Jewish Labour Committee of Canada : The Jewish Labour Committee of Canada, J.L.C., which became one of the more prominent organizations in the Canadian labour movement, was established in 1935-1936. Its membership was composed of trade unionists and social democrats who were united in the common struggle against all forms of dictatorship and oppression. During the 1930's, the J.L.C., which reflected the ideals of the inter-war labour movement, regarded its primary task to alert the organized trade union movement and other democratic elements to the dangers of Nazism and Fascism. It provided support for victims of these regimes through its Aid to Russia War Relief programmes during World War II and by organizing the rescue of refugees in France, Portugal, Eastern Europe and Asia.
In the immediate post-war period, the J.L.C. participated in assisting refugees in Displaced Persons Camps. Children's homes and rehabilitation centres were established in Europe. Considerable numbers were resettled in Canada through its sponsorship of the Garment Workers project begun in 1947. Throughout the 1950's the J.L.C. conducted pioneering field studies into all aspects and forms of discrimination in Canadian society. It was successful in persuading the three levels of government to legislate the abolition of discrimination and racism and to adopt and promote human rights policies within their jurisdictions. Various forms of protective legislation were passed in the areas of fair employment practices, housing, education, hate propaganda and the protection of minority rights. Its efforts ultimately led to the establishment of provincial human rights commissions.
Many of the J.L.C.'s post-war accomplishments were carried on through the work of Labour Committees for Human Rights which were established in cities across Canada in co-operation with the Canadian Labour Congress and the Canadian Jewish Congress. The J.L.C. was a founding member of the United Council for Human Rights in Quebec in 1964 and the Joint Advisory Committee on Labour Relations. Several individuals prominent in the civil liberties and labour movements served the J.L.C. in various capacities. Among them were Sid Blum, A. Alan Borovoy, Kalmen Kaplansky, David Orlikow and Michael Rubinstein. In promoting the cause of human rights, the J.L.C. established a distinguished award for Canadians who had performed outstanding service in this area. Among its receipients were Donald MacDonald, Thérèse Casgrain and Claude Ryan.
The J.L.C. was also very active within the Jewish community. In 1944, it became the first community organization to establish the annual tradition of commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Holocaust. It participated in the political struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel and German restitution for victims of Nazism. Since 1948, the J.L.C. had frequently raised its voice in protest to Soviet anti-semitism, Stalin's murder of Jewish intellectuals and the complete supression of all forms of Jewish life within the Soviet Union.
The J.L.C. suspended its operations in 1978. A portion of the records from 1973 onward remain with former members of the J.L.C., perhaps with the thought of resuming its activities.
