{"id":40734,"date":"2023-02-24T01:53:03","date_gmt":"2023-02-24T09:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/?p=40734"},"modified":"2023-02-22T15:20:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T23:20:07","slug":"richmond-adopts-ihra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/2023\/02\/24\/richmond-adopts-ihra\/","title":{"rendered":"Richmond adopts IHRA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Richmond city council adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism Feb. 13 after a contentious discussion, as part of a broader anti-racism framework. The vote was 6 to 3.<\/p>\n

Councilor Alexa Loo had originally moved adoption of the IHRA definition but withdrew it and proposed adoption of a broader anti-racism statement. The motion that passed endorsed terminologies and definitions from the federal government\u2019s Anti-Racism Strategy, which includes anti-Asian racism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, Mayor [Malcolm] Brodie and Richmond city council sent a strong message that antisemitism or hate in any form have no place in society,\u201d said Ezra Shanken, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, in a statement after the vote. \u201cThe IHRA definition will help the people of Richmond identify antisemitism in all its manifestations so that they can help put a stop to it and protect the values of diversity, equality and community that we cherish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three speakers addressed council supporting the motion and two spoke in opposition. An opponent said the definition is an attempt to \u201cshut down criticism of the Israeli occupation,\u201d stating, \u201cA significant amount of what is considered antisemitic is simply critical speech directed toward Israeli human rights violations against Palestinians.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"photo<\/a>
Councilor Alexa Loo, who originally moved adoption of the IHRA definition but withdrew it and proposed adoption of a broader anti-racism statement. (photo from City of Richmond)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not getting into geopolitics here,\u201d said Loo, speaking to her motion. \u201cWe\u2019re not condoning government actions. But we are setting out what behaviours are acceptable here in Richmond and we\u2019re working to keep our community safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Councilor Carol Day cited differences of opinion on the definition of antisemitism as justification for voting against it, but the mayor disagreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf unanimity of opinion is the standard here, we will never get there,\u201d said Brodie. \u201cI do believe that the community has spoken on this one and that\u2019s why I\u2019m going to support what\u2019s in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Councilor Andy Hobbs refuted arguments he had heard that the IHRA definition is \u201ca slippery slope\u201d and contended that adoption would not prevent \u201canybody from criticizing a state, whether it\u2019s Israel or whether it\u2019s China or whether it\u2019s another country.\u201d Those free speech rights are enshrined in law, he said.<\/p>\n

Councilor Michael Wolfe, who voted against, said the motion had \u201cput a wedge into the community.\u201d He noted that council received 27 messages opposed to the motion and nine in support. \u201cIt\u2019s 3-to-1,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Day, who with Kash Heed also opposed the motion, noted opposition from, among others, the New Israel Fund of Canada, Canadian Labour Congress, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Association of University Teachers, 40 faculty associations, Independent Jewish Voices Canada \u201cand even Holocaust scholars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cClearly, I don\u2019t know as much as the scholars know,\u201d said Day, \u201cbut if they are against it, why are they against it? Is it our job, as a Richmond city councilor, to override all of these groups that I just mentioned and go with something that has been brought down by the federal government? I don\u2019t think it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said that city council\u2019s responsibilities are roads and infrastructure. \u201cI think this is, to be honest, way above our pay grade,\u201d said Day.<\/p>\n

Michael Sachs, a Richmond resident and community leader who is also regional director of Jewish National Fund of Canada, was one of the speakers in favour of the motion. He took exception to Day\u2019s comment.<\/p>\n

\u201cA city councilor should be representing and serving the citizens of the city and the community,\u201d Sachs told the Independent<\/em>. \u201cIn actuality, the fact that she is trying to dismiss it is below the pay grade.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sachs also noted that Wolfe\u2019s argument that he had received a 3-to-1 ratio of messages opposing the motion is a misreading. All five Richmond-based Jewish organizations \u2013 Beth Tikvah Congregation, the Bayit, Chabad Richmond, the Kehila Society and Richmond Jewish Day School \u2013 endorsed a letter of support. They collectively represent about 4,500 people, said Sachs.<\/p>\n

Although Loo had earlier proposed adoption of the standalone IHRA definition, Sachs said he and others agree that the broader scope is preferable. Anti-Asian hatred and antisemitism both saw startling spikes during the pandemic and the demographics of Richmond, which has an Asian-Canadian majority, makes this especially relevant, he said.<\/p>\n

While the IHRA definition was adopted as part of a larger package, Sachs said the discussion at council focused almost exclusively on antisemitism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe definition is now on record, it\u2019s been passed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Despite assertions that free expression was on the table, Sachs said the facts disprove it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, no one\u2019s free speech is really being removed,\u201d he said. \u201cIn actuality, hate speech is still continuing to rise.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Richmond city council adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism Feb. 13 after a contentious discussion, as part of a broader anti-racism framework. The vote was 6 to 3. Councilor Alexa Loo had originally moved adoption of the IHRA definition but withdrew it and proposed adoption of a broader anti-racism statement. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[22128,801,4280,833,832,9615,7673,22127],"class_list":["post-40734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local","tag-alexa-loo","tag-antisemitism","tag-ezra-shanken","tag-ihra","tag-international-holocaust-remembrance-alliance","tag-malcolm-brodie","tag-michael-sachs","tag-richmond-city-council"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40734\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jewishindependent.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}