Senate report on anti-Jewish hate calls for return of antisemitism envoy

Restoring special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism among recommendations

Published Apr 22, 2026  •  3 minute read

Officers part of Toronto Police's new rapid response counter-terrorism unit stand guard outside a place of worship after shooting incidents at synagogues. Photo by Toronto police handout

OTTAWA — As Jews across Canada deal with an unprecedented surge of hatred and harassment, a recent Senate report on antisemitism is getting the approval of Jewish groups.

Article content

The report, tabled Tuesday in the Red Chamber, adds to calls to reinstate Canada’s special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, a position abolished by the Mark Carney Liberals earlier this year.

Article content

Article content

Produced by the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, Heightened Antisemitism in Canada and How to Confront It, analyses the crisis, offers steps to move forward and concludes the government can’t legislate away issues of hate.

Anti-Jewish hate becoming more frequent

Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA,) said the report comes at a moment of crisis for Canada’s Jewish community.

“As Jewish institutions face violent attacks and Jewish Canadians experience unparalleled levels of hate crimes, antisemitism is no longer confined to the margins — it has spread across our society and institutions,” he said.

“We commend committee members, including Sens. Leo Housakos and David Arnot, for ensuring the report reflects the serious concerns of Canada’s Jewish community.”

Article content

Article content

Just days after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, which saw Palestinian terrorists storm Gaza-adjacent communities and unleash a campaign of murders, kidnappings and sexual assaults, anti-Israel and far-left protesters here at home commenced a campaign of their own against Canada’s Jewish communities — resulting in hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrations, encampments on university campuses and intimidation marches through Jewish neighbourhoods.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, committee chair Sen. Paulette Senior said the report is timely, considering the rise in hate infecting Canada’s streets.

“We really wanted to be able to understand from their perspectives what was going on, but also be able to, through that understanding, come up with recommendations that we think are critical to address discrimination against Jews in Canada,” she said.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

Restore antisemitism envoy office: Senator

Among the report’s 22 recommendations are calls for the Mark Carney government to reinstate Canada’s special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism — a position abolished earlier this year as part of a “restructuring” of how Ottawa deals with discrimination and hate.

Article content

Deborah Lyons, the last person to hold the position, resigned in July — just three months before the end of her term.

The federal government abolished the position in February, along with the special representative on combatting Islamophobia — replacing both with a new “rights, equality and inclusion” advisory council overseen by the Canadian identity and culture minister.

“We think it’s important, based on what we heard in testimonies, that there is still a focus on each of those communities,” Senior said.

“In terms of addressing antisemitism, because of how pernicious it’s been, perhaps the way to get some real action going is if there was a focus on these issues, as opposed to a multiple of issues at the same time.”

Education ‘key’ to fighting hate

Listed first in the report’s recommendations, the committee said the new envoy should be equipped with a mandate to advise government on “policy, education initiatives and international co-operation relating to antisemitism and Holocaust remembrance.”

Article content

Other recommendations include combatting online extremism and radicalization, more education on hate and support for Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act that would create “bubble zones” around religious and cultural properties, criminalizing the display of hate symbols and easing the prosecution of hate crimes.

The report also underlined the importance of fighting antisemitism through education.

“I think it’s key, to be quite frank …. legislation is only part of the problem,” Senior said, adding that learning about the Holocaust during her schooldays made a lifetime impression on her.

“As a Black woman, for example, I know how critical it is to address issues around anti-Black racism and that it becomes a part of the curriculum. It’s no different for Jewish Canadians.”

[email protected]

Read More

1. 

   Groups question decision to end antisemitism, Islamophobia envoy positions

2. 

   Anti-Jewish hatred in Canada spiked in 2024, new audit says

Article content