Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is eliminating two Trudeau-era positions, Canada’s special envoys on combatting antisemitism and Islamophobia, CTV News reported on Wednesday.
The roles will be replaced by a new body called the Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion, which will be responsible for addressing racism and hate in all forms.
Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller said Wednesday that the change is “about folding in those two positions unto a new committee on national unity." He said the Liberals recognize how divided the country has become and that the stand-alone positions “played an important part in identifying these issues that have become in the case of Islamophobia and antisemitism, quite polarized."
“Now it’s about taking the next step into a national unity committee that is broad, that does recognize the specificities of Islamophobia and antisemitism, but is focused on national unity," Miller said, as quoted by CTV News. “And I think that’s important." He added that the council will report to him and to Carney, offering “their important views and approaches on what we do as a next step."
Canada’s last special envoy on combatting antisemitism, Deborah Lyons, resigned in July. Amira Elghawaby, the special representative on combatting Islamophobia, still had a year left in her mandate.
The new council will include academics, experts, and community leaders who have not yet been named. They will consult across the country and coordinate efforts to protect rights, with a mandate to promote “social cohesion" and unite Canadians “around shared identity."
Jewish and Muslim advocacy groups said they were not informed of the shift and are now urging the federal government to ensure that the work of the two offices is not weakened under the new structure.
B’nai Brith Canada warned the government not to undermine efforts to fight antisemitism. “We are hopeful that this initiative will serve Canadians’ best interests and develop real strategies for combating the proliferation of hatred in our society," said Richard Robertson, the group’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “Unfortunately, the Government failed to take advantage of its Special Envoy, allowing the position to remain vacant during a crisis of antisemitism."
“The new advisory council must prioritize combating antisemitism. The numbers speak for themselves. Urgent action is required to confront the problem head-on and without delay," he added.
Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The new Advisory Council must not dilute Canada’s efforts to combat antisemitism. Antisemitism has reached unprecedented proportions in Canada and requires heightened focus. The Government must ensure it only appoints credible, capable experts who understand antisemitism’s distinct nature and grasp the challenge at hand."
B’nai Brith is also urging the council to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, adopted by Canada in 2019. Wolle added, “Introducing this new council does not reduce the need for Canada to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry on antisemitism. Jewish Canadians are targeted at higher rates, according to official statistics, than other minorities. This problem has intensified since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, massacred civilians, and took dozens of hostages."
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) CEO Noah Shack said the community recognizes the work done by previous envoys. “We want to acknowledge the important work led by the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism under both Deborah Lyons and Irwin Cotler."
Shack said the current situation requires stronger federal leadership. “With antisemitism and extremism continuing to surge across the country, the status quo was untenable. Impact requires leadership from the federal government in coordination with all other levels of government."
He added that the Jewish community expects “immediate concrete action" on long-standing priorities, including security support and addressing sources of hate. “It is crucial that the government's new approach and the composition of the advisory council are designed to achieve meaningful outcomes in combatting the unprecedented wave of antisemitism and extremism in Canada."