Canadian Government removes Holocaust plaque that doesn't mention Jewish people

[Stelio Kontos]

http://nationalpost.com/news/politic...-jewish-people

The federal government has removed a plaque inaugurating Ottawa’s new Holocaust memorial that failed to mention anti-Semitism or Jewish people.

Conservative MP David Sweet raised the issue in question period on Tuesday, asking if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be correcting this “profoundly obvious omission.

“If we are going to stamp out hatred toward Jews, it is important to get history right,” said Sweet.

The plaque originally commemorated the “millions of men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust” and the survivors who made it to Canada “after one of the darkest chapters in history.”

Heritage Minister Melanie Joly said the plaque has been taken down and will be “replaced with language that reflects the horrors experienced by the Jewish people.”


The monument was inaugurated last Wednesday. Canada had been the only allied power from the Second World War that did not have a national Holocaust monument.

A similar mistake was made by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year, although the Liberals’ quick reversal is in contrast to Trump’s response. Administration spokesperson Hope Hicks told CNN that Jews and anti-Semitism weren’t mentioned in a White House statement for International Holocaust Remembrance Day because “despite what the media reports, we are an incredibly inclusive group and we took into account all of those who suffered.”

After opening the monument, the Liberals are also expected to apologize for the Canadian government’s 1939 decision to turn away a boat holding 900 Jews seeking asylum from Germany, according to the Canadian Press.

The ship was turned away from Cuba and the United States before a group of Canadians tried to convince then-prime minister Mackenize King’s government to let it dock in Halifax.

About 500 of the ship’s passengers ended up back in Germany, half of whom did not survive the Holocaust.


Pretty shameful all-around. @Tennisace what do you think Canada can do to not have something like this happen again? Is it because of politics, culture, or ignorance that this happened?

[GreenJesus]

How horrible! In a modern and advanced society such as Canada, it is unacceptable for Canada to disrespect the Jewish people in such a way! Something must be done!

[Viconia]

Jews weren't the only victims of Holocaust, just the largest group. Not sure why they are desired to represent as the poster child for mass genocide.

[Aeula]

Getting history 'right' be forgetting all the non-jews who died.

Really?

[Independent voter]

Don't people automatically think of Jews when they hear the word "Holocaust"?

[AeneasBK]

Jews weren't the only victims of Holocaust, just the largest group. Not sure why they are desired to represent as the poster child for mass genocide.

Something something vicitm card something something.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Jews weren't the only victims of Holocaust, just the largest group. Not sure why they are desired to represent as the poster child for mass genocide.

Your first sentence answers your second.

[caervek]

Jews weren't the only victims of Holocaust, just the largest group.

They weren't the largest group, just the most publicised. After WW2 the west fell out with the USSR/etc so didn't want to make them look sympathetic.

[Stelio Kontos]

@Tennisace

Interesting how you usually are very chatty and vocal when you shitpost about how bad everywhere that's not Canada is, but you rarely seem to show up in topics like this.

Why is that?

[Ooid]

I know I want my peoples legacy to be how we were slaughtered by the millions.

[Tiwack]

@Tennisace

Interesting how you usually are very chatty and vocal when you shitpost about how bad everywhere that's not Canada is, but you rarely seem to show up in topics like this.

Why is that?

US turned the ship away as well, but let's just forget that part...

[RobertoCarlos]

Damn couldn't even accept one boat of people fleeing murder. That is cold canada

[Stop Pretending]

Seems like Canada is repeating history, only accepting the right kind of refugees.

[Mormolyce]

It's pretty horrible watching certain groups politicise Holocaust memorials for sadly predictable reasons.

[melodramocracy]

The plaque originally commemorated the “millions of men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust” and the survivors who made it to Canada “after one of the darkest chapters in history.”


Heritage Minister Melanie Joly said the plaque has been taken down and will be “replaced with language that reflects the horrors experienced by the Jewish people.”

Joly apparently believes that no one other than Jews were killed in WW2 by axis powers.