Measuring Anti-Semitism in the GTA

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