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Ottawa Is Shifting Its Stance on ‘Anti-Zionism’ — and the Reactions so Far Are Mixed
Public Safety Canada said the shift aims to better identify antisemitism as complaints rise over the line between political criticism and hate.
On Sept. 24, 2026, Public Safety Canada identified anti-Zionism as a modern manifestation of antisemitism, marking a major policy shift to improve government responses to hatred targeting Jewish Canadians.
The October 2023 Hamas attack, which killed roughly 1,200 people, sparked rising tensions; protesters increasingly used the term "Zionists" to shield hateful speech from criminal liability.
Groups like the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs welcomed the shift, arguing anti-Zionism drives violence, while University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist wrote that anti-Zionism is "too often thinly veiled antisemitism."
Opponents, including Independent Jewish Voices, criticized the change, warning, "This definition isn't only wrong, it's dangerous," while the Ottawa Forum on Israel Palestine urged the government to protect free speech regarding Zionism.
Debates persist over definitions, as some organizations reject the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines adopted by Ottawa; Carleton University political scientist Mira Sucharov found self-proclaimed Zionists and anti-Zionists often define these terms completely differently.