Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TORONTO149
2009-07-02 19:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Toronto
Cable title:  

Measuring Anti-Semitism in the GTA

Tags:  PHUM SOCI PGOV CA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHON #0149/01 1831915
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021915Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL TORONTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2866
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0062
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TORONTO 000149 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/IRF, DRL/SEAS, WHA/CAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PGOV CA
SUBJECT: Measuring Anti-Semitism in the GTA

Ref: (A) Ottawa 273

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 TORONTO 000149

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL/IRF, DRL/SEAS, WHA/CAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM SOCI PGOV CA
SUBJECT: Measuring Anti-Semitism in the GTA

Ref: (A) Ottawa 273


1. (U) Summary: Law enforcement statistics on hate
crimes in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in 2008 are
becoming publicly available, with the Toronto Police
Service (TPS) statistics already released,
and York Regional Police statistics soon to follow.
The statistics show that the Jewish community, which
includes some 4% of the GTA's population, was the
target of some 30% of hate crimes in the GTA and
thus was the group most frequently targeted for
actual hate crimes in 2008. Police statistics show
that rate has been slowly rising in the past few years.
Still, law enforcement statistics present a considerably
less stark picture than the B'nai Brith report released
in April, which included incidents that would not
be considered crimes under Canada's criminal code.
Because B'nai Brith combines law enforcement data
with its own self-compiled statistics, the number
of anti-Semitic incidents it reported were actually
seven times as high as the official numbers
included in police reports.
End Summary.


2. (U) In April 2009, B'nai Brith released its 2008
Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents which reported 538
occurrences in the GTA (ref A). B'nai Brith reported
an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in all the
provinces, as well as Ontario, home to Canada's largest
Jewish population. Post submits this cable to
provide additional information on the fight agains
t hate-crimes in the Toronto area, and notes the
difference in statistics on actual hate crimes, and
the much higher B'nai Brith numbers that are based
on different measures.


3. (U) According to the 2006 Canadian Census,
approximately 178,000 persons who self-identified as
being Jewish reside in Ontario (over 56% of Canada's total).
Nearly 142,000 of those (some 80%),reside in the
GTA, mostly in Toronto itself and in York Region,
just north of the City. The Jewish community makes
up just over 4% of the GTA's overall population.

--------------
Hate-Crime Numbers Rising, But Still Below 2004 Peak
--------------


4. (U) Although York Regional Police has not yet
released its 2008 hate crimes reports, ranking York
Police contacts told PolOff that in 2008 there were
83 anti-Semitic hate crimes in the York region.
As of May 2009, York police had recorded 27

anti-Semitic crimes, slightly below last year's
numbers for the same period. Overall, hate crimes
based on religion have increased in the past few years
but have not reached the 2004 peak of 105 crimes.
York Regional Police also reports that mischief and
property damage constituted 55% of reported hate
crimes in 2008.


5. (U) In the City of Toronto, according to Toronto
Police Services' (TPS) recently-released 2008
Hate-Crimes report, the Jewish community was the
most frequently targeted community within its
jurisdiction, being victims of about 30% of the
total hate crimes cases. The next most targeted
groups were the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender) community at 22%, and the Black
community at 16%. TPS recorded 56 crimes motivated
by religion in general (not only against Judaism),
constituting 37% of all hate crimes. Members of the
Jewish community and the Muslim community were the
main victims of religiously motivated hate crimes,
with 46 and 7 cases, respectively. Most hate-crime
cases in 2008 - 49% - consisted of mischief and
property damage, followed by assault (13%) and
threats (12%).

--------------
Different Reporting Methodologies
--------------


6. (U) Police services around the GTA that produce
hate-crime statistics include a breakdown of hate
crimes by categories (religion, race, sexual orientation,
and nationality) in their annual hate-crime reports.
Reports are based on the number of cases investigated
by the police and identified as a hate crime category

TORONTO 00000149 002 OF 003


listed in the Criminal Code of Canada. Police discuss
two separate types of hate-motivated crimes: hate
propaganda (as described under the Criminal Code) and
all other criminal offenses where there is evidence
to indicate bias, prejudice, or hate as a motivating factor
in the commission of the offences.


7. (U) Advocacy groups and community organizations
such as B'nai Brith, which recently released its 2008
report, base their analysis on data from police services
but also add in numbers based on calls from private
citizens reporting what they consider to be hate acts -
acts that often would not be considered crimes under
Canada's Criminal Code. B'nai Brith statistics on
anti-Semitic incidents, for example, include
stereotyping of Jews, such as the airing of
radio talk shows comments on Jewish characteristics;
systemic discrimination in the workplace or school;
as well as incidents occurring during the course of
anti-Israel demonstrations. As a result, in its 2008
report, B'nai Brith reported that there were a total
of 538 anti-Semitic incidents in the Greater Toronto
Area (GTA),of which 359 occurred in the City of
Toronto. That number is far above the TPS official
total of 153 for all hate crimes against all groups
in Toronto.

--------------
Good Police-Community Relationship A Must
--------------


8. (U) Local police and Jewish organizations in the
GTA enjoy a good long-standing working relationship.
This may explain why neither group has questioned
the other's statistics despite the large disparity
between police services hate-crime statistics and
civil society reports. In fact, B'nai Brith and
the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC),which also
produces its own analysis, are regularly in contact
with local police while drafting their reports. The
relationship also has created other areas of
collaboration. For the past three years, York
Regional Police officers have participated in
tolerance and hate-crimes training at the Simon
Wiesenthal Center in California. Police regularly
attend Jewish community events and community
organizations work closely with local police
when issues and concerns arise. Most recently,
York police used "Project Ready," an alert plan
it devised to keep community leaders informed
about international events that may affect the GTA.
Police kept in close contact with local Jewish
leaders as events unfolded in the June 10
shooting at the National Holocaust Museum in
Washington DC, for example, as a precaution against
potential local copy-cat incidents.


9. (U) Comment: Although hate crime numbers in
Ontario are relatively small compared to many other
jurisdictions around the world, police reports reveal
that it is nonetheless a problem that must be dealt with.
The Jewish community continues to be the target
of more hate incidents than any other community. At
the same time, official police statistics probably
are the most consistent ones to use in this developed
country where the police generally can be relied upon
to fairly report such incidents. The B'nai Brith
statistics cannot be easily compared to incidents that
affect other groups, if for no other reason than that
other groups are much less organized at compiling
incidents and statements that seem directed
at their group. B'nai Brith's numbers can perhaps
be compared with its own previous reports in an effort
to spot trends. Even then, however, one must analyze
them carefully, because an increase in media focus on
Middle East issues will almost inevitably mean an
increase in radio talk show discussions, pro or con,
about Israel's role and policy. Since B'nai Brith
counts some radio talk show statements among its
statistics - if it considers them anti-Semitic,
an increase in overall attention to the Middle East
that leads to increase in radio discussion quite
likely would result in an increase in B'nai Brith
statistics, while not necessarily indicating
an actual trend in hate incidents.


10. (U) Comment Continued: York Police told
PolOff that a good police-community relationship
has been a significant asset in fighting hate crimes

TORONTO 00000149 003 OF 003


targeting the Jewish community. York Police
suspect that a majority of hate crimes targeting
a wide range of immigrant and minority communities
go unreported, because residents do not have the same
level of comfort with police. To earn the trust of
these groups, York police has developed outreach
initiatives and hopes to duplicate the success it
has had partnering with Jewish groups. If hate
crimes are to be stemmed throughout the province,
other police services in the GTA can look to York
Region's lead on the issue regarding how it engages
minority and immigrant groups.

NAY