OTTAWA – B’nai Brith Canada has formally asked Parliament’s Standing Committee on Science and Research to require that the new Capstone Research Funding Organization ensure federal research grants do not subsidize hate or antisemitic activity.
The organization filed a submission dated October 9, 2025, arguing that institutions and projects receiving federal research money must attest to full compliance with Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and that Jewish people be explicitly included within the Capstone organization’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility framework.
Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s director of research and advocacy, said in a press summary that thousands of taxpayer dollars have, in some cases, supported projects “that promote hateful and polarizing views of Israel, Jews and the Western world.” He called on the government to close that gap.
B’nai Brith’s brief to the committee lists concrete recommendations. The group asks that the Capstone Research Funding Organization require post-secondary partners to certify that projects funded under its programs conform to the federal Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives, 2024–2028. The brief also calls for a national five-year program to increase literacy of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism among Canadian youth.
The submission cites examples that it says illustrate the risk. One example referenced in B’nai Brith’s wider advocacy materials involves a federal contribution to a Pride event whose organizers endorsed a Palestine Solidarity Pride campaign and BDS measures. B’nai Brith describes such endorsements as incompatible with the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.
The federal government announced the creation of a Capstone Research Funding Organization in Budget 2024 and asked federal research agencies to consult stakeholders on the design and implementation of the new body. The department note describes the capstone as intended to foster multidisciplinary and mission-driven research while coordinating existing granting councils. B’nai Brith’s brief urges that the design include safeguards against the misuse of public funds.
Not all stakeholders take the same view of how the capstone should be structured. Academic groups have urged that the new organization protect investigator-led research and the independence of peer review from political interference. The Canadian Association of University Teachers warned that reforms must not compromise academic freedom, while Evidence for Democracy and other organizations asked for transparency and broad stakeholder engagement. B’nai Brith says these concerns underscore why guardrails are necessary to prevent public funds from supporting discrimination.
B’nai Brith’s submission also asks the federal government to amend granting agreements so recipients are contractually bound to the Anti-Racism Strategy and to provide ongoing funding for IHRA education. The group recommended mandatory antisemitism training for federal public servants that includes the IHRA working definition. Those measures are framed as protections for Jewish students and academics who have experienced a recent rise in antisemitic incidents.
Government officials and the Capstone process administrators have signaled that consultations are ongoing. The ministers who announced the capstone asked granting agencies to submit summary reports so community perspectives could inform the organization’s design. B’nai Brith says its brief should be considered part of that consultative record.
For Jewish and pro-Israel audiences, the brief frames the issue as one of accountability and community safety. B’nai Brith concludes that taxpayers should not underwrite projects that normalize or propagate antisemitic narratives. The group is urging Parliament to adopt its recommendations as the capstone is finalized.
This article is based on verified information from B’nai Brith Canada’s press release and submission to the Standing Committee on Science and Research, the official Government of Canada description of the Capstone Research Funding Organization consultations, and submissions and commentary from research sector stakeholders, including CAUT and Evidence for Democracy.