The government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is denying reports that it will cite hate crime legislation in its efforts to combat the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel.
Canada's Public Safety ministry has outlined a "zero tolerance" policy for the BDS campaign, which seeks to isolate Israel economically for its occupation of the West Bank— or otherwise lands considered rightfully Palestinian by its members.
In an article published the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, one reporter called the move "a remarkably aggressive tactic" if carried out, and "another measure of the Conservative government's lockstep support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
The piece was not labeled an opinion piece, but was cast by CBC Neil Macdonald as a news story after receiving a reply to an inquiry of his on the "zero tolerance" policy from Public Safety. The reply cited Canada's existing hate crime laws in its efforts to combat BDS.
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney's office denounced Macdonald's story as “inaccurate and ridiculous," according to JTA, adding, "these laws have been on the books for many years and have not changed. We won’t dignify this bizarre conspiracy theory with further comment."
Several European governments have endorsed aspects of the boycott movement, supporting the labeling of products from Israeli-occupied territories. But Canada's foreign minister has called the campaign "the new face of anti-Semitism," vowing to combat the effort.
The debate in Ottawa comes as members of the US Congress, including a unanimous Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee, seek to tie anti-BDS provisions to any transatlantic trade deal signed by US President Barack Obama and the European Union.
Those provisions would require EU nations "discourage politically motivated actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel and to seek the elimination of politically motivated non-tariff barriers on Israeli goods, services, or other commerce imposed on the State of Israel," according to the amendment. A definition appending the amendment notes that the provisions refer both to products from Israel as well as those originating from Israeli-controlled territories.