New Toronto Tory MP puts Olivia Chow on notice for letting antisemitism fester

From Geoffrey Clarfield. This is about my home city, Toronto. From True North

A few days ago, my new member of Parliament, Conservative Don Stewart, sent a letter to Mayor Olivia Chow asking her to “take action” on the rabid and ever-rising antisemitism displayed on the streets of Toronto.

His letter was pointed and honest and even included recommendations on what could be done to curb the Jew hatred that has, in the 430 days since Oct. 7, become absolutely intolerable for my community in Toronto, Montreal and in other major centres across the country.

Not many politicians at the federal, provincial or municipal levels have stuck their necks out like Stewart did this past week.

Not Doug Ford. Not his solicitor general Michael Kerzner. And certainly not the mainly other federal MPs who represent Toronto.

I checked with Stewart’s constituency office on Friday. There has not been a peep from Chow.

The Jew hatred has become so rampant and virulent that just last week the Free Press (south of the border) featured a long-form article on the spread of antisemitism in Canada under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and much of his Hamas-loving caucus (the latter my words).

According to this article, antisemitic incidents have increased 670%.

In his letter, Stewart cites the horrific number of incidents that have occurred in Toronto and contends that it is “only a matter of time” before Toronto experiences the same level of “savage antisemitic behaviour” seen recently in Montreal.

It was quite clear that a Hamasnik sitting in a blood-soaked chair openly imitating Yahya Sinwar’s final moments in a Jewish neighbourhood was a hate crime.

But instead, the weak and ineffectual Toronto police arrested Rebel News founder Ezra Levant for filming this vile spectacle.

I’m not surprised that Chow — who is supposed to be mayor of all the people — has not responded to this open letter, which was posted on X.

For 400-plus days, this Marxist mayor has gone out of her way to snub Toronto’s Jewish community by failing to appear at significant events (most especially the poignant Oct. 7 memorial) and always responding a day late (or days late) about antisemitic acts with half-hearted statements.

It is clear to me that she is fine surrounding herself with antisemites (many from Progress Toronto) and doesn’t even have the political savvy, empathy or smarts to even address the problem (no matter what she herself thinks). . .

The major responsibilities of a large-city mayor like safety and security, gridlock, fiscal accountability and ensuring that the needs of all tax paying residents of the city are met are well beyond her scope.

If I were her at this juncture, I’d appoint a member of council — like James Pasternak or Brad Bradford — to take the lead on the antisemitism issue and give them the authority to deal with the police.

I can tell you one thing: Don Stewart is right.

If Chow doesn’t get her act together and instructs the police to get off their butts too, I predict there will be bloodshed.

The Jewish community in Toronto is at the end of their rope.

Read it all here