Justin Trudeau & Pierre Poilievre speaks at holocaust remembrance day service in Ottawa

Summary

The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day, emphasizing the importance of education and awareness to prevent such atrocities. They highlighted the establishment of a national Holocaust remembrance program and the need to combat rising anti-Semitism. Both leaders pledged support for the Jewish community and called for unity against hate, reflecting on the resilience of survivors and the collective responsibility to ensure 'Never Again.'

Takeaways

• 🕊️ The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day to mourn the millions of Jews murdered during the Holocaust and to reaffirm the commitment to never forget.
• 📚 The government is creating a new national Holocaust remembrance program to educate everyone about the atrocities committed by the Nazis and the prevalence of unbridled anti-Semitism.
• 🌐 The script highlights the role of technology, such as an AI developed to help future generations have conversations with Holocaust survivors, in preserving memories and educating about the Holocaust.
• 👥 Personal stories of survivors like Pinhas and Rose are shared to underscore the resilience of Holocaust survivors and the importance of hearing their stories directly.
• 🏛️ The Canadian government has established a special envoy position on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating anti-Semitism, currently held by Deborah Lions.
• 🇨🇦 The script mentions the establishment of new educational centers on the Holocaust in major Canadian cities, including Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
• 📈 There has been a noted increase in anti-Semitism, with acts of violence and vandalism against Jewish communities, highlighting the ongoing struggle against hate.
• 🤝 The Prime Minister calls for unity in combating anti-Semitism, stating that it is a challenge for all Canadians, not just the Jewish community or the government.
• 🔊 The script condemns Holocaust denial and the denial of recent violent events, asserting the importance of standing against such misinformation.
• 🏠 The Prime Minister assures that it should be safe for Jewish Canadians to live openly Jewish lives and that Zionism should not be a target for discrimination.
• 📊 The conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, calls for action against the rise in anti-Semitism and hate crimes, proposing specific measures such as criminalizing certain groups and improving security infrastructure.

Q & A

What was the main focus of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's speech focused on Holocaust Remembrance Day, honoring the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, and addressing the rise of anti-Semitism.

Who did Justin Trudeau mention he met at the Toronto Holocaust Museum?

Justin Trudeau mentioned meeting Pinhas and Rose, both Holocaust survivors, at the Toronto Holocaust Museum.

What new initiative did Justin Trudeau announce in his speech?

Justin Trudeau announced the creation of a new permanent national Holocaust remembrance program in Canada.

What event did Trudeau compare to the Holocaust in his speech?

Trudeau compared the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks to the Holocaust, noting it as the largest killing of Jews since the Holocaust.

What is the role of Canada's special envoy mentioned by Trudeau?

The special envoy, currently Deborah Lyons, is responsible for preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating anti-Semitism.

What message did Trudeau convey about Zionism?

Trudeau stated that it should be safe in Canada to declare oneself a Zionist and that Zionism is the belief that Jewish people, like all peoples, have the right to determine their own future.

What historical ideologies did Pierre Poilievre condemn in his speech?

Pierre Poilievre condemned the ideologies of National Socialism (Nazism) and communist socialism, noting their devastating impact in the 20th century.

What actions did Poilievre suggest to combat anti-Semitism in Canada?

Poilievre suggested criminalizing the IRGC as a terrorist organization, establishing a foreign influence registry, expediting security infrastructure programs for places of worship, and creating a unified task force to share intelligence on imminent threats.

What historical march did Poilievre reference in his speech?

Poilievre referenced the March of the Living, an educational program that takes participants to Holocaust sites such as Auschwitz and Birkenau.

How did both Trudeau and Poilievre emphasize the importance of Holocaust education?

Both emphasized the need for Holocaust education to ensure that future generations understand the atrocities and prevent the rise of anti-Semitism and hate. Trudeau highlighted the creation of educational centers, while Poilievre stressed the importance of remembering history to avoid repeating it.

Outlines

00:00

🕯️ Holocaust Remembrance and Commitment to Education

The Prime Minister addresses a national Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa, emphasizing the importance of remembering the millions of Jews murdered during the Holocaust and the need for education, awareness, and understanding to confront hate and intolerance. He shares a personal encounter with Pinhas, a Holocaust survivor, who is contributing to an AI project for future generations to have conversations with survivors. The Prime Minister also discusses the government's initiatives, including the creation of a special envoy position and a national Holocaust remembrance program, to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are taught and to combat anti-Semitism.

