Minister Saks announces the first call for proposals for the National Holocaust Remembrance Program

The Government of Canada announces the call for proposals for the National Holocaust Remembrance Program

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - The federal government is committed to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and amplifying the voices of survivors, while actively combatting antisemitism and hate in all its forms.

Today, the Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, launched Canada's first call for proposals for the National Holocaust Remembrance Program. Minister Saks made this important announcement at the Toronto Holocaust Museum on behalf of the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities.

The National Holocaust Remembrance Program will keep the memory of the Holocaust alive and help Canadians better understand both the Holocaust and the ways antisemitism still affects us today.

Initiatives funded under this program will:

• improve understanding of the Holocaust and antisemitism;
• create tools and resources to engage Canadians in Holocaust remembrance and dialogue about antisemitism; and
• enhance Canadians' capacity to combat Holocaust denial and distortion, as well as contemporary antisemitism.

Budget 2024 provided $5 million over five years, starting in 2024–25, and $2 million per year ongoing, for the creation of a new, permanent National Holocaust Remembrance Program. This new program is also part of Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate, which brings together 20 key federal initiatives in a whole-of-government approach to combatting hate and keeping Canadians safe.

Funding for the National Holocaust Remembrance Program will be allocated through a two-step application process. More information on eligibility for this open call and how to apply can be found online.

The new National Holocaust Remembrance Program will contribute to the federal government's ongoing efforts to educate current and future generations about the Holocaust and to combat antisemitism.

Quotes

"Antisemitism has no place in Canada. In these challenging and uncertain times, we must stand united as Canadians against hatred. The new National Holocaust Remembrance Program will help us combat antisemitism and preserve the memory of the Holocaust for current and future generations. Our government is committed to keeping Canadians safe and to building safer, more inclusive communities across the country."

—The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

"Every generation must know the enduring significance of "never again." The new Holocaust Remembrance Program will help support the critical work being done by organizations to ensure the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten. Because "never again" is not just a reminder – it is our solemn responsibility. Together, we will always stand against antisemitism and hate."

—The Honourable Ya'ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

"Now more than ever, we must preserve Holocaust remembrance and education, so we never forget the historical injustice visited upon the Jewish people. Only together can we, as Canadians, combat the rising tide of antisemitism, and build a safer and more inclusive country for all."

—The Honourable Marco Mendicino, Member of Parliament (Eglinton–Lawrence)

Quick Facts

The new National Holocaust Remembrance Program will support initiatives that seek to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and help improve Canadians' understanding and awareness of the Holocaust and contemporary antisemitism.

Antisemitism continues to rise in Canada. The terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israel–Hamas conflict exacerbated the increasing rates of hate incidents experienced by Jewish communities, and their places of worship, schools, community centres and properties have been targeted across the country. Hate crimes targeting Jewish individuals rose 71 percent from 2022 to 2023, according to the July 2024 Statistics Canada data release, making Jewish communities the most targeted group in Canada for hate crimes.

The Government of Canada's efforts to build a safer, more inclusive society include the work of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.

On October 31, 2024, Canada's Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism launched the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism. This handbook provides practical tools and insights to better understand and combat antisemitism.

On September 24, 2024, the Government of Canada launched Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate. This new Action Plan is Canada's first comprehensive federal government approach to confronting hate through concrete measures aimed at empowering communities; increasing research and data gathering; and building partnerships for a safer, more inclusive Canada. The Action Plan brings close to 20 new and existing initiatives together to foster greater coordination and collaboration among six federal organizations to reduce hate.

Budget 2022 provided $85 million over four years, starting in 2022–23, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to launch and implement the new Anti-Racism Strategy and a national action plan on combatting hate. Budget 2024 provides an additional $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024–25, and $29.3 million ongoing to support Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

The Action Plan aligns with ongoing efforts to further mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content online through Bill C-63, which proposes to create a new Online Harms Act to create stronger protections for the most vulnerable groups online. The Government of Canada has tabled Bill C-63, An Act to enact the Online Harms Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts, in the House of Commons.

Associated Links

National Holocaust Remembrance Program

Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate

Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives 2024–2028

Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Waleed Saleem, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, [email protected]