
Jewish Canadian Liberal Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather on Wednesday denounced a poster that appeared on a Montreal lamppost asking him to “get out of Canada”, Global News reported.
Images of the poster online showed it displaying the Israeli flag next to the flag of Nazi Germany, calling Housefather a “neo-Nazi” and describing Zionism as “terrorism.”
“My family has been here since the 19th century and we have indeed helped build this country,” Housefather, who represents the riding of Mount Royal, on the island of Montreal, wrote in a post on social media site X.
“I am not going anywhere. Sorry antisemites. You may not like what I have to say but I will keep saying it and I will keep being a proud Jew and a Zionist,” he added.
Global News reached out to Housefather, who said his team has reported this incident to the police. He declined to comment further.
The poster was denounced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who wrote, “Anthony, I’m angry that this happened to you. It’s antisemitic, and it’s disgusting. Jewish Canadians indeed helped build this country and will always have a home here. We stand with you, and the entire community, against this hate.”
Canadian Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland criticized the poster as well and wrote on X, “Antisemitism is vile and unacceptable. Jewish Canadians are our friends, neighbours, and coworkers—and they deserve to live, work, and pray without fear or persecution.”
Avi Benlolo, Founder and CEO of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative, wrote, “I am disgusted about this heinous antisemitic attack on Anthony Housefather and call upon all Canadians to denounce it. Silence is complicity. To all the Antisemites, the Jewish community is here to stay.”
The incident comes amid a surge in antisemitic incidents in Canada, including in Montreal.
In late November, a firebomb was thrown against the door of a Jewish community center in Montreal.
At the beginning of that month, Congregation Beth Tikvah in Dollard-Des Ormeaux was hit by firebombs.
Several days later, two Jewish schools in the city were hit with gunshots. Another Jewish school was riddled with bullets three days after that.
In mid-June, Montreal police launched an investigation after holes that appear to have been caused by a projectile were found in the front windows of a restaurant owned by an Israeli.
This past weekend, a Jewish cemetery in Montreal was vandalized, with the vandals arranging stones over the graves into the shape of a swastika.