leadership throughout the aboriginal community, was very swift in its condemnation.

"So when, every once in a while, you have one of these eruptions, we have created a climate in Canada wherein the leadership of the various communities where the anti-Semitism might erupt from, recognized that this is harmful not only to Canadian society, but harmful to the Jewish community and harmful to their own community."

More than most countries in the world, Weintraub said, Canada has a formally structured and highly sensitized response to discriminatory behaviors and attitudes, not only through legal recourse, but in educating people in the first place to challenge prejudice in themselves and society.

"We've got structures in place that can deal with [acts of discrimination] more swiftly and effectively," he said. "That is the work that Canadian Jewish Congress is in the middle of and sometimes, I think, in the forefront of."

Though the re-emergence of anti-Semitism in Canada has been jarring, Weintraub added, "The eruption in the last three years was not a huge surprise to those who are [working] in this area."

Members of CJC got a hint of what was coming down the pike three years ago at the United Nations conference on racism in Durban, South Africa.

"We saw there how the conference was turned against Israel in a way that was very frightening," he said. "We saw there what was indeed a strategy to turn Israel into the next South Africa, the apartheid state. We saw it systematically being talked about and how over the next number of years that campaign needed to spread to the campuses and into the media and other institutions and, sure enough, we saw it happen."

Weintraub said one thing the Jewish community in Canada and elsewhere needs to investigate more and make the public aware of is the relationship between extreme anti-Zionist activities and the extreme elements of the Middle East.
"The campaign of anti-Zionism and of equating Zionism as racism has emanated from some of the most reactionary and despotic regimes in the Middle East," he said. "I'm not here to say that we can trace right now the funding of this campaign, except to say that we know as a fact that this attempt to delegitimize the state of Israel has for decades and decades come out of countries like Syria and Saudi Arabia and Egypt."
Weintraub added that the anti-Israel activists of the Middle East may have made common cause with some of the darkest figures from history.
"We do know that in the 1950s and the 1960s, a country like Syria, for example, gave refuge to Nazi leadership fleeing Germany. I think it behooves our community to spend more time in exposing what are the links between Nazi and fascist ideology and the most extreme anti-Zionist ideology that is coming out of the Arab countries. If we bring that more into the centre, I do believe that people will recognize that this extreme anti-Zionism is supported by people that, on every other front, they would completely repudiate."

As Canadian Jews struggle against anti-Semitism, the communal bodies of the community have undergone a major structural change. The Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy was created in the past year as an umbrella group to oversee the various advocacy agencies in Canada. Weintraub welcomes the new body, especially since it has explicitly promised greater support for CJC's work.

"The function of Canadian Jewish Congress has been maintained and in fact we have been told that we need to have more funding because what we're doing is good work and the collective Jewish community decision-makers in this regard want us to carry on and do more," he said.
Over his three-year term, Weintraub said, he will continue to improve communication between the Jewish community and other ethnocultural groups, especially Muslim communities, First Nations and Christians. While advocating for Jewish Canadians is the core objective of Congress, Weintraub noted it has always been in the interest of Jewish communities to live in a society that is accepting of all peoples.
"We've always felt that what we want is the most peaceful, tolerant society because it's the right thing and because it also ultimately assists Jews," he said. "So we have this confluence of what is good for the Jewish community is good for the overall community."

Internally, he added, the Jewish community must continue to look outward but also undertake an introspective look.
"The question which must engage Jewish leadership of every organization is the future: What kind of Canada are we going to have 20 years from now?" he said. Changing demographics will have an impact on Canadian Jews.

"We have a declining Jewish community. We know the ravages of intermarriage and assimilation," Weintraub said. "Where is our Jewish community going to be 20 years from now?"

http://www.cjc.ca/template.php?action=itn&Story=875

Western Jewish Bulletin: B'nai Brith 668 no more

June 25, 2004

B'nai Brith 668 no more

The end came Sunday for 94-year-old organization.

PAT JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

As the sun set out the window behind her on the last day of spring Sunday night, Rivka Arieli, the president of B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge, presided over a small meeting that ended an era for British Columbia's Jewish community. B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge voted itself out of existence.

B'nai Brith has had a presence in this province since 1910, when Samuels Lodge #668 was formed. A second lodge, Lion's Gate #1716, was formed in 1948 and the two lodges amalgamated in 1985 into Lion's Gate Lodge #668. But a year of desperate rebuilding and struggling to find relevance amid the changing world of the local Jewish community resulted in the conclusion by Arieli and her few remaining members that there was no interest in continuing the organization. Less than a dozen members were present when the lodge unanimously voted to dissolve.

Despite the unexpected drama – the decision to dissolve came just in the few days before the annual general meeting – neither the B'nai Brith name nor the charitable work that the group has pioneered in the province will disappear. Though the lodge ceases to exist and the membership-based structure ends, the core objectives of the group will be rolled over into the B'nai Brith Foundation of British Columbia. The foundation will undertake a narrower mandate, leaving behind the meetings and social events that once defined the lodge.

Originally founded as a social organization for Jews, the mandate of the group has changed. Nobody is interested in a bowling league or holiday dances anymore, said Arieli. The work of the lodge has evolved toward more social action, with a special emphasis on fighting hate. B'nai Brith Lion's Gate has provided financial and volunteer support to numerous court cases and public awareness efforts against neo-Nazi and other extremist anti-Semitic brush fires over the years. The foundation will continue to advance the objectives of the international B'nai Brith movement by providing awards for community service, organizing an annual anti-hate month, and continuing to support the Interfaith Brotherhood, a cross-cultural organization that has embodied B'nai Brith's commitment to multifaith dialogue.

