Antisemitism

Antisemitism is the the hatred or discrimination against Jews with reasons connecting to their heritage like practices or beliefs. From the 1930-1940s, Jews have been faced with much racism and discrimination in Canada. When the Holocaust was happening, the Canadian government didn’t do anything, in fact, they even refused to help.  Mackenzie King was the Prime Minister at the time. He was highly anti-Semitic and along with Fredrick Blair, the Immigration Officer. In 1938, Canada along with 32 other nations attended the Evian Conference to discuss the problem of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany,but Canada had refused further Jewish immigration. In 1939, a shipload of 907 German Jewish refugees aboard the S.S. St. Louis, were refused sanctuary in Canada and forced to return to Europe after being refused thrice. The rejection was soon known as the “Voyage of the Damned”. This is were the famous quote “None is too many” comes in. During the Holocaust, Canada admitted only about 5,000 Jews, which was a number even under China.

What was the reason to why Canada denied the Jews?

The answer to this question is arguable, though Canada claims to deny the Jews because they were scared of the Germans. Also at that time Canada was going through the era known as the Great Depression. People feared that the immigrants would come to Canada to steal their jobs. Though I think this was just an excuse for Canada rejecting these refugees. Antisemitism were put in the mind of the people. A lie was spread that Jews were city people and that Canada couldn’t use the farmers or agricultural Jews because it would be impossible to keep them on the land. Jews were the least accepted entry to Canada next to Asians because I think Canada was just very racist. Mackenzie King even said after the Evian Conference that: “the admission of refugees perhaps posed a greater menace to Canada in 1938 than did Hitler.” Also said that “He [Hitler] might come to be thought of as one of the saviours of the world” and described Hitler as being sweet. The reason to why the Jews were denied immigration into Canada provided above is not very justified and caused a lot of deaths.

For more information about Canada’s involvement with Antisemitism and the Holocaust, click here

This is a quote that an immigration officer said to deny Jewish refugees.
*Image made by me

Citation

Moe, Laureen. “None Is Too Many: A Cause For Canadians To Repent.” Christian Action for aaaaaaaaaIsrael: Antisemitism & Holocaust . N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr 2012. aaaaaaaaa<http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/antiholo/non2many.html&gt;.