05:02

🌍 Rising Anti-Semitism and the Need for Unity

The script highlights the current challenges faced by Jewish communities due to a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism, following the Hamas terrorist attacks and incidents of vandalism against Jewish establishments. The Prime Minister stresses the importance of safety for Jewish Canadians and the right to live openly Jewish lives. He denounces anti-Zionism and calls for collective action against anti-Semitism, which he views as a threat to common values, security, and democracy. The Prime Minister also calls for the continued support of Israel and the pursuit of a two-state solution for lasting peace.

10:02

📚 The Importance of Holocaust Education and Commemoration

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre speaks at a Holocaust remembrance event.

Keywords

💡Holocaust

The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies during World War II. In the transcript, the Holocaust is a central theme as both speakers reflect on its atrocities, emphasizing the importance of remembrance and education to prevent such horrors from happening again.

💡Anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism refers to hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews. In the transcript, both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre discuss the rise of anti-Semitism, particularly after the October 7th attacks, and the need for collective efforts to combat it in Canada and globally.

💡Holocaust Remembrance

Holocaust Remembrance involves commemorating and educating about the events and victims of the Holocaust. The transcript highlights a national ceremony in Ottawa where leaders stress the significance of remembering the Holocaust to ensure that future generations understand and learn from these historical atrocities.

💡Yom HaShoah

Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is an annual day of commemoration for the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The ceremony discussed in the transcript is part of this observance, underscoring its importance in remembering the victims and reaffirming a commitment to combat anti-Semitism.

💡Education

Education in this context refers to teaching and learning about the Holocaust and the dangers of hatred and intolerance. Both speakers emphasize the role of education in preventing future genocides and ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are passed on to younger generations.

💡Survivors

Survivors refer to those who lived through the Holocaust and witnessed its atrocities firsthand. The transcript mentions Pinhas and Rose, Holocaust survivors whose stories are crucial for educating others about the horrors they experienced and the importance of resilience and remembrance.

💡Anti-Zionism

Anti-Zionism is opposition to the idea of a Jewish state, which can sometimes overlap with anti-Semitic attitudes. In the transcript, Trudeau addresses the misconception that Zionism is a dirty word, advocating for the right of Jewish people to self-determination while supporting a peaceful two-state solution.

💡Hamas

Hamas is a Palestinian militant organization that governs the Gaza Strip. The transcript references the October 7th attacks by Hamas as the deadliest against Jews since the Holocaust, highlighting the ongoing threat it poses and the need for democratic governments to take action against such terrorism.

💡Genocide

Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group, with the aim of destroying that group. The Holocaust is described as the largest genocide in history, and recent attacks by Hamas are referred to as attempts at genocide, underscoring the persistent threat of such atrocities.

💡Resilience

Resilience refers to the ability to recover from or adjust to difficult conditions. The transcript highlights the resilience of Jewish communities who have survived unimaginable tragedies like the Holocaust and continue to thrive, stressing the importance of supporting them in facing current and future challenges.

Highlights

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau emphasizes the importance of education and awareness to prevent the repetition of the Holocaust's atrocities.

The establishment of a new national Holocaust remembrance program to educate future generations about the horrors of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism.

Deborah Lions, Canada's Special Envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating anti-Semitism, is actively working on promoting Holocaust education.

The March of the Living is an annual educational program that plays a crucial role in Holocaust remembrance.

The creation of new educational centers on the Holocaust in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

The recent increase in anti-Semitism, including attacks on synagogues and Jewish stores, is a cause for concern.

The need for a collective effort to combat anti-Semitism, which threatens common values, security, and democracy.

The acknowledgment of the right of Jewish people to self-determination and the importance of a two-state solution for peace.

The commitment to make it safe for Jewish Canadians to live openly Jewish lives without fear of isolation or danger.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre's remarks on the importance of remembering history to avoid repeating it, with a focus on the evils of totalitarian ideologies.

The call to action to criminalize and list the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as terrorists due to their involvement in attacks.