Arieli noted that the choice of guest speaker for the final meeting of the lodge – Mark Weintraub, the new chair of Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region – represents the foundation's commitment to working closely with Congress and other Jewish community organizations. (Weintraub's provocative presentation of the successes and failures of fighting anti-Semitism in Canada and the world will be featured in a profile of the new Congress leader in a future issue of the Bulletin.)

In her remarks to the membership, Arieli noted the realities that led to the fatal decision.

"B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge has come to a time of completion and to a time of change," she said. "During the last year, our executive assistant, Tamara Segall, and I have discovered that despite our best efforts, few are interested in joining B'nai Brith Lion's Gate. We have only 30 paid members. Old members are not attracting their children or friends. We are unable to find anyone interested in working on the administration and building of B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge."

Yet, even in the twilight of the organization, Arieli was able to point out the panoply of contributions the lodge has made to the B.C. community. The lodge has served as a sort of incubator for some of the most successful stand-alone organizations in the Jewish community here. Partly because the lodge has never had a legal charitable status, the organizations it has formed to fulfil its mandate have become independent offsprings of the parent body.

"B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge has done a remarkable job over the many years since its founding," said Arieli. "The works of B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge are far too numerous to acknowledge completely at this time, but the major projects which are now mature and independent include the B'nai Brith Building Society, with two seniors homes, and other housing in several apartments; the non-sectarian food bank; B'nai Brith Youth Organization with an international board; [the campus Jewish organization] Hillel; [and] the B'nai Brith Foundation of British Columbia."

Also formed originally under the auspices of B'nai Brith but operating independently are groups such as Shalom BC, which welcomes Jewish newcomers to the province, the free loan fund and Jewish Women International.

"Much of the work of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver was inspired and begun by the B'nai Brith Lion's Gate Lodge," Arieli added.

For several years, the financial operations of the lodge have been conducted under the auspices of the B'nai Brith Foundation of British Columbia, which is a registered charity. The foundation will now become the primary vehicle for B'nai Brith's work in the province.

"To go forward with the B'nai Brith name in British Columbia, we must do so in a different way," Arieli told the meeting. "To better address the changing needs of our community, we must no longer be a membership-focused organization, but an action-focused, nonprofit, charitable society, which continues the work of B'nai Brith."

The dissolution of the lodge coincides with a number of other structural changes. For example, B'nai Brith's B.C. chapter has always been an anomaly, being part of the Evergreen chapter of B'nai Brith – an American branch of B'nai Brith International – and strangely divorced from the rest of B'nai Brith Canada, which covers the other nine provinces. That anomaly will change somewhat, as current (and any future) members will be encouraged to either join the Canadian or the international B'nai Brith organizations, or both. The foundation will strengthen its association with the Canadian arm of the international B'nai Brith body.

An event later in the summer is expected to bring together members of the now-defunct lodge to mark its passing, and to educate about and celebrate the new mandate of the foundation.

Pat Johnson is a Vancouver journalist and commentator.

Western Jewish Bulletin: Election calls Jews to action

June 4, 2004

Election calls Jews to action
National, local bodies urge activism in your choice political campaign.

PAT JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

In what is shaping up as one of the most unpredictable election campaigns in recent memory, federal candidates are seeking the support of Jewish voters – and Jewish Canadians are taking a hard look at the choices facing them.

A candidates' forum sponsored by three multicultural agencies, including Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), is slated for next Wednesday at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Candidates from the three national parties in each of the five Vancouver ridings have been invited to the forum, which is sponsored by CJC, with the Chinese-Canadian organization SUCCESS and the Vancouver Multicultural Society. The forum, which is similar to events in previous elections, will address issues of social justice, immigration, human rights and Canada's international role, in addition to questions raised from the floor.

In an open letter to CJC members and supporters, Mark Weintraub, the new chair of CJC, Pacific Region, urged Canadian Jews to get involved in politics.

"A campaign is a most significant time to establish relationships with and provide information of concern to potential members of Parliament," he wrote. "One of the best ways in doing this is to become active as a volunteer in a campaign. Even if your candidate is unsuccessful, the educative value of your participation for the longer term cannot be overemphasized."

Weintraub told the Bulletin he is encouraged that there have been a few signs of increased political activity among Jewish British Columbians, something CJC has long been encouraging.

In terms of issues specific to the Jewish community, Weintraub said the community shares the same concerns as the bulk of the Canadian electorate, from health-care policy, domestic security issues and the environment, to fair and equitable taxation. Even issues like anti-Semitism should not be considered "Jewish issues," he said. Citing as an example violence against women, Weintraub said. "we're all affected by the pathology." Though anti-Semitism affects Jewish Canadians most directly, he said, it is a Canadian problem and needs to be addressed as such.

At the national level, the new umbrella agency CIJA-PAC – the political action committee of the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy – is set to release "issue sheets" that will help Jewish and Zionist voters to query their local candidates. In a letter to CIJA members, the group's chair, Mark Waldman, equated participation in political activity with tikkun olam, the Jewish interdiction to help repair the world.

"Other groups are involving themselves in various political parties," Waldman wrote. "We too need to offer support to candidates and volunteer for their campaigns. Without our presence, visibility and participation, we will lose the ability to be heard in Ottawa on important policy issues at a time when a strong voice is needed most. The most effective means of conveying the Jewish community's messages and mutual understanding to our political leadership is by actively participating in the political process.... We need a strong base of support among all of the political parties."

