Khan: We need solidarity in the face of Islamophobia

2026/08/10 Leave a comment

As we do in the face of antisemitism and other forms of hate:

…Local communities can play a key role in strengthening social cohesion. This was demonstrated by the good people of Clarington, who came together at a town hall to support the harassed Muslim family, and stand firmly against fear-mongering. 

Human connection is a powerful currency in this more isolated digital age, as we can learn we share much in common. Our hearts, like this land, are expansive enough to offer comfort and solidarity in the face of hatred. The Clarington approach can serve as a blueprint for strengthening communities across Canada against Islamophobia, antisemitism, and hate in general.

Source: We need solidarity in the face of Islamophobia

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A tight-knit Toronto hospital unit cared for the dying. Then, a war thousands of miles away tore them apart

2026/08/03 Leave a comment

No winners in this:

…Unsubstantiated claims, then an unsettling development

The investigation into the complaints by Algu and the two doctors who attended the January meeting found they were unsubstantiated. There was no evidence that the meeting was an effort to silence voices advocating for Palestinians, nor was there evidence that they were working in a poisoned environment, the investigation report said.

It also concluded that Algu’s two colleagues were not rehired at a time when there was a funding crunch as well as overstaffing. Shearer previously noted it was a norm at the centre to overstaff.

She also said their bias claims were tainted by discussions they had among themselves after they filed their complaints. Algu’s lawyer told the investigator during the probe that the complainants’ views “should not be discounted simply because they talked about a very difficult workplace situation with one another.”

A day later, the result of the environment assessment came in.

It found Sinai Health leadership did not effectively manage the challenges relating to the expression of views around Israel-Palestine because the leaders had adopted a “softer, compassionate approach” and did not clearly and decisively communicate expectations and boundaries during a complex geopolitical situation, Sinai Health told palliative care staff in a memo.

The investigator also said the point of the assessment was not to make factual findings about any particular individual. But the report went on to focus on Algu, whom the investigator concluded appeared to have a “disproportionately negative impact” on the workplace culture.

Algu said she felt baffled: Was her advocacy an issue for the hospital or was it not?

…The assessment cited “many” unnamed colleagues, defined as at least eight people, as saying Algu’s social media advocacy was “irresponsible” and “offensive,” and not respectful of patient care or safety.

There was a perception that Algu used work time for personal advocacy and solicited colleagues for political causes, those interviewees said.

But no specifics were offered. The assessment did not cite any specific tweet or act of advocacy as an example of wrongdoing, Algu said, it relied on perceptions and feelings. Her complaint, on the other hand, offered specific emails to support her allegations of a poisoned work environment. As for advocating during work, she said she used to sometimes tweet during breaks like other physicians, but she stopped even those sometime in early 2024.

“I did go to a small number of protests on work days but would take vacation days for that.” she said. She also did not identify herself as a Sinai employee in any of her public advocacy, Algu said.

She said did not even know her conduct was being investigated as part of the workplace environment assessment until the final report was given to her.

Labour and Employment lawyer Jackie Esmonde, who represented Algu, declined to comment on the Sinai situation, but said that, in general, it was “extremely unusual and procedurally unfair for a workplace investigation to make negative findings against an employee without giving the opportunity to both know about the allegations and respond.”

The documents the Star reviewed contained no examples in support of the findings. Sinai Health did not offer any details when asked about the specific concerns related to Algu.

“We don’t share details or comment about our employees, physicians, scientists, learners or volunteers,” the Sinai spokesperson said. “Our highest priority is to ensure accessible and safe care for all.”

Investigator Gillian Shearer declined to comment, citing lawyer-client confidentiality. She said, “I conducted the investigation fairly and considered all the available relevant evidence.” Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt declined to comment.

Before she was given details of the investigations, Algu was told Sinai had dismissed her complaint about Hershl Berman’s tweet.

Posts on X did not count as workplace conduct in this case, Osler concluded, because the communications were unrelated to Sinai Health and did not become workplace conduct simply because Algu and Berman were both colleagues.

Berman had posted “a picture of my face, my social profile, my tweet, and called me a racist,” Algu said, noting that Sinai had considered his social media as being outside of the workplace. “Yet, somehow my social media was considered workplace,” she said. She also said that she never referenced patients in her social media, while Berman did, yet she was the one called out by the workplace investigator for not considering patient safety.

