Podcast Summary: "What Is Happening Here | Canadaland Investigates"

Episode #2: The Purge

Host: Jesse Brown
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode, "The Purge," examines the recent surge of reported antisemitism in Canada, exploring whether Jewish Canadians are being more frequently targeted because of their identity, or whether legitimate political protest against Israel is being mischaracterized as antisemitism. Host Jesse Brown speaks with Jews across Canada whose daily lives have changed since October 7, 2023, as well as those who have been at the receiving end of the pro-Palestinian movement’s ire. Through testimonies, he probes the blurry line between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, focusing on how the Israel/Gaza conflict has infiltrated Canadian institutions—bookstores, schools, unions, and government—and the profound consequences for Jewish Canadians.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Public Targeting and the Indigo Bookstore Vandalism ([00:06]–[07:02])

• Heather Reisman and Indigo as Focal Point:
  The boycott movement and pro-Palestinian activists have identified Indigo Books and its CEO, Heather Reisman, as central to their campaign, accusing her charity, HESEG, of funding the Israeli military.
  • Quote:
    "Heather Reisman is the CEO of Indigo. She's become a focal point for the pro Palestine movement in Canada." – Jesse Brown [04:32]
• Kristallnacht Parallels:
  The vandalism of Indigo’s Toronto store (plastered with 'funding genocide' posters and red paint) occurred on the anniversary of Kristallnacht, sparking debate about its symbolism and intent.
  • Quote:
    "What none of those people mentioned... is that it took place on the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht..." – Jesse Brown [07:02]
• Reisman’s Response:
  She denies any direct support to the Israeli army, clarifying that her charity supports educational scholarships for "lone soldiers"—young immigrants who serve mandatory military terms in Israel.
  • Quote:
    "It's absurd to accuse a Canadian chief executive of a book company of committing genocide." – Heather Reisman [11:04]
• Debate over Labeling Activism as Antisemitism:
  Jews and activists divide over whether protests and actions targeting Reisman count as legitimate criticism or cross into dangerous antisemitism, especially given the Kristallnacht timing.

2. Antisemitism in Schools: Lori Allen’s Story ([13:03]–[24:37])

• Personal Loss and Professional Fallout:
  Teacher Lori Allen recounts losing a family friend in Israel on October 7, her fraught interactions with a non-Jewish colleague insensitive to her family's trauma, and subsequent deterioration of her position at a private school.
  • Quote:
    "I can't work with him. ... She knows that both my parents were Holocaust survivors. ... I have zero relatives." – Lori Allen [15:55]
• Is Anti-Zionism Shielding Antisemitism?
  The colleague insists he’s "anti-Zionist, not antisemitic," fueling debate over intent versus impact after a string of unsettling conversations.
  • Quote:
    "He said he wasn't anti Semitic. He said he was just an anti Zionist." – Lori Allen [19:49]
• Job Loss and Institutional Response:
  After these events, Allen learns her contract isn’t renewed. She alleges her Jewish identity and related discussions caused discomfort for her administrators, contributing to her dismissal.
  • Quote:
    "I think I lost my job because having me there made them feel uncomfortable." – Lori Allen [23:43]
• Systemic Issues:
  Allen’s story ends with her pursuing a human rights complaint, highlighting the lack of institutional mechanisms to defend Jews in non-unionized settings.

3. The Union Dilemma: Jewish Public School Teacher’s Experience ([25:14]–[28:04])

• Union Politics and Lack of Support:
  An anonymous Jewish public school teacher describes hostile work environments post-October 7, being disciplined instead of supported, and facing a union leadership that openly espouses anti-Israel positions.
  • Quote:
    "Imagine being a Jewish person in a school board whose union has put forth such a vicious anti Israel, pro Palestinian front." – Anonymous Teacher [26:40]
• Solidarity Shattered:
  The union’s public stance and inadequate action reinforce Jewish staffers' isolation, impacting their job security and mental health.
  • Quote:
    "...the people who I'm supposed to turn to with this specific kind of problem are not going to back me up." – Anonymous Teacher [27:41]

4. Political Consequences: Selina Robinson and the BC NDP ([29:03]–[34:42])

• Ministry and Isolation:
  Selina Robinson, BC’s former Minister for Post Secondary Education and its only openly Jewish cabinet member, details her fall from grace after condemning a college instructor celebrating October 7.
  • Quote:
    "There was a target right after that put on my back where I was targeted at rallies ... So was I targeted because … I'm an out Jew? Well, maybe." – Selina Robinson [29:30]
• Controversial Comments and Fallout:
  Robinson’s comments on Israel's founding and the Holocaust spark a major backlash, including calls from Muslim groups and faculty unions for her resignation—culminating in credible death threats and her removal from cabinet.
  • Quote:
    "It just created a shitstorm." – Selina Robinson [32:01]
• Double Standards and Zionism:
  Robinson refutes the idea that anti-Zionism explains her treatment, citing the overlap between Jewish and Zionist identities and questioning societal norms around diaspora attachment.
  • Quote:
    "It's always been acceptable to the party, except when the Jew steps in a pile of poop." – Selina Robinson [33:37]

