CIJA applauds Saskatchewan’s Introduction of Mandatory Holocaust Education beginning in 2025-26

Ottawa, ON – November 20, 2023 – Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that Holocaust education will be a compulsory component of the renewed Social Studies 10 curriculum expected to be introduced to high school students for the 2025-26 school year.

Saskatchewan is the fourth Canadian province to adopt mandatory Holocaust education in schools, joining Ontario, B.C., and Alberta.

In response, Shimon Koffler Fogel, President and CEO, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said:

“Combating hate begins with education. The safety of the Jewish community is supported by the understanding of what Never Again truly means. This is a significant step by the government of Saskatchewan to ensure children in the province grow up knowing what the Holocaust was, how it affected Jews across the world, and how important it is never to forget the lesson that hate can corrupt society, which the world learned from this tragic chapter of our history.

“At a time when the Jewish community is encountering what, for many, is the worst antisemitism of their life, we applaud the understanding of this lived experience and the support shown today by the Government of Saskatchewan. Educating people about how antisemitism manifests itself, its various impacts, and the tools needed to combat it are essential for stopping its spread. Holocaust education is a large part of that.

“We know that much hate is born from ignorance, so we are encouraged that four provinces have recognized Holocaust education as a vital tool in stamping out hate. We hope that the governments of the remaining provinces will follow the leadership shown by Saskatchewan and others and add mandatory Holocaust education to their respective school curricula.”

Additional Background

About the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA, representing Jewish Federations across Canada. CIJA is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and protect Jewish life in Canada through advocacy and to advance the public policy interests of Canada’s organized Jewish community. 

Media Contact

For more information or to coordinate interviews, please contact: 

Nicole Amiel   
Director, Media Relations and GTA Communications
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
416.525.2592   
namiel@cija.ca