Beginning immediately after the Hamas invasion of Israel and massacre of its citizens on October 7, 2023, Canada witnessed a disturbing surge in antisemitism unlike anything seen in recent decades. What have our politicians done in response as this problem has grown? They post condemnations on social media, issue crafted statements, set up committees to determine the causes and move on.
What was once viewed as a problem affecting Jewish communities elsewhere has become a harsh reality in Canada’s cities, schools, universities, and neighbourhoods. Across the country, Jewish Canadians increasingly feel unsafe as they face harassment, intimidation, vandalism, threats, and violence simply because they are Jewish. Synagogues have been targeted, Jewish schools have been shot at, Jewish-owned businesses have been vandalized, protests have repeatedly crossed the line into intimidation, and rhetoric that would have been universally condemned only a few years ago is now too often excused or ignored. Every Jewish institution in Canada now requires increased security, including schools and facilities for seniors. Canadian Jewish communities that have contributed to Canada for generations are increasingly questioning whether they can live safely and openly in this country they call home and some, like author and intellectual Gad Saad, have left.
Antisemitism should concern all Canadians regardless of political views or positions on the conflict in the Middle East and whether a person is Jewish or not. The normalization of antisemitic rhetoric under the guise of political activism and human rights is a threat to all of us. Antisemitism is a bellwether of growing threats to our democracy and a sign of its subversion. When incidents targeting Jews are met with silence, indifference, or a lack of meaningful consequences, Islamists and extremists on the left and the right become emboldened.
A recent incident in downtown Montreal serves as a stark reminder of how far this problem has escalated. During ‘pro-Palestinian’ demonstration in May 2026, participants displayed hanging effigies of Israeli Prime Minister, the American President and an Israeli minister. Regardless of one’s views on the war in Gaza, displaying hanging effigies associated with execution and death crosses a clear red line. It is not legitimate political discourse – it is intimidation. To be clear, criticizing the policies of the Israeli government is legitimate in any democracy. However, when demonstrations normalize intimidation, glorify violence, and create fear with the intended goal of removing Canadian Jews from the public space, political leaders have a responsibility to draw a clear line. If similar imagery were directed at another minority community, such as Muslim Canadians, or the LGBT community there would be immediate and widespread outrage. Yet when incidents involve Jews, Israel, or symbols associated with the Jewish state, our leaders issue statements and then look the other way.
Most political leaders at federal, provincial and municipal levels of government have not only failed to act against it but in some cases enabled it. Since October 7th much of Canada’s political response has been reactive, performative, and focused on optics rather than meaningful action.
Prime Minister Carney’s address to Canadians made from a Toronto synagogue acknowledged the problem but critically, it did not name the causes and offered no solutions. Instead, he announced that the newly created Advisory Council for Rights, Equality and Inclusion will study the causes of antisemitism in Canada, this less than six weeks after the release of a senate report that studied the same thing and laid out suggested steps for the government to follow. Both the senate report and the Prime Minister failed to acknowledge that we all know the causes of rising antisemitism. The rise of extreme leftist ideologies who have made common cause with radical Islamic movements (Red-Green alliance) and the demonization and delegitimization of Israel (anti-Zionism) are sowing hatred, division, and antisemitism in this country. Afraid of being labelled Islamophobes, politicians are reluctant to have honest conversations about this and are allowing it to grow unchecked and watch as it becomes far more difficult to address.
If the federal government is serious about combating antisemitism, then its actions must reflect this commitment. This is precisely why Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent appointments to the federal Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion have generated significant concern. Our organization, CLARITy Coalition, launched a petition calling on the government to reconsider these appointments.
The government has appointed individuals whose records have raised serious questions about their suitability for such a role. The most concerning appointee is Omar Alghabra. It is difficult to understand how someone who previously lobbied against listing Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations can now be tasked with advising the government on combating antisemitism. Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations that have openly promoted violence against Jews and the destruction of Israel. Appointing someone associated with efforts to oppose their designation undermines public confidence in the Council’s credibility and purpose. You cannot effectively combat anti-Jewish hatred by appointing individuals whose past positions have raised legitimate concerns within the Jewish community.
If this committee is to be an advisory council to the Prime Minister, he must appoint credentialed experts in antisemitism and experience security analysts. All must have clear and consistent records of opposing antisemitism, extremism, and terrorism.
Canada should pay close attention to the experiences of the United Kingdom and France. For years, political leaders ignored warning signs surrounding extremism, social fragmentation, and rising antisemitism. The result has been growing social tensions, security concerns, and increasing challenges to social cohesion. Canada still has an opportunity to avoid repeating those mistakes, but only if our leaders are willing to confront difficult realities before they become unmanageable problems.
Addressing antisemitism requires stronger enforcement of hate crime laws, tougher consequences for those who promote hatred and violence, greater support for law enforcement, and meaningful protection for Jewish institutions. Support for organizations that are designated terrorist entities must be criminalized. Most importantly, we require political leaders to begin treating antisemitism as the public safety and national security challenge it has become and understand that antisemitism represents a threat to our democratic values.
This should not be a partisan issue. Antisemitism does not distinguish between Liberal and Conservative voters. Yet too often, politicians across the political spectrum use antisemitism when it is politically convenient and ignore it when it is not. Jewish Canadians deserve the same level of protection, concern, and security as every other community in this country.
Canada loves to talk about diversity, tolerance, and respect. Those words mean nothing if we refuse to defend them when they are under attack. The rise of antisemitism since October 7, 2023, should be a wake-up call. The question is whether our leaders are prepared to acknowledge the well-known causes of this problem and have the courage to deal with them.