Justice Committee on May 9th, 2024

Evidence of meeting #104 for Justice and Human Rights in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was students.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Antisemitism and Additional Measures that Could be Taken to Address the Valid Fears that are Being Expressed by Canada’s Jewish Community

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Rachel Cook Student, As an Individual

Michael Eshayek Student, As an Individual

Nicole Nashen Student, As an Individual

Neil G. Oberman Attorney, As an Individual

Nati Pressmann Founder, Canadian Union of Jewish Students

Yos Tarshish Director, Hillel Queen's, Hillel Ontario

9:05 a.m.

Student, As an Individual

Rachel Cook

They did until I went to the media, and then I think my story got out there. It shows they're willing to subject Jewish students to anti-Semitism and hurt Christian students at the same time to make sure that they don't look like they're supporting Jewish students or Israel.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Ms. Pressmann, you're the founder of a national organization. Do the interactions between Jewish students and administrators when they have issues like this—based on the stories that Ms. Nashen and Ms. Cook told—seem familiar to you in terms of what your membership is dealing with when they complain to administrations?

9:05 a.m.

Founder, Canadian Union of Jewish Students

Nati Pressmann

We've had students who had the same situation. They were just told it's another person's jurisdiction. These are things that last for months. By the time they're told to go and meet with the right person, it's apparently too late to deal with that incident.

It's very similar to what we're hearing on campuses across the country, where Jewish students feel unsafe. When they try to use university support and try to use university staff to support them, they're not helped at all and they're pointed in the wrong direction multiple times.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Tarshish, based on your experience of Jewish students....

Am I done? I'm done.

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

Mr. Housefather, that's six minutes. Thank you.

Mr. Fortin, you have the floor for six minutes.

9:05 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair.

First, I would also like to thank all the students here today. I agree with my colleague, Mr. Morantz, that they have shown a great deal of courage in coming here. I know that it isn't necessarily easy. I'm very grateful to them.

Mr. Oberman, I must tell you that I agree with just about everything you said—

9:05 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

Mr. Fortin, one moment, please. I think that someone said that there wasn't any interpretation.

Do you have interpretation?

Okay. Yes. Give us just one moment.

Mr. Fortin, could you say a few words, please?

9:10 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

One, two. One, two.

No?

9:10 a.m.

Attorney, As an Individual

Neil G. Oberman

I can translate.

9:10 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

I would agree, but it's part of my job to make sure that everyone can understand in French or in English, so I apologize for that.

9:10 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

Let me suspend for a minute, please.

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

We'll now resume the meeting.

Mr. Fortin, you have the floor for six minutes.

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Thank you, Madam Chair.

First, I would like to thank all the students here today. I agree with my colleague, Mr. Morantz, that it takes a certain amount of courage to appear before a House of Commons committee and report unacceptable situations.

I see that people can't hear what I'm saying. There still doesn't seem to be any interpretation, Madam Chair.

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

No?

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Can anyone give us an explanation?

9:15 a.m.

Attorney, As an Individual

Neil G. Oberman

Can I do it?

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

No, thank you. That's kind of you to offer, Mr. Oberman.

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC

I ask that all the time. They never allow it.

9:15 a.m.

Attorney, As an Individual

Neil G. Oberman

I'm just trying to be a good Canadian citizen.

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

The clerk says that it works.

You may proceed, Mr. Fortin.

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Can anyone explain to Ms. Cook how the devices work?

9:15 a.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab

Yes. Okay.

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Ms. Cook still isn't receiving the interpretation. We're no longer talking about anti‑Semitism here, but rather about an efficiency issue affecting bilingualism in the House of Commons.

Sorry, but I must take a hard line on this matter.

Don't be sorry.

The thing is, you're not the only one. People are watching us and listening to us, and everyone should be able to understand what we're saying in French or in English.

As I was saying, bilingualism matters in the House of Commons.

Can you hear us, Ms. Cook?

9:15 a.m.

Attorney, As an Individual

Neil G. Oberman

The translation works well on television. It's important that the audience understands.

9:15 a.m.

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Perhaps it depends on what I'm saying.