Oct. 21, 2019, seems like a lifetime ago, doesn\u2019t it? That was the date of the last Canadian federal election.\u00a0Since\u00a0then,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been a world of endless\u00a0uncertainties and instability.<\/p>\n
The Jewish community\u00a0has\u00a0witnessed\u00a0levels of antisemitism that\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0been seen for\u00a0decades. Hate crime numbers are way up.\u00a0The aura of anti-Israel sentiment, especially following the conflict earlier this year in Gaza,\u00a0has created an environment that has\u00a0many\u00a0feeling\u00a0unsafe\u00a0and anxious.\u00a0The silence of many within the political sector has been cause for concern.\u00a0On top of all of this, the\u00a0havoc\u00a0of the COVID pandemic\u00a0is\u00a0still\u00a0felt\u00a0daily.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s\u00a0be real: people are upset\u00a0and worried. The past 22 months\u00a0since the last election\u00a0have\u00a0presented\u00a0incredible\u00a0challenges\u00a0to\u00a0our well-being\u00a0and shown that nothing is guaranteed.\u00a0The\u00a0Canadian Jewish community has\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0its resilience and\u00a0fortitude\u00a0but there is a lot more to do, especially\u00a0when it comes to elections. We\u2019ve seen firsthand what an important role the government plays in our lives, especially regarding the pandemic, so it\u2019s vital that we extend our efforts more effectively in the political realm.<\/p>\n
The Jewish community makes up less than 1.1% of the population and is concentrated in just a handful of ridings \u2013 10 out of 338.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0only\u00a0three percent. Our numbers are continuing to decline. In politics, relationships matter.\u00a0If we limit ourselves to involvement in only three percent of ridings and three percent of candidates, we\u00a0are at a major disadvantage when it comes to our community and the things we care about.<\/p>\n
To ensure our voices are heard, members of the Jewish community must continue to build relationships and educate MPs in ridings from coast to coast. This starts with political\u00a0engagement,\u00a0and it starts with\u00a0each of us. As Rabbi\u00a0Tarfon\u00a0said, \u201cIt is\u00a0not your\u00a0duty to finish the work, but neither are\u00a0you\u00a0at liberty to neglect it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The good news is that we have the tools to get engaged so we can work beyond\u00a0the\u00a0local ridings where we vote.\u00a0While the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC)\u00a0does not engage in or\u00a0facilitate\u00a0lobbying and advocacy, we do act as a\u00a0concierge, helping members of our community to get engaged politically.<\/p>\n
Another\u00a0important factor\u00a0is that change is inevitable with elections. In 2019, 98 first-time MPs (27%) were elected, 60 of whom\u00a0were in ridings that flipped seats. A third of those 60 MPs defeated the second-place finisher by less than five percent of the vote. As for this election,\u00a0at the time we wrote this,\u00a026\u00a0incumbents had decided not to run for\u00a0reelection.\u00a0Many more ridings will change hands. This means that, no matter which way the election goes, our community will need to build new relationships with new parliamentarians.<\/p>\n
We can jumpstart that\u00a0process.\u00a0Community\u00a0members\u00a0like you can\u00a0volunteer and acquaint\u00a0yourselves\u00a0with candidates\u00a0from beyond your own riding and across the country. Every campaign is in dire need of volunteers, and\u00a0even just a few hours\u00a0can be a\u00a0huge\u00a0help.\u00a0Often\u00a0just\u00a0a few more volunteers can make the difference between winning and losing\u00a0a race.\u00a0Plus, the\u00a0appreciation for a volunteer\u2019s work \u2013 no matter how big or small \u2013 is something\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not easily forgotten.<\/p>\n
There is, of course, one element\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0changed the game\u00a0with\u00a0this election: COVID.\u00a0While\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0still possible to engage in traditional methods of volunteering \u2013 door-knocking, handing out literature in the community, putting up lawn signs or working in a polling station \u2013 understandably, some are\u00a0hesitant to\u00a0participate\u00a0under pandemic circumstances.<\/p>\n
But fear not:\u00a0there are many\u00a0physically distanced\u00a0ways to volunteer, including from your\u00a0own\u00a0home. And you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to be politically\u00a0experienced\u00a0to\u00a0do it.\u00a0All you\u00a0have to\u00a0do is raise your hand and show up. CJPAC will connect you to the campaign of your choice.<\/p>\n
For those who feel more comfortable with a bit of\u00a0instruction, CJPAC\u2019s team makes it simple by training you on the basics of campaign volunteering. You can volunteer in your local riding or in one of the other many ridings where a strong Jewish presence is absent.\u00a0Perhaps that\u00a0means traveling 20 to 30 minutes away from your home or simply making phone calls from your couch\u00a0for a candidate in a more remote part of the country.<\/p>\n