Toronto Public Library Board's New Rental Policy Reflects Community Concerns

December 12, 2017

Media Statement

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Toronto (December 12, 2017) -- Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC)commends the Toronto Public Library Board for unanimously passing its revisedCommunity and Event Space Rental Policy last night to reflect communityconcerns. 

Following discussions with Library Board members and administrators, FSWC hasbeen assured that under the revised policy, bookings will be carefully examinedon a case-by-case basis to determine if an event is likely to promote or havethe effect of promoting discrimination, contempt or hatred, with no eventgetting a pass based on its stated purpose alone. 

"This revised policy is very much in keeping with community concerns aboutthe use of public spaces and will help to better ensure that they remain safeand welcoming places for all," said Avi Benlolo CEO and President of FSWC."We are hopeful that library administrators will now have the tools theyneed to put the revised policy as intended into play." 

The intention of the revised policy is to charge administrators with diggingdeeper into all the circumstances of events, including information about theorganizers, to determine whether promotion of discrimination or harassment islikely. Changes to the procedures, including an expanded application form, willhelp to ensure that administrators have the information they need beforegranting their stamp of approval to the use of public space.

MediaContact:

Avital Borisovsky
Communications Associate
416.864.9735 x 29
aborisovsky@fswc.ca

Followus on Twitter at@CanadianFSWCforlatest news and organization updates.

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Friends of SimonWiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is a top Jewish human rightsfoundation in Canada's organized Jewish community. It directly impacts over100,000 people each year and 500,000+peripherally. FSWC is committed tocountering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles oftolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy andeducationalprograms including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit,Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimedTour for Humanity. FSWC isaffiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish humanrights organization headquartered in Los Angeles which has won two AcademyAwards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem)and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europeand the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca.

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