Evidence of meeting #106 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 anti-semitism.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Meric Gertler
Our working group looked at this issue and concluded that the IHRA definition was problematic for application—
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Meric Gertler
My answer is that the individual who authored the definition, Kenneth Stern, was very clear in noting it is not appropriate for use in a university environment.
The answer is no for those reasons.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
I'm just asking for a yes-or-no answer or “I can't answer.”
President Bacon.
12:45 p.m.
President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia
My understanding is this is one of the tools we`d consider when going forward on any cases of anti-Semitism.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
12:45 p.m.
President and Vice-Chancellor, Concordia University
Yes, we'll consider it going forward. In fact, my team has already had a meeting with Ms. Lyons' team.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you.
In 2016, the Canadian House of Commons adopted a motion by a vote of 229 to 51 rejecting the BDS movement, which promotes the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel, and called on the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups and individuals to promote the BDS.
Does your administration oppose BDS on your campus, President Saini?
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Deep Saini
I personally find many of the demands of this movement offensive. Should the matter come up in front of our governing bodies, we will consider it.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you.
Will you consider saying no, or will you consider it?
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Deep Saini
This is subject to our governance processes, just like Parliament has its governance processes, and as president, my role is to uphold our processes—
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Deep Saini
As I said, I find it very offensive.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you very much.
President Gertler, personally, are you against BDS?
12:45 p.m.
Prof. Meric Gertler
We have rejected it consistently across the university for many years, as we have all academic boycotts.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
12:45 p.m.
President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia
Yes, UBC has long rejected [Inaudible—Editor].
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
On the motion before your senate, will the UBC administration come out against it?
12:45 p.m.
President and Vice-Chancellor, University of British Columbia
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
12:45 p.m.
President and Vice-Chancellor, Concordia University
Yes, the university's position since 2014 has been in opposition to BDS.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you very much.
When you have chants at these encampments that say, “Go back to Poland”, “Say it loud, say it clear, we don't want no Zionists here!”, “Intifada revolution”, and “From the river to the sea,” do you consider these chants to be hateful and anti-Semitic, President Saini?
12:50 p.m.
Prof. Deep Saini
The way I hear them used right now on our campuses, including at McGill, I find it to be anti-Semitic.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you, President Saini.
Thank you for clarifying in your statements that you do.
President Gertler.