HAT Forum

The Humanist Association of Toronto
http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/

Every Saturday we meet on Zoom to discuss a topic decided upon the previous week. These are topics of humanist interest, from a humanist perspective.

The topic of the discussion will be decided in a prior meeting, usually two weeks in advance. The topic of the discussion will be decided in a prior meeting, usually two weeks in advance.

This week will be a HAT presentation as part of our HAT speaker series, postponed from June 27, 2026.

Unpacking Antisemitism: No Easy Answers, presented by Debbie Firestone
Unpacking Antisemitism: No Easy Answers
Often referred to as “the world’s oldest hatred", animosity toward Jews has been around for centuries. Only in the late 19th century, however, did a new specific word emerge to describe it. Since German journalist Wilhelm Marr began using it in his political publications, the term “anti-Semitism” has specifically meant prejudice against Jews. Although this prejudice has never really gone away, “antisemitism” and political controversies around it have surged to the forefront today. In this interactive presentation, HAT member Debbie Firestone will lead us through a collaborative inquiry into the phenomenon of antisemitism, and why it defies any easy definition. Come prepared to participate respectfully and listen actively, with your mind open to new perspectives. The purpose is not to persuade, take sides, or come to a consensus, but to understand.
Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you!
BTW: don't be concerned if there are not many RSVP’s. Many HAT members attend regularly but don’t sign up on Meetup. Our online meetings have been very popular often with 20-30 attendees.

NOTE: The HAT Forum adheres strictly to the City of Toronto Policy on Non-Discrimination (http://www.the519.org/public/content/policy-files/The519SpaceUsePolicy.pdf)
Our Website (http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/)

## Attendees

6
Host
Richard Dowsett
Super Organizer
Sharon Lee
Member
Logans
Member
+3 more

## Who will be there

Gender distribution
👩‍🦰 -99-% females
👨 -99-% males
-99-% other
Age range
-18-99-
Shared interests
-$Technology-
-$Networking-
-$Professional Development-

## Photos

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Privacy is considered to be a fundamental human right, a moral and social good, and is recognized as such in numerous international declarations. But specific laws protecting privacy vary and are often vague or limited in scope.
In Canada numerous court decisions have recognized the existence of a constitutional right to privacy under sections 7 and 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Privacy Act protects personal information held by the federal government. It is a key piece of Canada's overall framework for protecting our privacy interests. For private sector organizations the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) sets out rules for how organizations involved in a commercial activity can collect, use or share personal information. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada, an independent agent of Parliament, oversees compliance with The Privacy Act and PIPEDA. The Commissioner has powers to receive and investigate complaints.
Our online activities are constantly monitored. Small example: my parents are from Finland so I looked up some information about Finland. Now every time I go down the Google rabbit hole, I find several items having to do with Finland. I called a hearing clinic to set up an appointment; now I get several ads for hearing clinics. My purchases from Amazon result in ads for related products. I am not on social media but if I were, I have no doubt similar examples would multiply.
In April 2026, Avi Lewis, newly elected leader of the NDP, tabled a motion in Parliament to ban surveillance pricing, the use of personal data to charge Canadians different prices for the same product. Companies track data such as income, location, browsing history and past purchases to determine one's willingness to pay. Two customers shopping in the same store can be charged different prices for the same item. Avi Lewis's motion calls for the federal government to prohibit this in store and on line.
Meta AI Smart glasses are wearable eyewear that combine built-in cameras, open-ear audio, voice assistant and AI-powered features. These glasses have some practical purposes: translations of menus or other documents, answering calls, navigation, reminders. But people can be recorded without their knowledge. This creates a very serious issue for invasion of privacy. The jump from smart accessory to portable surveillance device is a small one.
What I have written above is the tip of the iceberg. Some questions present themselves:

1. Do you think the right to privacy is important?
2. What do we mean by privacy?
3. What can we do to protect our privacy rights?
4. What more should the government do?
5. With the powerfulness of companies like Google, Amazon, Meta and social media sites, are we fighting a losing battle?
6. Given how much people share on social media, does it seem like many people don't care about privacy?
7. What examples do you have of your privacy rights being violated?
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you!

BTW: don't be concerned if there are not many RSVP’s. Many HAT members attend regularly but don’t sign up on Meetup. Our online meetings have been very popular with 20-30 attendees.

NOTE: The HAT Forum adheres strictly to the City of Toronto Policy on Non-Discrimination (http://www.the519.org/public/content/policy-files/The519SpaceUsePolicy.pdf)

Our Website (http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/)