Waldman told the Bulletin he would like to see Jewish Canadians avoid placing all their political eggs in one basket. Each member of the community should become active in the campaigns of the political party they feel best reflects their views – participation is key, rather than the support of one particular party.

"It's critical for our community to get involved in political activity," said Waldman. "The federal government plays an important role in all aspects of our life."

Waldman and others were recently in Washington, D.C., meeting with American political leaders and other Zionists. The speeches he heard from Democratic and Republican politicians, Waldman said, indicated that American leaders recognize the shared values between their country and the only democratic regime in the Middle East.

"Supporting Israel is an American value, it's not a Democratic or Republican value," he said. "We need to do that here."

Though the Jewish community has concerns with a wide swath of political issues, Canadian foreign policy toward Israel has leapt to the top of the community's agenda since the last election. Increasing acts of verbal and physical hatred over the past four years in Canada have created a sense of urgency and isolation. Canada's votes against Israel at the United Nations have often riled Jewish community leaders, though the addition of groups like Hamas to the list of banned terrorist organizations has been seen as a positive development.

Few Jewish candidates have put themselves forward for election in recent years. Two members of Vancouver's Jewish community contested Conservative party nominations in Vancouver-Quadra and Vancouver-South, but neither was successful. Canadians vote June 28.

The Vancouver candidates' forum being co-sponsored by CJC takes place Wednesday, June 9, 7 p.m., at the Norman Rothstein Theatre in the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.

Pat Johnson is a native Vancouverite, a journalist and commentator.

http://www.jewishindependent.ca/archives/June04/archives04Jun04-01.html

Western Jewish Bulletin: It starts on campuses

May 14, 2004

It starts on campuses
Local CJC stresses need to counter anti-Semitism.

KYLE BERGER, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

With the recent acts of anti-Semitism around the country, change is needed on Canada's university campuses. This was the topic of a presentation by Prof. Ed Morgan, guest speaker at Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), Pacific Region's triennial general meeting May 5.

In an interview with the Bulletin prior to the meeting, Morgan, a member of the faculty of law at the University of Toronto, explained that there is a constant political battle being fought on campuses that is not easy to win.

"We have a polarization of values on campus," he said. "We value free speech and academic freedom and we have this idea that the campus is the place where you are supposed to freely debate everything.

"At the other end of the spectrum, we also put a very high value on inclusiveness, making sure that no one feels alienated on campus," he continued. "Which means that we have a lot of protective rules for students. So when it comes to Jewish issues and Israel-oriented issues, university administrations are having a hard time figuring out which end of that spectrum they're supposed to be on."

Morgan noted a couple of incidents at York University in which anti-Israel speakers were allowed to announce their hatred to 200 cheering supporters, while pro-Israel presenters were refused a place to speak. He did not suggest that the administration of York University was anti-Israel or anti-Jewish. Instead, he pointed to the likelihood that the school's administration simply wanted to maintain a low profile rather than stir the pot with radical students.

"It's not that I'm suspicious of them, but they need to be pushed because they want to keep their heads low," he said. "It's hard for administrations to take on student groups, because they always end up looking heavy handed and clumsy when they try to discipline student politics."

The answer, Morgan suggested, is to push advocacy to a new level, including stronger efforts from university faculty. He is currently involved with a group of teachers who are trying to form such a group.

"Often times, if community advocacy groups that aren't used to how campuses work [speak to a school administration], administrators listen politely but they dismiss everything they say," he explained. "We're hoping to have a faculty body that understands the concerns about academic freedom that can give a pitch when there are problems on a campus."

Another solution, Morgan said, is to educate and involve more students."We have to make sure we have the resources to bring in interesting pro-Israel speakers and make sure there are Jewish events for people who want to participate in them."

The triennial meeting marked several changes at CJC, Pacific Region. Mark Weintraub was installed as chair, taking over from Nisson Goldman. The slate of officers included Jon Festinger, vice-chair, Richard Kurland, vice-chair, Dr. Mark Wexler, vice-chair, David Schwartz, secretary, Tony DuMoulin, treasurer, Gerry Cuttler, general counsel, and Herb Silber, national vice-president.

Joining the evening's proceedings were Chief Leonard George of the Tsleil-waututh nation, who spoke on behalf of the aboriginal community, and Attorney General Geoff Plant, who shared greetings from the B.C. government. The Morris Saltzman Award for outstanding contributions to community relations in British Columbia was presented to Sgt. Mark Graf of the Vancouver police department.

Weintraub, in his speech, which he provided to the Bulletin, also touched on the anti-Semitic acts that have been raging in Canada.

"Most of us here tonight are aware that Jewish communities around the world are facing an increased virulence of anti-Semitism not seen since the Holocaust," he said. The new anti-Semitism in fact differs little from the old, in that each careens into defamatory conspiracy theories of overwhelming Jewish power, argued Weintraub.

"One of my priorities will be to have us continue to vigorously advocate to all levels of government to ensure that our communities are as safe and secure as possible," he said. "To paraphrase one of our time-honored teachings, 'We are not obligated to finish all the work, but we are obligated to do our part.' "

For more information about CJC, Pacific Region, call 604-257-5101.

http://www.jewishindependent.ca/Archives/May04/archives04May14-03.html

Western Jewish Bulletin: Multifaith meditation

April 30, 2004

Multifaith meditation

LORNE MALLIN, SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

A weekend-long multifaith meditation retreat in Vancouver was treated to presentations from the Dalai Lama and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. Compared to the large-scale events of the much-heralded visit, it was like getting a personal audience with the renowned spiritual leaders for the 276 participants, about 10 percent of whom were Jewish.

