This article originally appeared in National Newswatch.
By Karen Restoule, April 25, 2025
The 1993 movie Groundhog Day—when the protagonist played by Canadian Bill Murray wakes daily to the exact same events—was a work of fiction. But for Canadians who have been paying attention to events happening on our streets for the last 18 months, Groundhog Day is very real.
Since the massacres by Gazan terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, we’ve seen the same story play out again and again: masked pro-Palestinian activists promoting terror, blocking roads, shouting hateful epithets, waving the flags of banned terrorist entities, and more. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have brought their extremism to Canada, and all Canadians are paying the price.
Time after time, when pro-Palestinian agitators carried out their campaigns of harassment, we thought our leaders would step up. When masked protesters invaded shopping malls and harassed random shoppers during Christmas time, we thought our leaders would draw a line. They didn’t.
Instead, we’ve been told the same thing so many times it’s lost all meaning: “such hate has no place in Canada” and “this is not who we are.”
Except it sure seems to have a place, and appears to be who we are—because nothing is being done.
While Jewish Canadians may have been the first target of these radicals, make no mistake: this is just the beginning. Pro-Palestinian activists have become increasingly bold, growing their target to include all Canadians.
As we find ourselves in the middle of a federal election campaign overshadowed by United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs, more Canadians than ever are waving the flag and proclaiming, “elbows up.”
But if we are to stand up for Canada, we must not bow to masked extremists who burn Canadian flags and call our country “KKK Canada.” Otherwise, what—if anything—are we standing up for?
Poll after poll finds most Canadians oppose the decidedly anti-Canadian antics of pro-Palestinian activists, but most politicians have been shamefully silent—with the exception of Pierre Poilievre and his team of Conservative candidates who have been clear in their position against extremism.
Politicians seeking a seat in our Parliament must tell voters whether they side with Canadians who want a country governed by the rule of law, or with those who prefer mob rule championed by radical agitators glorifying terrorism.
Candidates of all stripes are knocking on doors and asking for our trust. But how can they earn it if they or their party leaders are turning a blind eye to extremist threats against our home?
Whether our politicians speak out or not—or whether Canadians are exposed to the street-level manifestations of extremism—all Canadians are on the hook for the big bill that covers deployment of law enforcement to babysit anti-Israel and antisemitic protesters. The cost in Toronto alone over the last 18 months was almost $20 million.
If our leaders can’t summon the courage to denounce mobs that—on own our dime—threaten Canadians and burn our flag, then how can we expect them to show any backbone when facing threats from other foreign powers—including those south of the border?
I was raised to believe that Canada, for all its flaws, is a place worth standing up for. It’s a home that people choose because of what Canada represents: not just maple leaves, moose, and manners, but rather the deeper promise of justice, safety, and respect under law. That Canada is a place where extremism doesn’t get a free pass.
On April 28, Canadians will head to the polls to decide who will lead our country. Will Canadian politicians stand with the majority of Canadians who oppose hate mobs, or will they cower in silence?
Groundhog Day was fiction. This isn’t. It’s time we broke the cycle, and our leaders take a stand.
Karen Restoule is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
The author of this piece has worked independently and is solely responsible for the views presented here. The opinions are not necessarily those of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, its directors or supporters. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute is non-partisan and neither endorses nor supports candidates or political parties. We encourage our senior fellows to comment on public policy issues, including during election campaigns, but the publication of such expert commentary should not be confused with the institute taking a position for or against any party or candidate.
Candidates of all stripes are knocking on doors and asking for our trust. But how can they earn it if they or their party leaders are turning a blind eye to extremist threats against our home?
Whether our politicians speak out or not—or whether Canadians are exposed to the street-level manifestations of extremism—all Canadians are on the hook for the big bill that covers deployment of law enforcement to babysit anti-Israel and antisemitic protesters. The cost in Toronto alone over the last 18 months was almost $20 million.
If our leaders can’t summon the courage to denounce mobs that—on own our dime—threaten Canadians and burn our flag, then how can we expect them to show any backbone when facing threats from other foreign powers—including those south of the border?
I was raised to believe that Canada, for all its flaws, is a place worth standing up for. It’s a home that people choose because of what Canada represents: not just maple leaves, moose, and manners, but rather the deeper promise of justice, safety, and respect under law. That Canada is a place where extremism doesn’t get a free pass.
On April 28, Canadians will head to the polls to decide who will lead our country. Will Canadian politicians stand with the majority of Canadians who oppose hate mobs, or will they cower in silence?
Groundhog Day was fiction. This isn’t. It’s time we broke the cycle, and our leaders take a stand.
Karen Restoule is a senior fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute
