An imam at an Islamic center in Montreal calls for the destruction of the Jewish people. Photo: YouTube screenshot.

The Canadian government must “finally get serious about addressing antisemitism,” the CEO of the country’s branch of a prominent Jewish organization said on Friday.

In a letter to group members, B’nai Brith Canada’s Michael Mostyn wrote, “Over the last few years, several clear instances of antisemitic hate crimes have occurred throughout the country, though appropriate charges were never laid. [We have] been diligent in reporting these hate crimes and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice. However, lawmakers have been silent when it comes to prosecuting these promoters of hatred and antisemitism.”

One case noted in the letter was the call for the destruction of the Jewish people issued by an imam at an Islamic center in Montreal.

“When will the Canadian government finally take hate speech against the Jewish community more seriously?” Mostyn asked.

The letter ended with a link to a petition calling on the Canadian Parliament to launch an investigation “into the efficacy of hate crime laws in Canada as they currently exist, and address gaps in legislation preventing appropriate responses to targeting the Jewish community.”