On Saturday afternoon, April 17, at Shaughnessy Heights United Church, the Dalai Lama spoke briefly about practising compassion and forgiveness and led a 20-minutes meditation. He slipped out with his security detail after saying he'd been up since 3:30 in the morning and was tired.

The next day, Reb Zalman was warmly welcomed as keynote speaker for the retreat called Inner Peace - Active Love, presented by the Multifaith Action Society of British Columbia. He was introduced by a fellow Jew, Joan Borysenko, moderator of the retreat and a former Harvard medical scientist and psychologist, who called him a "living treasure."

Reb Zalman touched on themes that he elaborated on at the April 20 roundtable. "Bring down blessings on each other," he said. "It will attune us to a higher vibration. There are beings hovering over us ready to bless us."

Before speaking, he privately gave a healing blessing to Dodie Katzenstein, 54, of Vancouver, who was diagnosed three years ago with advanced breast cancer.

"He held my hand and did a mishebeirach. It was lovely and it meant a lot to me," she said.

Four local rabbis played leadership roles in the two and a half day event, which attracted Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, Sufis, followers of First Nations spiritual tradition and other. Beth Israel Rabbi Charles Feinberg spoke on Saturday as president of the Multifaith Action Society.

"Insights of one tradition can illuminate what may be hidden from us in our own tradition," said Feinberg, while urging participants to be rooted in their own spiritual discipline. "The spiritual treasures of another faith can help us reach a greater degree of enlightenment and commitment."

Also on Saturday, during a series of presentations by different traditions, Rabbi Shmuel Birnham spoke about the Jewish contemplative dimension of Shabbat. He explored that idea further on Sunday when he led a workship on Jewish meditation and changint. Rabbi Itzchak Marmorstein led a session on Ophanim, Kabbalistic Yoga of Abraham, which he teaches at Or Shalom. Dr. Alan Morinis of Vancouver led a workship on the ancient Jewish spiritual tradition of mussar. And Rabbi David Mivasair of Ahavat Olam shared with 30-40 mostly non-Jewish spiritual seekers and followers of other religions an experiential exploration of the value of Jewish liturgical prayer.

"At least two Jewish people who had been involved for years in other religions came up to me afterward and told me they 'came home' during that hour and want to learn and do more," Mivasair said.

Among the Jewish participants moved by the weekend was Mark Weintraub, incoming president of the Pacific Region of the Canadian Jewish Congress, who attended on a personal basis. "What I was most taken with was the emphasis on embracing seemingly new and yet obviously timeless paradigms for healing the planet and intra-community conflict by drawing upon each tradition's greatest wisdom teachings of our essential unity."

There was further Jewish involvement in the entertaining musical tribute to the Dalai Lama April 20 at the Orpheum Theatre. Mordehai Wosk blew the shofar to welcome the Tibetan leader and Moshe Denburg closed out the evening conducting the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra, members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Laudate Singers in a performance of his composition, "Ani Ma-amin" ("I Believe").

Lorne Mallin is an editor in the entertainment secttion of the Province.

Western Jewish Bulletin: Thanks for the kind words

January 10, 2003

Thanks for the kind words

Letters

This letter was originally sent to Chief Dora Wilson of the Hagwilget Village Council and is reprinted with permission.

Dear Chief Wilson:

I received a copy of your letter written to Chief Coon Come regarding Mr. Ahenakew. Currently, I am a national vice- president of Canadian Jewish Congress, being the representative from the Pacific Region (British Columbia/Yukon/Northwest Territories and Nunavut) to our national board.

I was involved in the deliberations of our regional board to craft an open letter to Premier Gordon Campbell condemning the recently held referendum and I had the pleasure of meeting with Chief Stewart Phillip at the union's open house, at which time we had an excellent exchange and reaffirmed our collective commitment to ensuring that the Ahenakew incident would in fact be used to strengthen relations between our communities. As such, I am somewhat aware of relations between our communities' leadership. Your letter is most appreciated and is representative of the overwhelming views of aboriginal leaders. Please be assured that our community knows this well.

Your letter truly speaks to the shock that Mr. Ahenakew's statements caused. Your understanding of the hurt and concern to our community was powerfully expressed. Indeed, the reaction we have received from many aboriginal leaders and individuals has been overwhelming and our national office will be making a public statement to this effect soon.

One of the unfortunate consequences of Mr. Ahenakew's statements is that they had the potential to give those in the larger community a purported justification for saying that racism exists everywhere and not just in the white community. The achievement of aboriginal goals is in fact an important goal to us as a community and therefore we were troubled not only by the expression of anti-Semitism but also by the potential setback to the aboriginal community.

Without minimizing in any way the Ahenakew affair, we will not let our focus be shifted from the main centres of anti-Semitism and attacks on Jews today. As I write this letter, our community is in mourning by reason of another attack on the Jewish nation, which just occurred last weekend, resulting in 22 deaths and more than 100 injured. Your letter of understanding, referring to the fact that Jews are in "constant alert for acts of terror," is comfort at a time when there are some who would attempt to justify these murderous acts as legitimate expressions of political aspirations.

While there is still much work to be done in both of our respective communities to advance greater understanding, it can be said with certainty that the bonds that we have created through working together in the past are strong enough to endure this incident and indeed have been strengthened through your expressions of denunciation and shock and reaffirmations of hope.

