'We carry this pain. It doesn't break us': how Canadian Jews marked Oct. 7's anniversary

The CJN Daily with Ellin Bessner

In Montreal, 8,000 people watched wreaths laid on the stage. In Toronto, 20,000 people recited the Kaddish prayer. An interfaith choir sung in Ottawa. All across Canada, tens of thousands of Canadians gathered to observe the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel and remember the Jewish victims who had Canadian ties. The Oct. 7 anniversary also sparked political controversy in the House of Commons, when Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the Liberal government’s stance on Israel’s right to defend itself, and for not doing more to curb the explosion of antisemitism we’ve seen in Canada after Oct. 7. While the prime minister was absent from Question Period—he spoke to Ottawa’s Jewish community in person later that evening—all lawmakers in the House of Commons agreed to observe a moment of silence for the 1,200 Israeli victims of that dark day. On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, you’ll hear the politicians trade accusations across the floor of Parliament, and also hear some of what Jewish Canada sounded like from coast to coast, as Jews and non-Jewish allies marked the solemn anniversary of Oct. 7.

What we talked about:

• Read Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement on Oct. 7, 2024 and also watch his remarks and those of Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre speaking at the Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s evening vigil.
• Watch the Montreal Jewish community memorial rally here.
• Watch the Toronto Jewish community rally here.
• Watch the Vancouver rally here.

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
• Music: Dov Beck-Levine

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