B'Nai Brith honours North Bay mayor for standing up to racism
B'Nai Brith Canada presented North Bay Mayor Al McDonald with a certificate of merit Tuesday morning, honouring him for standing up to racism.
Last fall, students at École Secondaire Catholique Algonquin we're seen giving a Nazi salute. McDonald reacted immediately and said, "Hate has no home here."
McDonald told CTV News the whole city deserves the recognition.
"If didn't use my voice to speak out against hate and racism, then shame on me," he said.
"But let's not forget the Police Chief, Scott Tod who spoke out, as did members of council. So I'm very proud of my city and this award really is for them."
Officials with B'Nai Brith Canada said they hope an incident like the one in North Bay doesn't happen again, but said the way North Bay reacted goes a long way toward healing.
"People were concerned, people in North Bay genuinely cared," said Marvin Rotrand, national director, league for human rights with B'Nai Brith Canada. "They wanted to make sure the kids knew what they had actually done and the impact on that."
"Within days the community mobilized, the police launched an investigation, the school board worked with the students and staff and said we want the whole community to know we take this seriously and lots of citizens spoke out."
A recent motion at council also means North Bay will recognize Jewish Heritage Month every year in May.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.