Many in the aboriginal community suffer each day from policies rooted in institutional racism and colonialism. The deaths arising from poverty and poor health care, which occur every day in Canada, ought to be ever-present in our consciousness. We are also aware that this current travesty of policy is only part of the contemporary reality – the indigenous peoples' survival in the face of over 500 years of attempted physical and cultural genocide is testament to the strength of your history, your traditions and the universal human spirit. In this way both of our people's have much in common.

Mark Weintraub
National Vice-President
Canadian Jewish Congress


http://www.jewishindependent.ca/Archives/Jan03/archives03Jan10-09.html

CJC News Release: PACIFIC REGION MEETS WITH THE MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES

March 27, 2002 - PACIFIC REGION MEETS WITH THE MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES, THE HON. HERB DHALIWAL

VANCOUVER, B.C, March 7, 2002 -- The Leadership of Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region met with the Minister of Natural Resources, the Hon. Herb Dhaliwal, to raise issues of concern to the Jewish community.

The CJC delegation met with the Minister as a follow-up to their meeting with the B. C. Federal Liberal Caucus held in January. At the meeting, CJC expressed the support of the Jewish community in the fight against terrorism, articulated the need for the Canadian Government to ensure that all linkages to terrorism are broken, and raised other issues of concern.

"Canadian Jewish Congress commends the government's efforts to defend Canadians and therefore the Jewish community against terrorism and yet still preserve civil liberties. However, the government's position regarding Israel and the Palestinian uprising is both confusing and ambivalent," stated Tony DuMoulin, Vice- Chair of CJC, Pacific Region.

The CJC delegation addressed Canada's voting record at the United Nations and the treatment of Israel at the United Nations as a source of deep concern for Canadian Jewry. "While such Canadian efforts are acknowledged and appreciated by Israel and by Canadian Jewry, Canada's overall voting record at the United Nations on Israel-related issues remains unsatisfactory," stated Mr. Mark Weintraub, CJC National Vice-President. He added, "We take seriously what politicians say in terms of their support for Israel, yet the voting record is contradictory. Canada's commitment to a fair and balanced approach is being compromised when there is evidence that Canada supports biased resolutions that use caustic language that are highly critical of one side in the Arab-Israel conflict. We strongly feel that Canada, which has traditionally adopted the role of "honest broker" in such International gatherings, has to re-evaluate this approach in light of the facts on the ground."

Members of the CJC, Pacific Region delegation raised the issue of the concerted anti-Zionist and antisemitic campaign that has blossomed under the auspices of the United Nations' World Conference Against Racism in Durban. "The Palestinian representatives, together with the support of Arab, Muslim and other delegates, cynically cast aside the conference?s universal objective to combat racism and hijacked it for the ill-intended partisan purpose of de-legitimizing the State of Israel and of undermining the historical experience of the Jewish people," stated Mr. Herb Silber, Regional Officer of CJC. Mr. Silber went on the say, "The Arab World, with the knowing complicity of well-meaning people, have launched an ideological war on the Jews in many different forums and that is why we need the Canadian Government to be even more vigilant than what occurred in Durban so that there is not a repeat. The Durban Conference, with the anti-Israel and antisemitic animus on full display, is a good example of an effort of politicizing International bodies and turning the agenda away from rightful concerns about racism, relief of hunger, refugees, human rights, and depriving the world?s most needy of assistance, including tens of millions of Muslims."

CJC delegates also expressed concern regarding Canadian grants to the Palestinian Authority. "We believe that Canada should demand that the Palestinian Authority provide tangible assurances that they are agents for peace and reject violence as a tool towards achieving Palestinian aspirations," said Mr. David Schwartz, Regional Officer of CJC. He went on to say, "While there is no specific evidence to suggest that Canadian aid dollars are being diverted from their intended use in support of humanitarian relief and toward the purchase of weapons, it is also the case that money is a fungible commodity and the danger of Canadian tax money being misused by Arafat in support of his military campaign against Israel cannot be discounted. Under no circumstances should Canada be seen as indirectly providing financial support to institutions of the Palestinian Authority that are waging war against Israel. The Canadian taxpayer has every right to demand that precise and completely transparent procedures through which Canadian officials will monitor carefully the administration of each and every assistance dollar. "

CJC, Pacific Region expressed Canadian Jewry's support for vigorous and consistent sentence-enhancement provisions for hate-motivated crimes and crimes against houses of worship and cemeteries. However, CJC, Pacific Region believes that Bill C-36 needs to be expanded to cover other communal property and institutions. In discussing community security, the issue raised was the dismantlement of the Provincial Hate Crime Team as a result of the Core Services Review. CJC expressed concern about the Team being rendered non-operational due to lack of funding and resources. The Hon. Herb Dhaliwal acknowledged the work of CJC, Pacific Region in the creation of the Hate Crime Team and assured the delegation that he would address in particular, this issue with the Solicitor General.

The CJC, Pacific Region delegation was pleased to have had the opportunity to exchange views with the Hon. Herb Dhaliwal and looks forward to continuing the dialogue on issues of vital importance to the Jewish community and to all Canadians.

For more information, please contact:

Erwin Nest, Executive Director

Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region

Suite 201 - 950 West 41st Avenue

Vancouver, B.C. V5Z 2N7

Phone: (604) 257-5101

Fax: (604) 257-5131

E-mail: erwinn@cjc.ca

http://www.cjc.ca/template.php?action=news&story=29

Vancouver Courier: Commissioners hear pros and cons of volleyball at Jericho Beach Park

By Sandra Thomas - Staff writer

December 2, 2001

Opponents of sand volleyball courts at Jericho Beach Park outnumbered determined beach volleyball players as the two sides squared off this week over the future of the park.

