Thank you, Madam Chair.
I thank the members of the committee.
I would like to begin by commending this committee for taking on this important study. As we have been experiencing and have heard from your recent hearings, anti-Semitism is real. It is happening across our country, and we all have a role to play in confronting it.
The conflict in the Middle East has sparked intense debate and protests on Canadian campuses. We are committed to freedom of expression, association and peaceful protest. These are basic democratic rights.
Let me be very clear. We do not tolerate behaviours that violate university policies or the law. The safety and well-being of McGill students, staff and faculty remain our top priority.
If protests concern freedom of expression and assembly, it is our responsibility to ensure that they do not cross lines. They have to abide by the law and by the university's policies.
So as soon as the situation on our campus started to worsen, we took action.
Our team has been on the front line, following McGill's operating procedures to de-escalate matters and request police intervention whenever the de-escalation was unsuccessful.
We will never hesitate to take the necessary steps to maintain an environment where everyone's rights are respected.
My commitment to ensuring that the Jewish members of our campus community feel welcomed and supported at McGill is unwavering.
Our colleagues and students felt intimidated by what happened on campuses across the country.
This is simply unacceptable.
Over the years, McGill has been working in close partnership with Jewish students, staff, faculty, alumni and external community members to put in place measures to promote inclusion and provide avenues and resources to support the community.
Less than two years ago, we developed McGill's initiative against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. This was done through meaningful consultations with McGill's Jewish and Muslim communities over several months. This resulted in 21 action items, all of which are either fully implemented or are in the process of being implemented. The aim is to help address, prevent and raise awareness on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.
We created a Jewish student affairs liaison, providing the Jewish community at McGill with a direct channel to the university's senior administration to request support, report incidents or provide resources.
We have established specialized support services for Jewish students, as well as workshops for senior staff to enable them to support their colleagues and students and to maintain an environment that fosters respectful dialogue and an inclusive work and learning environment.
We know there is more to do.
While our EDI policies are established in accordance with the laws of Quebec and Canada, we are actively reviewing our internal mechanisms to provide avenues and support for our students and colleagues, including members of the Jewish and other targeted communities that face harassment and intimidation.
Just a few months ago, we launched a new reporting portal to ensure any member of the McGill community can anonymously and safely report incidents of harassment, intimidation and doxing.
Now, the protesters setting up encampments and interfering with university activities is a new challenge. It is unacceptable to intimidate staff, students or faculty. Freedom of expression must be exercised with respect. In this regard, we've seen behaviours that have repeatedly crossed the line and breached our policies. That's why we followed our internal protocols to address the matter. We also engaged legal counsel to pursue court-ordered injunctions, and we have requested police intervention and assistance.
We will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure the well-being of our students, staff and teachers. It is imperative that the Jewish community feel safe and included on our campuses.
Let me finish by again thanking the committee for initiating this important dialogue.
I would be very pleased to take your questions.
Thank you very much.