Trudeau, Poilievre condemn latest shooting on a Jewish school

Article content

Another Canadian Jewish school has been targeted by gunfire, this time in Montreal.

The Jewish Community Council of Montreal said Wednesday that the Belz school at the Young Israel of Montreal synagogue was attacked overnight. There were no reported injuries.

It follows a shooting early Saturday when two men opened fire on a Jewish girls school in suburban Toronto, part of an outburst of antisemitic violence in Canada to draw condemnation from political and Jewish leaders.

Article content

“We have had enough. Yet another Jewish school was shot at in the middle of the night – in Canada,” Yair Szlak, the president and CEO of Federation CJA, and Eta Yudin, the Quebec vice-president  for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said in a joint statement Wednesday.

“Thankfully no one was inside the building, but this violent hatred must no longer be tolerated. Decisive action must be taken by Mayor Plante and leadership at the municipal level to finally put an end to the atmosphere of permissiveness towards antisemitism that is now rampant in our city.

Article content

Article content

Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the antisemitic violence late Wednesday.

“Disgusted that another Jewish school has been the target of a shooting. Relieved that no one was hurt, but I’m thinking of the parents and community members in Montreal who must be incredibly shaken. This is antisemitism, plain and simple — and we will not let it win,” said Trudeau.

“The second shooting at a Jewish school in a week. We are witnessing a terrifying escalation of antisemitism in this country. The Trudeau government must step up and finally do something to protect Jewish people in Canada against this violence,” said Poilievre.

The Liberal MP for Outremont, Rachel Bendayan, noted it was the third shooting at a Jewish school in Outremont.

“Four shots fired at a Jewish school on Hillsdale early Tuesday.  I spoke with the school admin and community leaders, as well as the Federal Public Safety Minister. Police are investigating,” she said.

“This must stop. This is not who we are.”

Szlak and Yudin said Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante has called the city a “peaceful town,” but the shootings are not indicative of a Montreal anyone wants to live in.

Article content

“We call on all citizens of good faith to raise their voices against the relentless hatred, intimidation, and fear-mongering on our streets and campuses over a conflict that is taking place thousands of miles away; it must be stopped. Order must be returned to the streets of Montreal,” they said.

Article content

The Montreal shooting follows antisemitic violence and bullying and across Canada since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.

There were no reported injuries in Saturday’s shooting at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in suburban Toronto.

Kehillat Shaarei Torah Synagogue, also in North York, has been vandalized twice since April. A nearby Jewish-owned grocery store, International Delicatessen Foods, was set ablaze and vandalized in January.

Multiple Jewish students have complained of antisemitic bullying in Toronto and elsewhere. Hundreds of people turned out for a “community support march” after an Israeli-Canadian mother said two of her children have experienced repeated bullying and antisemitic threats at a North York school.

Last Wednesday, Abdirazak Mahdi Ahmed, 20, was arrested after several shootings at Montreal Jewish schools in November.

Article content

Article content

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.

Article content