The need for fact-based, good-faith discussion and exchange to address our most challenging policy issues has never been greater. My Hub Canada op-ed notes that universities should be ideally suited for a leading role, yet in recent months, the drumbeat of intolerance has undermined their ability to do so. Last week, the well-documented rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism on North American campuses hit home as I was conducting a global exchange that brought together students from five continents representing a remarkably diverse array of religious, political, and technical backgrounds.
Post Tagged with: "antisemitism"
Queen’s University Trustees Reject Divestment Efforts Emphasizing the Importance of Institutional Neutrality
The Queen’s University Board of Trustees last week rejected efforts to require divestment of the university’s endowment and investment funds from companies conducting business with or in the State of Israel and declined to implement a negative screening process for future investments. The decision, which adopted a review committee’s assessment, stands as one of the more detailed analysis of the issue at a Canadian university. Some universities have declined to even consider the possibility and others have held open hearings on the issue. But Queen’s agreed to full committee review, sparking consultations and numerous submissions.
The review committee’s report identifies several reasons to reject the divestment proposals including fiduciary obligations that require that the University’s investments be managed prudently with a view to maximizing financial returns, the lack of consensus on the political issues, and the acknowledged ineffectiveness of divestment policies. The report also notably relies on the importance of institutional neutrality in reaching its decision.
When Words Fail: Reflections on the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism
I was pleased to attend the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism in Ottawa yesterday. It is easy to be cynical: the event came at least a year late, even reassuring words of support (Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again declared that “no one in Canada should be afraid to call themselves a Zionist. I am a Zionist”) lose their impact when action repeatedly does not align with those words, and the absence of Conservative MPs made the event more political than needed. Further, I remain skeptical that everyone is ready for the hard action of implementing and enforcing antisemitism standards in schools, universities, and workplaces as well as consistently applying the anti-hate laws already on the books.
The Year of Disbelief: The Relentless Rise of Antisemitism in Canada
I’ve posted several year-in-reviews of Canadian digital policy (blogs, podcasts, Substacks), but the most important story this year for me and the Jewish community was the relentless rise of antisemitism in Canada. Over the course of the year, I appeared before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to emphasize the chilling effect of antisemitism, wrote op-eds in the Globe and Mail (2), National Post, and the Hub, and posted countless pieces on antisemitism in our streets and campuses. There were posts on the need for academic institutions to adhere to the principle of institutional neutrality, support for the government’s guide on the IHRA definition of antisemitism, social media challenges, and even a podcast on Wikipedia’s antisemitism problem. Canada is not alone in dealing with a dramatic rise in antisemitism, but when the attacks hit your synagogue, school, or community centre and it is your leaders that fail to respond, it hits close to home.
The Year in Review: Top Ten Michael Geist Substacks
My look back at 2024 concludes with a review of my most popular Substacks of the year. Unlike last year, where was considerable overlap between my most popular blog posts and Substacks, this year the list quite different. The Substack list features a significant emphasis on antisemitism in Canada in the wake of the October 2023 terror attacks, which occupy the top three posts and five of the top ten.
Recent Posts
When the Drumbeat of Intolerance Becomes Too Loud to Ignore: Reflections on Campus Antisemitism, Academic Freedom and My Global Technology Law Exchange Course 
Solomon’s Choice: Charting the Future of AI Policy in Canada 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 232: What Will Canadian Digital Policy Look Like Under the New Liberal Carney Government? 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 231: Sara Bannerman on How Canadian Political Parties Maximize Voter Data Collection and Minimize Privacy Safeguards 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 230: Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation
