It starts with words

Genocide starts with words. Words that perpetuate lies. Words that dehumanize. Words that breed hate. We know this because the members of this coalition have all suffered the unspeakable trauma of genocide. On the occasion of Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month, we have come together to solemnly commemorate and condemn acts of genocide, and to recommit to working together to prevent genocide. In 2015, with support from all major parties, the House of Commons took an important step and unanimously passed M-587 designating April as Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month. The motion commemorates genocides currently recognized by Canada: the Armenian Genocide, the Ukrainian Holodomor, the Holocaust, and the Genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda, which occurred almost exactly 25 years ago. Parliament has also recognized the Bosnian genocide and the ongoing genocide of the Yezidi people of Syria and Iraq. Last year, the Canadian government issued a statement in remembrance and recognition of the Romani Genocide. These are important first steps but remembering is not enough. We need to act to prevent future genocide. This year, in addition to marking Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month with events in Ottawa and across the country, we are calling on the Government of Canada to take three concrete actions. First, we call on Canada to launch a national strategy to combat online hate, online propaganda, and the systematic dissemination of dangerous misinformation. Online hate has precipitated horrific real-world violence, targeting minorities and spreading terror throughout communities. The government should work with social media providers, telecommunications companies, experts in online hate, and vulnerable communities like ours to develop and implement a national strategy that includes a concrete plan to define, track, prevent, and intervene to stop online hate. We recognize that the House Justice Committee has started to study the issue. This is a good first step towards creating a national strategy. Second, we call on the Government of Canada to streamline and expedite the refugee process to ensure that the system remains flexible and responsive in supporting those who most need it. In particular, the system should allow for rapid deployment of special allocations or emergency assistance for groups who have been victims of genocide or face intense persecution in their home countries, such as Yezidis in Iraq, LGBTQ+ people in Chechnya and Iran, and Rohingyas in Myanmar. Furthermore, the Government of Canada should provide better support and services for these most vulnerable refugees once they arrive in Canada, including prioritizing the reunification of refugee families and providing enhanced psychological supports and services. And finally, Parliament should formally recognize the Romani genocide by adopting a motion designating Aug. 2 as a day of remembrance of the Romani Genocide. By commemorating Genocide Awareness Month last month, we as Canadians—Armenian, Jewish, Roma, Rwandan, Ukrainian, and Yezidi citizens of this country—honour the memory of innocent people who lost their lives to genocide. It is our collective duty to stand up against injustice, hate, and bigotry around the world and act. If not us, who? If not now, when? This column was written by Richard Marceau, vice-president of external affairs at Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, along with the following signatories: the Armenian National Committee of Canada which is the largest and most influential Armenian-Canadian grassroots human rights organization; the Project Abraham, which is a frontline support agency for the GTA Yezidi survivors of ISIS; the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs which is the advocacy agent of Jewish Federations of Canada; Romanipe, which is a non-profit organization whose mission is to defend the dignity and human rights of Romani peoples worldwide; the Rwandan Humura Association, which was created to ensure the genocide perpetrated against the Batutsi Rwandan is never forgotten; the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), which is the voice of Canada’s Ukrainian community (1.4 million), bringing together national, provincial and local Ukrainian Canadian organizations; and the mission of the Yezidi Human Rights Organization, which is to defend and protect human rights and to educate people about the Yezidi Genocide. The Hill Times