Former special envoy Irwin Cotler emphasized the urgent need for a coordinated action plan to address the increasing threat of antisemitism, stating that the federal government has not fully grasped the severity of the issue. In an interview with CBC’s program “The House,” Cotler highlighted the importance of collective responsibility in combating antisemitism rather than working in isolation.
Cotler, who was appointed as Canada’s inaugural special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and fighting antisemitism in 2020, expressed concern following a recent terrorist attack at a synagogue in northern England. He stressed that antisemitic hate crimes have a global impact, resonating from Manchester to Montreal, and are on the rise worldwide.
The rise of antisemitism poses a threat not only to Jewish communities but also to democracies, according to Cotler. He warned that historical lessons demonstrate that hatred targeted at Jews often extends beyond the Jewish population.
Statistics Canada reported a significant increase in police-reported hate crimes against Jewish individuals in 2024, surpassing those targeting other religious groups. Cotler urged for a proactive approach to combat the surge in hate crimes, emphasizing the need to prevent incidents like the Manchester attack from occurring in Canada.
Justice Minister Sean Fraser recently introduced legislation aimed at addressing hate crimes, including offenses related to promoting hatred against identifiable groups using symbols associated with hate or terrorism. The proposed Combatting Hate Act targets symbols like the swastika and Hamas flags, aiming to prevent hate-motivated crimes and protect places of worship.
While the government works on protecting places of worship and combating hate crimes, concerns have been raised about potential infringements on the right to peaceful protest. In response to the alarming rise of antisemitism, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather and his colleagues issued a statement condemning the normalization of antisemitic acts in Canada and calling for collective action against hatred toward Jewish communities.