Almost 250 people jammed a public hearing Wednesday night to air their views on building a permanent 12-court sand volleyball facility, roughly three-quarters the size of a soccer field, near the old concrete wharf just east of the Jericho Sailing Centre. The large number of speakers forced the board, which is not expected to vote on the issue until Jan. 14, to extend the meeting to Thursday night.

Colin Metcalfe, president of the Vancouver Field Sports Federation, generated a barrage of boos and catcalls when he told board members that beach volleyball is "under attack." The heckling grew in volume as he compared opponents of the volleyball facility to a "hyperbolic neighbourhood of nattering, nabob NIMBYs," prompting chairwoman Laura McDiarmid to appeal to the crowd to show respect for the speakers.

Metcalfe accused the board of dropping the ball on playing fields and recreation areas in the city, saying the proposal is a way to begin making amends.

Jeff Malmgre, co-ordinator of the Vancouver Ultimate [Frisbee] League, supports the volleyball players, and accused local residents of NIMBYism. Malmgre said the area earmarked for the permanent volleyball courts represents only 1.1 per cent of the park, which he says is under-utilized. "NIMBY is an ugly word. But I'm not sure what else we can call it. The park is meant to serve a lot of people, not just the ones who live on the West Side."

He added beach volleyball is "huge" in Vancouver and the culture is conducive to the health conscious spirit of the city.

"It's a fact kids who play organized sports get into less crime," he said. "There aren't many smokers in the group and they're pretty much all healthy citizens. We should be encouraging that."

West Side residents who spoke out against the proposal listed a number of concerns, including fears of an influx of bleachers, fences to keep dogs out, commercial sponsorship and signage. They also complained about the impact of the facility on a parking crunch in the area, and expressed concern about the effects of "canned music" and other noise on local wild and bird life, including a solo eagle that's been roosting in the area for years, and a pair of eagles nesting for the first time.

"My name is Mark Weintraub. I do not represent any orgnization. I am a long time Vancouver resident. I swim in Kits pool, roller blade and bike along our seawalls. I support active sports in our parks system but I oppose the location of a permanent volleyball infrastructure in the middle of one of our most precious city assets. I am also here to speak out against a process which I do not think is responsive to the clear needs of an overwhelming majority of park users. This site is located on ancient Native land and is the home to over 100 species of birds. One of the thrilling parts of this park is that when you look south from the walkway and see the beautiful treed backdrop, the forest area and expanse of grass, you cannot but help get a feeling of a time long gone."

David Cadman, executive director of the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, said he supports organized sports in the city, especially beach volleyball, since his niece plays at the Olympic level, but disagrees with the proposed location.

"There's already 31 courts along the beach," he said. "This is the wrong place."

Daphne Solecki pointed out the park was originally created after neighbours rallied together to oppose a huge housing development on the then-Department of National Defence land. Twenty thousand signatures were eventually gathered in support of creating Jericho Beach Park, said Solecki, who held up minutes from the Feb. 16, 1981 parks board meeting, including a motion that: "The Vancouver parks board commit itself to preventing active recreation activities from impinging upon the natural passive areas of Jericho Park."

Eight years later, the board spent $30,000 enhancing a pond on the site and $56,500 restoring and landscaping the concrete area south of the wharf-the same area proposed for the volleyball courts.

"I believe the commissioners would be breaking their faith with all the people who gave so much of their time to create this beautiful park, with those who continue to work to improve the park, planting trees and shrubs and removing invasive plant species and those who daily enjoy the natural beauty of the park and the abundant bird life, if they were to allow these courts to be built," she said.

http://www.vancourier.com/issues01/121101/news/121101nn2.html

Western Jewish Bulletin: NDP critic soothes Jews

November 9, 2001

NDP critic soothes Jews
Svend Robinson clarifies position on Israel to CJC.

PAT JOHNSON REPORTER

Svend Robinson has mended some fences with the Jewish community. The outspoken New Democratic Party member of Parliament met with officials from Canadian Jewish Congress recently in what is reported as a frank discussion of his views on Israel.

Robinson has been harshly critical of Israel for its actions in the occupied territories, but in his meeting with CJC officials, he made clear his support for the state of Israel within secure boundaries and his staunch opposition to the use of violence to meet political ends.

Robinson, who represents the constituency of Burnaby-Douglas, is his party's critic for foreign affairs. He told the Bulletin after the meeting that he was glad to be able to discuss these issues with Jewish officials and said he regrets the perception that he is in any way anti-Israel. He insisted that support for Israel is not compromised by his continuing defence of Palestinians.

"Can you be a strong advocate for Palestinian rights and at the same time clearly and unequivocally and unreservedly assert the importance of respecting and celebrating Israel's right to exist?" he asked. "And the answer to that is certainly a resounding yes."

"I've travelled to Israel and the occupied territories on a number of occasions over the years and would defend to the very end Israel's right to, not just to exist - I think that's kind of a lowest common denominator - but to flourish."

Robinson said he has little optimism for peace in the region and he views an international force - a sort of peacekeeping body - as the most likely source for a solution. He criticized Arab countries for repression and brutality, applauding Israel's dedication to democratic principles. But he said Israel under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cannot be trusted to negotiate a final settlement with the Palestinians.

"The question was put, 'Don't you agree that this should be resolved by a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians?' And the answer is no," said Robinson.

"Sharon is, I believe, at the very least, complicit in war crimes in Sabra and Shatilla in 1982 and, as you know, there was an inquiry that found him at least indirectly responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent civilians. His record with respect to the Palestinians and the rights of Palestinians is well known."

