John G. Diefenbaker, former Prime Minister and now leader of the opposition in the Canadian Parliament, called here for enactment of federal legislation against the dissemination of hate literature. At the same time, he requested that Canada “take a strong lead” in protesting Soviet Union discriminations against Russian Jewry. He made these statements as principal guest speaker at an Israel bond dinner, attended by 500 persons, honoring Hyman Singerman.
Regarding hate literature, the former Premier said that Parliament should be given a report on that subject presented two weeks ago by a Government committee headed by Dean Maxwell Cohen, of McGill University. The report recommended enactment of laws barring propaganda “by words, deeds or writing” advocating hatred toward any group in Canada. Much propaganda of that type, said Mr. Diefenbaker, could be prevented now by implementation of the criminal code as it stands. “There have been no convictions, it is true,” he stated, “but that is because there have been no persecutions. You of the Jewish race have been subject to vitriolic attacks which must be checked.”
Touching on the situation of Jews in the Soviet Union, Mr. Diefenbaker said that the threat against Russian Jewry must be the concern of “all who love justice and liberty.” “There are many,” he continued, “who say that such protests do no good. But I believe that, if we do not protest, the Soviet leaders may be lulled into thinking that what is being done does not matter to the free world.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
