A Shoah commitment

Editorial

Among the more frightening aspects of Holocaust history is the passive complicity of almost every nation in the world. From restrictive immigration laws to acquiescent foreign policies, governments worldwide greeted the plight of European Jews with a range of nonchalance and appeasement.

Canada's own response covered the gamut. From the notorious response of a senior immigration department official to a proposal to accept European Jewish refugees – "None is too many" – to the turning away of the MV St. Louis, a ship carrying 936 asylum-seekers, mostly Jewish-German refugees, who were returned to Nazi-controlled Europe, Canada's record is among the most shameful.

Now, Canada is one of 27 countries belonging to the world's foremost international body educating about the Holocaust. Admitted to the group just last month, Canada is now part of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research, which provides funding for Holocaust-related projects, such as training programs, books, publications and educational materials, worldwide.

As a full member in the task force, Canada has committed to "promoting the Declaration of the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust through appropriate forms of Holocaust remembrance, while encouraging research and enhancing education about the Holocaust."

Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney championed Canada's participation in the group.

"Membership in this important body provides Canada with an opportunity to work internationally to combat racism and anti-Semitism," said Kenney. "This government believes it is critically important to be engaged in efforts to teach future generations the lessons of the Holocaust and help prevent future acts of genocide."

In conjunction, Kenney announced the creation of a National Task Force on Holocaust Research, Remembrance and Education.

Holocaust education has been challenging in Canada, not because of a reticence to dig up shameful aspects of our history – Canadians may be the world's most prolific purveyors of "feel bad" history, focusing often on the failures of our forebears – but because of the constitutionally diffuse nature of our education system.

Education is a provincial matter, which makes national curricula and standards about as difficult to implement as constitutional reform. But hopefully a national initiative on this level will see an improvement in the quality, quantity and consistency of Holocaust education across Canada.

This is a giant step in the right direction.

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