The proposal to establish a foreign influence registry to identify and expose foreign agents that sow discord and division.

The necessity to improve security infrastructure and coordination among law enforcement and intelligence bodies to prevent terrorist attacks.

The alarming rise in hate crimes, particularly anti-Semitic attacks, which have doubled in the last year.

The message of solidarity and support for the Jewish community, emphasizing the importance of standing together against hatred and violence.

The narrative of resilience and triumph of the Jewish people throughout history, despite attempts to destroy them.

Transcripts

welcome back let's take you back to

Ottawa now where the prime minister is

speaking at a national Holocaust

Remembrance Day ceremony in our nation's

capital we have is really important

about making sure that it gets properly

shared

around around our communities around our

country

today we Mark

y it is a day to remember and mourn the

millions of Jews senselessly murdered in

the

Holocaust the Nazi Genocide of Jewish

people Remains the largest in human

history eliminating

2third of the Jewish population of

Europe families were wiped away and

communities that have lived safely in

different countries for

Generations were

destroyed remember

thisy we must exercise through

education

awareness and understanding we need to

exercise it by confronting all types of

hate

intolerance and anti-em ISM as we pay

tribute to the memory of the victims and

the resiliency of

survivors we reaffirm our

pledge to never

forget I met pinhas yesterday at the

Toronto Holocaust museum pinous has an

extraordinary

memory he has contributed significantly

to various Holocaust memorials and

indeed is actually contributing to an AI

that will help future Generations have

actual

conversations with Holocaust

Survivors for him What Hurts the

Most is of all that he can

remember he cannot remember the face of

his twin sister

Sabina all he can remember is her blonde

braided ponytail when she ran over to

their mother for one last hug

as they arrived at the midic

concentration camp in

1943 the

trauma was just too much for his

brain even given this for his entire

life pinhas has been committed to

education sharing both his story and the

experiences of other

survivors I also met Rose yesterday a

holocaust Survivor who inspired me and

others with her Fierce commitment to

life and to

Peace by talking to survivors it's

reminded me that me and my generation

have had the privileg to hear their

stories and to learn from them whereas

younger people today form their

understanding of their world we need to

ensure that the lesson of the Holocaust

are taught to them all of us now to

share the stories to keep the memories

alive and to educate future Generations

about the anti-Semitism the hatred and

the silence that enabled such

evil our government understands this and

it's why we created a dedicated position

to carry out this work our special Envoy

on preserving Holocaust remembrance

and combating

anti-Semitism our current special Envoy

Deborah Lions had big shoes to fill

after taking over from Irwin Cotler but

she's incredibly strong and been doing

tremendous

work right now Deborah is in Poland with

Canadian students for the march of the

living as was mentioned as I'm sure you

can all attest this annual annual

educational program to ensure Holocaust

cost

remembrance is unbelievably important

perhaps more important than

ever here in Canada we're also creating

a new permanent national Holocaust

remembrance program so that everyone can

learn about the atrocities committed by

the Nazis and the prevalence of

unbridled anti-Semitism that led to it

of new educational centers on the

Holocaust everywhere in the country

including in Montreal Toronto and

Vancouver this year yam Hasa and its

message comes at an incredibly difficult

moment for Jewish communities in Canada

and around the world the October 7th

Hamas terrorist attacks the murder of

friends family and loved ones in Israel

was the largest killing of Jews since

the

Holocaust and since October

7th there has been a disturbing increase

in

anti-Semitism to a scale we had not

witnessed for

Generations Windows of synagogues have

been broken and shot at Jewish stores

vandalized all of these acts open wounds

of painful chapters in our Collective

history

there are people out there who are still

denying the

Holocaust there are people out there who

are denying what happened on October

7th and I know that too often over the

past months Jewish Canadians have felt

and have been isolated and unsafe in

their

communities people have felt unsafe to

live openly Jewish lives in Canada and

that's not

right let me be

clear in a country like Canada it should

be and it must be safe to declare

oneself a

Zionist Jewish or not Zionism is not a

dirty word or something anyone should be

targeted for agreeing with it is the