5. Academia and Antisemitism Denial: Dr. Ted Rosenberg at UBC ([34:42]–[41:05])

• Omission from Diversity Policies:
  Rosenberg, a longstanding professor, uncovers that UBC’s medical school DEI framework does not recognize Jews or antisemitism as protected categories, making formal complaints impossible.
  • Quote:
    "...when I typed in the word Jew, it didn't exist ... Jews are not different." – Dr. Ted Rosenberg [36:21]
• Institutional Indifference & Resignation:
  Rosenberg finds Jewish concerns minimized ("seen as privileged, white oppressors") and resigns in protest. Only afterward does UBC update its policies to mention antisemitism.
• Where Criticism Becomes Antisemitism:
  Rosenberg distinguishes between legitimate critique of Israel and rhetoric denying Israel’s right to exist—a stance he unequivocally equates with antisemitism due to its implication for world Jewry.
  • Quote:
    "When you say that Israel is illegitimate and does not have the right to exist, then you're crossing into the territory of anti Semitism." – Dr. Ted Rosenberg [39:38]

6. Broader Observations & Lingering Questions ([41:05]–end)

• Jewish Exodus from Institutions:
  Brown notes an unmeasured but palpable move of Jewish professionals (teachers, doctors, journalists) out of public institutions since October 7.
  • Quote:
    "Since October 7, 2023, other Jewish teachers and students have left the public school system. More Jewish doctors have left public universities and hospitals." – Jesse Brown [41:05]
• Data Gaps:
  Jews aren’t tracked as a diversity category, stymieing evidence-based discussion.
• Complexity of Protest Movements:
  Brown challenges the notion that all pro-Palestinian activism is rooted in antisemitism, acknowledging the presence of both Jews and non-Jews in the movement.
  • Quote:
    "I have trouble believing that all of the millions of people...are Jew haters." – Jesse Brown [42:00]
• Next Steps:
  Brown signals a forthcoming shift: the focus will move from analyzing anti-Zionists to directly engaging them in conversation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power of Accusation:
  "It's absurd to accuse a Canadian chief executive of a book company of committing genocide ... history says pernicious lies against Jewish people leads to very bad things."
  – Heather Reisman [11:04]

• Personal Pain in Professional Life:
  "I went into the principal's office and I sat on the floor and I just cried like, I've never cried ... then got myself together and I went back and taught."
  – Lori Allen [20:53]

• Union Betrayal:
  "So this is a person who's supposed to be representing me ... Imagine trying to go to them for support."
  – Anonymous Teacher [27:06]

• Reframing Antisemitism vs. Anti-Zionism:
  "When you say that Israel is illegitimate and does not have the right to exist, then you're crossing into the territory of anti Semitism."
  – Dr. Ted Rosenberg [39:38]

• Complexity Within Jewish and Anti-Zionist Identities:
  "Everything I was taught about Israel as a child was exaggeration, distortion, or just a complete flat out lie. So at this point, does Israel have a right to exist? I don't know."
  – Jesse Brown [43:27]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:06] – Opening, setting up the episode’s questions
• [04:32] – Heather Reisman and Indigo as protest target
• [07:02] – Kristallnacht and historical parallels to Indigo vandalism
• [08:08] – Heather Reisman’s firsthand account of activism targeting her stores
• [15:55] – Lori Allen’s personal trauma and school conflict
• [25:14] – Anonymous public school teacher’s union experience
• [29:03] – Selina Robinson’s account of being politically targeted
• [36:21] – Dr. Ted Rosenberg on the erasure of Jews from DEI/HR frameworks
• [39:38] – Clarifying anti-Zionism and antisemitism in academic speech
• [41:05] – Observations on Jews leaving public institutions following October 7
• [42:00–end] – Brown’s reflection and pivot for the next episode

Tone Retention

The episode maintains a tone of somber urgency, empathetic but journalistic, as Jesse Brown systematically unpacks difficult, emotionally charged stories without losing sight of complexities or nuance. The conversations are frank—at times raw or indignant—highlighting both the pain of those feeling targeted and the contentious reality of protest, speech, and identity in Canada post-October 7, 2023.

This summary provides a thorough roadmap of the episode’s themes, arguments, and personal narratives, contextualizing the ongoing debate over antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and the broader toll of political polarization in Canada’s public sphere.