By Paul Klein & Fatemeh Alhosseini
Our personal backgrounds suggest division but our values unite us in a shared purpose. Paul, a Jewish Canadian, carries the legacy of displacement, persecution, and the search for safety that defines much of the Jewish experience. Fatemeh, an Iranian Canadian, understands the complexities of migration and has personally navigated the challenges of building a new life in Canada. Despite our differences, we share a common belief: that Canada can be a place where tolerance is our common denominator.
The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating in the Middle East and antisemitism and islamophobia are rising in Canada. In London, Ontario two women wearing the Muslim headscarf were attacked in front of their children, according to a statement by the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). In Montreal, schools being shot at and synagogues and community centres being damaged by firebombs, according to The Gazette.
Focus on what unites us
Canada is at a crossroads. Will hatred continue to escalate or can the conflict today be used as an opportunity to adopt a new model of tolerance and inclusion? We choose the latter. To focus not on what divides us, but on what unites us: the belief in human dignity, the need for social justice, and the power of community.
Through our work with the Impakt Foundation for Social Change we see what people in Canada can do best: working together for the common good. In our case by giving people who have been forced to leave their homes in other countries the opportunity to succeed in Canada.
Tolerance is being challenged
However, we recognize that our shared commitment to tolerance and unity is being tested.
Recent events, including the escalation of conflict in the Middle East after October 7th, have heightened tensions and intolerance within Canada. Yet, even in these difficult times, we remain hopeful. Every day, we see Canadians from diverse backgrounds collaborating to empower refugees and newcomers, ensuring they have the opportunity to shape their future.
In many ways, our partnership and approach is a reflection of the Canada we believe in — one that brings people together, regardless of their backgrounds, to work toward common goals. Beyond the specific need to improve the lives of newcomers, we believe that collaboration among diverse groups is the best way to address other pressing social issues such as a lack of affordable housing, inequitable access to healthcare and economic inequality.
We can set a different example
The conflict in the Middle East is likely to create more displacement. Here in Canada we have the opportunity to set a different example — one where people from all backgrounds, faiths, and nations come together to ensure everyone has the chance to belong and succeed. Our priority is to establish the Centre for Belonging and Community in Toronto. Developed by newcomers for newcomers, the centre will provide essential resources, networks, and opportunities to help people heal from trauma, connect with others, and foster a deep sense of belonging in their new home.
Through leadership grounded in empathy and inclusivity, Canada can offer a powerful response to the growing xenophobia, polarization, and refugee crises seen across the globe. What we do here will have positive ripple effects far beyond our borders, demonstrating how acceptance and tolerance can thrive even in times of uncertainty.
Fatemeh recently returned from Iran, where her journey was delayed due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This experience made her realize that while people do not choose their birthplace or the conflicts they are caught in, we can choose to embrace tolerance and commit to working alongside individuals of different faiths and backgrounds. Her collaboration with Paul, a Jewish Canadian, to support refugees exemplifies why building bridges across differences is more critical than ever.
Beyond the headlines, countless families and children remain caught in conflicts they did not choose, living in fear and uncertainty. Canadians have both the responsibility and the opportunity to create a new model of tolerance—one that offers hope and belonging to those in need and serves as an example for a world that desperately requires compassion and unity.
Now is the time to act, not just for the well-being of newcomers but for the future of Canada and the global community.
Paul Klein is the founder of Impakt and the Impakt Foundation for Social Change. He is the author of Change for Good: An Action-Oriented Approach for Businesses to Benefit from Solving the World’s Most Urgent Social Problems.
Dr. Fatemeh Alhosseini is the Executive Director of the Impakt Foundation for Social Change. She has extensive experience researching resilience among newcomers to Canada, focusing on how they can overcome systemic barriers.
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