Young Canadians lead nation in Holocaust skepticism, support for Hamas

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Young Canadians are more likely than the rest of the population to believe that the Holocaust was exaggerated, and these skeptics are more likely to hold a negative view of Jews and a favourable view of Hamas, according to a new national poll.

One in six Canadians (16 per cent) between the ages of 18 and 24 believe the Holocaust was exaggerated, double that of 25- to 34-year-olds (eight per cent) and eight times greater than those 65 and older (two per cent), according to the Leger survey commissioned by the Association for Canadian Studies (ACS) in February. Only five per cent of Canadians overall hold this view.

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Jack Jedwab, the president of ACS, cautioned against conflating the findings of Holocaust skepticism with outright denial.

“I wouldn’t necessarily use the word denial as it doesn’t suggest that they think the Holocaust didn’t take place – though some of the group surely subscribe to that – it’s more that they minimize or trivialize the Holocaust, by questioning its scale and/or other aspects of it,” he told National Post in an email.

The survey also found a nexus between Holocaust skepticism, negative opinions of Jews and support for Hamas.

While 74 per cent of respondents who believe the Holocaust was not exaggerated have a positive opinion of Canadian Jews, less than half (47.1 per cent) of skeptics feel the same. Indeed, the opinion of Holocaust skeptics is virtually evenly split, with a similar share (47 per cent) holding a negative view of Jews. By comparison, less than one sixth (14.6 per cent) of those who say the Holocaust was not exaggerated have a negative view of the religious community.

Among U.S. respondents, eight per cent said the Holocaust is exaggerated, including 15 per cent of those aged 18 to 29, 12 per cent of 30- to 39-year-olds and 10 per cent of people aged 40 to 49. Fewer than five per cent of people over 50 felt the same way. About 40 per cent of Americans who doubted the historical account of the Holocaust also had a negative view of Jews.

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The findings square with recent polling in the United States from YouGov showing 20 per cent of Americans between 18 and 29 saw the Holocaust as a myth, with over a fifth (23 per cent) arguing that aspects of the genocide are exaggerated.

Jebwab highlighted the paradox that nearly two-thirds (65.9 per cent) of Canadians who subscribed to the view that the Holocaust was exaggerated also described themselves as having “a good knowledge” of historical genocides.

“Taken together, this represents a powerful challenge for educators in North America as there are abundant resources to learn about the Holocaust, and such learning is mandatory in many places,” he said, explaining that it likely derives from younger Canadians getting more news from social media, and how the Israel-Hamas war has been framed on TikTok and other platforms. 

“In effect, their understanding of history is being seen via the way in which contemporary political events are being interpreted and which influencers are providing guidance.”

Support for Hamas was also heavily skewed by a respondent’s support for Holocaust skepticism.

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Over a quarter of the genocide skeptics (27.1 per cent) support the terror group responsible for orchestrating the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, which claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people. That’s nearly three times the rate of non-skeptics (9.5 per cent). A positive view of Hamas was notably staggered by age, with sympathies running strongest amongst the youngest Canadians polled (22 per cent) followed by 25-34 year-olds (19 per cent). Older cohorts exhibited support levels ranging between 8 and 9 per cent, apart from those 65 and older (5 per cent).

“The survey reveals a clear link between those who believe the Holocaust is exaggerated and negative opinion of Jews in Canada,” Jebwab said.

Leger surveyed 1,590 Canadians and 1,005 Americans between Feb. 23 and Feb. 26 via an online panel. A margin of error cannot be associated with a non-probability sample in a panel survey for comparison purposes. A probability sample of 1,590 respondents would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

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