belief at its simplest that Jewish

people like all All

Peoples have the right to determine

their own

future shortly after the Holocaust

Israel was established as a safe haven

for Jewish people a place to live in

security and with

dignity a place to build a future

without

fear threatening harassing and excluding

Canadians because of their faith their

identity

or because they support the Jewish

people's right to self-determination in

their ancestral

Homeland is absolutely

unacceptable you can be a Zionist and

strongly support the creation of a

Palestinian State living in peace and

security alongside Israel a view I know

is shared by many in the Jewish

community and across Canada that's my

belief

too urgent work is needed now more than

ever

to keep that Vision alive of a two-state

solution of a comprehensive just and

Lasting

peace anti-Semitism in every form

whether it's on the Internet or in

certain chance we've been hearing is

unacceptable we all know that

anti-Semitism wasn't new 80 years ago

and it didn't stop in

1945 and as my friend irn Cotler taught

me anti-Semitism is the canary in the

coal mine of global hatred what starts

with

Jews never ends with

Jews what targets Jews never stops with

Jews you can think of the different

persecuted groups persecuted by Nazis

anti-Semitism doesn't just threaten the

Jewish Community it threatens our common

values our security and our

democracy it puts in dangers are the

capacity to live in a country where each

can contribute to their own potential

combating anti-Semitism requires hard

work every day and this work cannot be a

problem for the Jewish Community to

solve

alone it is not a problem for or Jewish

organizations to solve

alone it is not a problem for

governments to solve alone though we

will and must continue to do everything

we can it is up to everyone to take on

this challenge all

Canadians

together

yum reminds us of the great resilience

of the Jewish people who has not only

survived tragedies unimaginable

tragedies throughout history but came

out of it even stronger together we will

get through this incredibly difficult

moment as well will never stop fighting

to protect your right to live openly and

proudly Jewish lives in Canada now and

forever this year our vow of Never Again

is more important than ever we stand

with you against this wiing wise against

this wave of rising

anti-Semitism and we add to this year's

vow not

now not

ever

mer all right we've been listening to

the prime minister of this country

Justin Trudeau speaking at the Holocaust

remember and stay service in our

nation's capital noting that this is a

day to remember and mourn the millions

of Jews that were killed senselessly uh

he also reaffirm this country's

commitment to never forget and talking

about the creation of a new national

Holocaust remembrance program so

everyone can learn more about the

horrors of the Holocaust and

anti-Semitism let's go live to

conservative leader Pierre PV who is

speaking now March of the living

students assembled guests

to repeat it we're told that those who

forget history are condemned to repeat

it that is why the annual

commemoration

yamasa is so

important it is important to remember

and

educate of the

ugly totalitarian ideology of the

National Socialist German Workers

Party which metastasized into a bloody

dictatorship a second world

war and as we commemorate

today possibly the most

evil attempt at mass mass extermination

of an entire people that the world has

ever seen

this along with communist

socialism brought together two twin

ideologies of the 20th

century that Unleashed havoc and Death

on peoples often for no other reason

than their race their religion their

ancestry over 6 million Jews were

murdered in labor camps concentration

camps and death

camps some of the survivors are still

with us today imparting their stories

and ensuring that the Next Generation

learns those stories it's almost 80

years now since

1945 80 years is

roughly the life

expectancy in most developed

countries so it isn't by accident that

memories start to fade F right about now

and as these memories have faded these

same ugly totalitarian ideology have

gained

favor and the same hateful

rhetoric the same precursor actions

playing themselves out

today we

see at University

campuses the hate anti-jewish rhetoric

directed at innocent students we see

firebombings of

Canadian synagogues something we never

would have imagined a short time

ago I know that some of you are making

the heart-wrenching decision do I walk

outside with the Star of David on my

chest do I wear my keepa do I keep my

massza on the

door you worry about the safety of your

loved ones in

Canada it is absolutely unacceptable

that you should be faced with this

dilemma you must be allowed to live

fearlessly and proudly Jewish lives and

it is the responsibility of every

Canadian Jewish or otherwise to stand

with your right to do that

[Applause]