But while Robinson defended the interests of Palestinians, he deplored the use of violence to meet their ends.

"Any attack on innocent civilians is murder and is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms, period," he said. "All human lives are precious, whether it's the life of a janitor or a stockbroker in the World Trade Centre or a teenager who's eating pizza in downtown Tel-Aviv. To attack them is utterly inexcusable and indefensible."

The meeting, which took place Oct. 19 and was also attended by Vancouver East MP Libby Davies, the only other NDP MP from this province, pleased members of CJC. Mark Weintraub, a national vice-president of Congress, said meeting with Robinson was important for a number of reasons.

While the NDP is a relatively small party in Parliament, it has historically been an incubator for political innovation. Moreover, despite belonging to a small party, Robinson is one of Parliament's most familiar and media-wise members

But the most pressing reason, Weintraub suggested, was that CJC is a human rights organization and the anti-Israel bias among some Canadian human rights activists has damaged the working relationship between groups.

"The work of Canadian Jewish Congress is to protect minorities," said Weintraub. "Whether you're gay or you're female or you're a person of color or whether you're Jewish, there is important work to be done in human rights and we consider ourselves to be at the forefront of that, so it's extremely troubling that our natural friends in the human rights community have not been able to see clearly that the whole peace process dialogue has been hijacked by those who are fomenting hate."

It is another priority of CJC to seek clarity on political issues, something Weintraub said was accomplished by this meeting.

"This was extremely important that it be communicated to Canadians and to members of our community that the NDP is not a hostile place when it comes to Israel, that the NDP recognizes that Israel is a staunch ally and friend of Israel and shares common values," he said.

"Having said that, [Robinson] did not in any way derogate from his very sharp critique of what he considers to be unacceptable conduct by Israel in its engagement with the Palestinians."

Dr. Michael Elterman, an officer of CJC, said his group received from Robinson the most important statement on Israel that they seek from politicians.

"What he said was that, clearly, the Jewish people of Israel have a right to exist within secure borders which, I think, is the starting position that the community wants to hear when we talk to politicians." It was useful to meet face-to-face with Robinson and find exactly where he stands, said Elterman.

"He is the foreign affairs critic and we want to know where his party stands vis-à-vis Israel," he said. "If they're serious about forming a government ... we want to know if this is in fact the official policy of his party ... I think some progress was made."

http://www.jewishindependent.ca/archives/nov01/archives01nov09-02.html

Entire Agreement Clause, Legal Matters

Photo caption: Mark Weintraub recommends including an "entire agreement" clause in any contract



Glen Kerstrom



Most legal disputes are the result of a breakdown of trust in a partnership. All too often, two trusting parties sign what they consider a boilerplate contract, trusting that a mutual understanding of the spirit of the agreement will cover any details not specified in the contract.



If that trust breaks down, however, the partnership can degenerate to a shouting match or even a court case over who promised what.



A simple addition to a contract, known as an "entire agreement clause," can prevent such disputes - a point illustrated by a B.C. Supreme Court ruling last December.





The case centred on a conflict between a caterer and a film production company. Bus Fare Entertainmet Industry Catering principal Geoff Titcomb said he didn't think he needed a lawyer when he asked Millennium Canadian Productions Ltd. manager Brian Dick to sign two copies of a contract in July 2001, because it was a standard contract in the entertainment industry.



Titcomb said he believed he had an understanding with Dick that the contract would be valid until December 7, 2001.


When Dick's production company cancelled the contract nine days later, Titcomb realized that he had nothing in writing specifying the contract's duration. That didn't stop him from suing Millennium for breaking promises to buy catering for more than four months.



Because the contract didn't include an entire agreement clause, Justice Bruce Harvey considered agreements and promises made outside the contract, such as alleged promises to contract catering for four months.


Harvey considered what Titcomb claimed was Dick's verbal promise to use Bus Fare Entertainment Industry Catering for the duration of Millennium's filming of the television seies UC:Undercover.



He then awarded Titcomb two weeks in damages. That's far less than Titcomb would have got if he had specified the duration in the contract and added an entire agreement clause, said Clark Wilson partner Mark Weintraub.



Weintraub believes comprehensive agreements should "always" contain entire agreement clauses. He explained that business owners who want certainty and predictability do not want promises, assurances or understandings left unwritten.



The past few decades have seen courts stymie businesses' desires for certainty and predictability by"going outside the four corners of a contract," Weintraub said.



Historically, contract drafters may have seen an entire agreement clause as redundant, non-essential or mere dressing, he said. But, entire agreement clauses have become increasingly useful.



Weintraub pointed to two recent B.C. Supreme Court cases involving companies with supplier contracts that contained entire agreement clauses.



In both cases, the judge refused to consider alleged promises not written into the contract because the contracts included entire agreement clauses that stressed that no other promises would be valid.



The June 2002 Otter Farm & Home Co-Operative versus Sekon case involved a gasoline supplier and a gas station operator who claimed that the supplier had verbally promised "pump support," or a rebate on the price of the gasoline to enable the operator to compete with other gas stations.



Verbal promises also factored in the February 2003 case, Mi-Bar Enterprises Ltd. versus Imperial Oil Ltd., that similarly involved a gas station and a supplier. Mi-Bar's operators claimed that the supplier had agreed that it would only terminate the contract if Mi-Bar had not performed its obligations adequately.


Because both those alleged agreements fell outside the contract, the court refused to consider them.



Singleton Urquhart partner Roger Holland agreed that the trend is for business owners to include entire agreement clauses in supplier contracts.



