BY EMAIL
March 28, 2024
Honourable Rachna Singh
Minister of Education and Early Child Care
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4
Dear Minister Singh,
You may recall that during the time I served as National Director for the League
for Human Rights of B’nai Brith that we worked together on improving Holocaust
education in British Columbia.
Today I write on behalf of United Against Hate Canada, an ad-hoc organization
of persons of diverse religious and racial origins. Our mission is to foster dialogue and
understanding among our diverse population so as to reinforce efforts to combat hate.
We have been contacted by a number of concerned individuals regarding a request
that will be sent to you by the British Columbia Federation of Teachers (BCTF)
to include the teaching of the “Nakba” in the social studies and history curriculum
in Grades 6 and 12.
The request is antisemitic, denying that Jews are indigenous to Israel, their historic
homeland where the Jewish people have resided since time immemorial. The Nakba is
a false concept which laments the inability of the Arab states during their unprovoked
invasion in 1948 to destroy Israel.
The Nakba is a theme which is promoted by terrorist groups that are proscribed
by Canada. The purpose of Nakba is to delegitimize the Jewish state and to provide
political cover for those such as Hamas who have waged constant war against Israel.
We urge that as Minister you make a clear statement that the BCTF request which
stems from its 2024 Annual General Meeting is odious and will have no echo with the
Government of British Columbia.
An early such statement on your part to reassure Canadians that there is no place
for antisemitism in British Columbia’s schools would be most welcome.
Yours truly
Marvin Rotrand
Interim Director General
United Against Hate Canada
c.c. David Eby, Selina Robinson, Mike Lee