the hatred that we see in our streets of

course has been Amplified by the

genocidal attacks of Hamas on October

the 7th almost 7 months

ago this was a an attempt at genocide it

was the biggest mass murder of Jews

since the Holocaust it was carried out

by an organization that had full

autonomous control over Gaza and enjoyed

a ceasefire

it was living right next to the Jewish

state which

had vacated the gazin lands and

allowed with per perhaps some

retrospective we look back on that

decision and we look back at what it it

resulted in the allowed the Hamas

regime to make autonomous decisions in

governing that land

and as of October 6th there was a

ceasefire and then on October 7th Hamas

carried out one of the most sadistic

attacks ever witnessed in human

history the only difference between the

Nazis and

Hamas is that while the Nazis were

cowardice and in some cases attempt to

cover up their evil the Hamas terrorists

bragged about it recorded Ed it put it

on display on social media took sadistic

and Delight in what it had done to this

day Hamas has said that if it gets the

chance it will repeat the attacks of

October 7th and that is why it is

incumbent on all democratic governments

to State clearly that there is only one

way to end this conflict and that is for

Hamas to disarm to surrender and to turn

over the hostages bring them

home here in

Canada we must do more than speak the

right words never again requires

action real

action it is appalling that 4 years

after the terrorist the anti-semitic and

genocidal terrorist group The irgc

killed 55 Canadians in the

ps752 attack and 7 months after that

same terrorist group helped coordinate

hamas's attack on Israel the irgc still

operates legally in Canada with 700

agents on the ground we must immediately

criminalize and list the irgc as

terrorists

today we must establish a foreign

influence registry to identify all the

foreign agents that foment uh

disagreement and division on the ground

and those that work for the Iranian

regime must be exposed we must evaluate

Canada's threat assessment of terrorist

attacks in light of the fact that we

have had terrorist attacks Target

Canadian shools we must remove red tape

and speed up access to the security in

infrastructure program so that we can

defend all places of worship Jewish and

otherwise against terrorist attacks we

must coordinate all law enforcement and

intelligence bodies in one unified task

force so that they can share information

on imminent strikes so that those can be

interrupted before they metastasize into

a murderous attack

and and we must condemn

and defeat the ugly 20th century

ideologies that are recurring again it

is worth noting that hate crimes between

2015 and

2022 had already risen by over

160% that is before the attacks of

October 7th in the last year

anti-semitic attacks are up over 100%

that is double that means the Jewish

people are being doubly victimized once

with the Bloodshed they witnessed in

their homeland of Israel and again on

the streets and in their

synagogues this ideology which seeks to

divide people into identity groups turn

them against each other and preach

hatred between the peoples of our

country must stop we must replace it

with an identity with an with an

ideology that use everyone as an

individual that celebrates their

personal character rather than

denigrating their group identity we we

must

recognize that the Jewish people are

always the first to be victims of this

hatred but are never the last and the

Jewish people who are here today who

asked those terrible questions about

whether they can display their Jewish

symbols

from this Gentile I have this

message you are not alone you have

friends you have friends that stand with

you now and always friends that will

stand up for Israel's right to defend

itself friends that will stand with you

against the ugly violence and hatred on

our campuses and in our communities

friends that will restore a candidate

where you feel safe to to espouse your

faith uh in the security of your

community friends who will be with you

as always I I honored to consider myself

one of those

friends to the students who were part of

the marching March of committee March of

living committee I I did the march of

the Living Years Ago between

awit the first concentration camp and

burkhow the most deadly of the death

camps

and amid all the

horror that W that history

testifies in those places I saw hope

there I saw young Jews placing stones on

larger

rocks rocks acting as the replacement

for tombstones that were never able to

be laid with the message to ancestors

that we're here we still love you we

haven't forgotten

Israeli Flags blowing in the wind the

Star of David in the sky as a message to

the defeated Nazis you will not stop us

we are still here we are still Jewish we

sing the same songs practice the same

faith on the same land as our ancestors

over 3,000 years ago the trash can of

history is is filled with those who have

tried and failed to to destroy the

Jewish people and once again the Jewish

people will Triumph your friends will

stand with you in this Triumph and we

will say loudly here and everywhere

never again thank

you we have been listening to the

conservative party of Canada's leader

Pierre PV on this Holocaust Remembrance

Day at a ceremony in Ottawa talking

about the Horrors of the Holocaust the

millions of Jews that were killed and

talking about the rise in anti-Semitism

since October 7th we also heard from the

Prime Minister and we're going to bring

you those remarks throughout the day