However, Holland said he can foresee some situations where business owners may specifically want to avoid such contracts. Sometimes business owners feel forced to sign contracts that they really do not want to sign, Holland said.



If the partner who does not want to sign the agreement spot that the contract does not contain an entrire agreement clause, it may make signing the contract easier because the business owner may see some leeway, Holland said.



Alternately, not having an entire agreement clause could be a way out if a partner is not happy with the agreement but finds the contract's termination clause even less palatable.



Holland said it was "conceivable" that the unhappy partner could invoke alleged promises to be read into the contract and prompt mutual cancellation of a contract.



Meanwhile, caterer Geoff Titcomb said he is getting some contracts redrafted to include entire agreement clauses, but that he is not always a stickler for written rules.



He has no written contract at all on some current catering jobs because he trusts his client, Titcomb said.

CJC News Release: CJC reaffirms support for gun control law

Sep 01, 2000 - CJC reaffirms support for gun control law

Release no. 50

Ottawa - Concerned about an escalation by the gun lobby against Bill C-68, the gun control law, Canadian Jewish Congress is reiterating its support for the legislation. "Canadian Jewish Congress, along with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, consistently has supported the principle of firearms licensing and registration," stated Mark Weintraub, CJC's National Chair of Community Relations. "We believe Canada's exemplary police forces and the legislation act as main lines of defence in our country's efforts to remain a peaceful community committed to the rule of law."

"We are aware that some groups have expressed concerns regarding the implementation of the government's registration system," added Sheva Medjuck, CJC's National Chair of Social Action. "The government has responded to these concerns and has made the system more efficient and user friendly. The vast majority of Canadians continue to support the new law as a crucial step forward in ensuring that Canada becomes less rather than more of a violent society."

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For more information, please contact:

Ron Singer, Director of Research and Public Affairs

Canadian Jewish Congress

100 Sparks Street #650 Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5B7

Tel.: (613) 233-8703 ext. 223

rons@cjc.ca

Manuel Prutschi, National Director of Community Relations

Canadian Jewish Congress

4600 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario M2R 3V2

Tel.: (416) 631-5673

mprutschi@ujafed.org

http://www.cjc.ca/template.php?action=news&story=174

CJC News Release: UN Day for the Elimination of Racism

Mar 22, 2000 - UN Day for the Elimination of Racism: CJC active from coast to coast

Release no. 20

Ottawa – Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) continued its tradition of active involvement in events across the country commemorating the UN Day for the Elimination of Racism.

CJC National Community Relations chair Mark Weintraub commented, " For us, combating racism, antisemitism, intolerance and hate is a 365 day-a-year activity. Still, it is useful to have one day set aside around the world to raise our collective voices against the scourge of racism and CJC is always prepared to participate. As we enter a new century we must look back and learn the horrible lessons of the last one hundred years as we strive for a better future."

Fortuitously, this year the Day coincided with the Jewish festival of Purim. CJC president Moshe Ronen observed, "Purim is a holiday where we celebrate the victory of the Jewish people over the forces of hate. On Purim we learn the lessons of the dangers of extreme intolerance and xenophobia. We cannot overlook the parallels this festival has with the Day to Eliminate Racism." (Purim commemorates the events in ancient Persia when a plan to destroy the Jewish community was thwarted).

Mr. Weintraub commented further, "We are proud to have been associated with so many important events across Canada,"

The following are some of the activities that the regional offices of CJC were involved in:

Halifax:
Joanna Mirsky representing the Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC) sang the Hebrew Song of Peace (Shir Lashalom) at the annual Harmony Brunch. The AJC helped organize the brunch which featured Canadian Human Rights Commission secretary general John Hucker and the minister of justice Michael Baker.

Woodstock, NB:
AJC representative Yakov Feig spoke at Woodstock High School on being the child of Holocaust survivors.

Montreal:
CJC Quebec Region, is participating in a week-long activity entitled "Semaine d’actions contre le racisme". This event is sponsored by a number of different groups and has government backing. It features a breakfast meeting with Quebec’s minister for citizen relations and immigration and a reception with the mayor of Montreal.

Toronto:
CJC Honorary Legal Counsel Edward Morgan, will be a keynote speaker at the African Canadian Legal Clinic at a conference being held to commemorate the Day.

Ottawa:
The Ottawa Jewish Community Council participated with NCARR (The National Capital Alliance on Race Relations) as they launched their current outreach project, the "Hate Crime Poster Campaign." The campaign involves displaying posters throughout the region that will proclaim that Hate messages will not be tolerated in the National Capital Region.

Winnipeg:
The Winnipeg Community Relations Committee, through its membership in the Coalition for Human Equality participated in the planning and preparation of a calendar of events throughout the city that commemorate March 21.

Vancouver:
CJC Pacific Region was at the End Racism Awards ceremony presented by the Ministry responsible for Multiculturalism and Immigration in recognition of outstanding initiatives that have contributed towards the elimination of racism in the province. The Okanagan Jewish Community was among the recipients of this award for its "Testimonies" program held in November.

Victoria:
CJC participated at the program ‘Media and Anti-Racism: Mentor or Monster?’ leading up to the March 21 Day. The forum was sponsored by the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria.

CJC representatives, Marilyn Berger and Michael Peters delivered the Face to Face workshop on Hate Propaganda and Racially Motivated Crime to inmates in the Youth Detention Centre as well as to two adult groups in the Wilkinson Road Jail.

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For further information, please contact:

Rubin Friedman National Communications Director
Canadian Jewish Congress
Tel: (613) 233-8703
rubinf@cjc.ca

http://www.cjc.ca/template.php?action=news&story=205