An Ottawa resident is asking Canadians to confront antisemitism head-on, in a letter to the Ottawa Citizen written days after a shooting outside a synagogue in Belleville left a police officer critically wounded. The letter, titled "Canadians need to have the antisemitism conversation," was written by Melanie Gall of Nepean.
The Nepean angle
Gall's letter points to the shooting at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, on the holiest day of the Jewish year, as the reason the country needs to have this conversation now. She also references earlier attacks on synagogues in Montreal and Toronto, and calls on allies to speak out against antisemitism rather than stay quiet.
What happened in Belleville
A gunman armed with a shotgun opened fire on a Belleville Police Service officer stationed outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue on Sunday evening, around 7 p.m., as worshippers gathered inside for Yom Kippur. Sons of Jacob synagogue president Norm Weddum said the officer stationed outside prevented a worse tragedy: "If that officer had not been there, I probably wouldn't be talking to you right now."
The wounded officer
The officer shot in the exchange was Const. Jeff Smith of the Belleville Police Service. He was left in critical but stable condition in hospital. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit invoked its mandate over the incident, and spokesperson Kristy Denette confirmed the exchange of gunfire, saying both the officer and the gunman were struck.
The suspect
The suspect was identified as Sean Ward, 29, of Quinte West, Ontario. Ward died in hospital on the Monday night after the shooting.
Officials respond
Ontario Solicitor General Michael Krezner condemned the shooting, saying there is no rational explanation or justification for shooting at a house of worship, regardless of the denomination. Belleville Police Deputy Chief Sherri Meeks said antisemitism, hate and violence have no place in the community, and confirmed patrols have been increased across the city, including around places of worship.
Why it's on Ottawa's radar
Gall's letter, published in the Citizen, argues that an attack on worshippers gathering for Yom Kippur, on top of prior attacks on synagogues in Montreal and Toronto, means antisemitism can no longer be treated as someone else's problem.
Gall's call is for allies, not just Jewish Canadians, to speak out. Her letter doesn't propose a specific policy response, but it adds a local voice to a story that has already drawn comment from Ontario's solicitor general and the Belleville police leadership.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen (via Yahoo News Canada), Globe and Mail, Global News, Global News