Concerns over Berman’s social media resurfaced this year during an election to choose the next president of the Ontario Medical Association (OMA). Berman was one of five candidates to lead the prominent advocacy group for a one-year term.

“What is at issue here is not disagreement; it is conduct,” more than 150 doctors told the OMA in a letter in February. Algu, who was by then not a part of Sinai, also signed it. “Publicly branding colleagues as antisemitic, hateful, or aligned with Hamas/extremist groups without due process or evidence crosses from discourse into harassment, intimidation, and reputational attack,” the letter said.

The OMA hired an external evaluator to review the candidates’ social media. While the evaluator found no grounds to exclude Berman from the race, his posts — from late 2024 through December 2025 — were flagged as having used “language frequently characterized by a confrontational and combative tone.” No other candidates’ social media was flagged.

After another candidate soundly won the race, Berman told the National Post his religion was a factor in the treatment he received.

Candidates for OMA presidents and board directors have been subject to social media checks since 2021, and the screening is standard during an election, the OMA told the Star. The vetting “is not focused on personal opinions or positions but on interactions that could impact eligibility to hold office,” a spokesperson said….

Source: A tight-knit Toronto hospital unit cared for the dying. Then, a war thousands of miles away tore them apart

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Urback: Hate absolutely has its place in Canada. It has been normalized, ignored and excused

2026/07/30 Leave a comment

Unfortunately correct, particularly for the Jewish community but not limited to it:

…We know that hate has its place in Canada not simply because these acts have occurred, but because nothing meaningful is being done about them. The Prime Minister won’t name the problem. Law enforcement, Crown prosecutors and politicians all blame each other for failing to take action. Ottawa’s response is to assemble an advisory council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion, and to throw money at Jewish institutions to beef up their security. That is as clear an admission as anything that hate indeed has its place in Canada: We know the hate is here, but instead of tackling it, we’ll give you money to insulate yourselves from it. 

This is Canada’s new normal. A bakery’s windows are smashed, and we sigh and move on. Buildings are shot at, and we click our tongues. Many Jews are now actively exploring emigration to places where hate is less readily excused or ignored, unlike in Canada, where politicians insist “this is not who we are” while pretending not to recognize what this country has become. 

A day after the attacks on Kiva’s Bakery, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller, who will also chair the Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion, wrote on X that “Antisemitism has no place in our communities, and it is an attack on the values of inclusion and respect that define our country.” But that view is precisely the problem. Antisemitism absolutely has a well-established place in our communities now; a weekend trip to Bathurst and Sheppard will confirm that. The more pertinent question before the government now is if it intends to actually do something about it, or simply offer money for bulletproof glass and continue deluding itself with the notion that hate has not been normalized in Canada.

Source: Hate absolutely has its place in Canada. It has been normalized, ignored and excused

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Counterpoint: The Muslim Association of Canada’s recent conference was about faith and community

2026/07/02 2 Comments

Valid critique of some of the Postmedia reporting and commentary:

…There are 50 entries visible in the word cloud. The three words that dominate the image, rendered in the largest fonts because word clouds scale by frequency, are “United,” “Justice” and “Strong.” Those were the words Canadian Muslim youth chose most. Below them, in slightly smaller font, sits words such as “Peace,” “Equality,” “Equity,” “Freedom,” “Safety,” “Diverse,” “Supportive” and “Impactful.” These are the words of a generation thinking seriously about how to contribute to this country.

One of the entries, the one that has triggered conversation on social media, was “Jew free.” The facilitator did not notice it. A Juno News contributor was present at the convention. The photograph was taken by Juno News. Juno News did not call it out at the moment, when there was an opportunity to do so. Juno News then published it, leading to public controversy.

The phrase “Jew free” is offensive and hurtful to Jewish Canadians, to Muslim Canadians, and to anyone committed to a pluralistic society. Neither MAC nor the Muslim community should be defined by an anonymous submission to an open platform, but we will always name hatred for what it is.

For greater clarity, the phrase is unequivocally against Islamic teachings and, as such, it does not represent the values of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), the values taught at our convention or the values of Canadian Muslims. It is also worth stating something that should be obvious but has been obscured in this coverage: antisemitism and Islamophobia are not competing hatreds. They often travel together. Any organization genuinely committed to combating hate understands that you cannot separate them. MAC understands this all too well.

This is not the only misrepresentation of the convention, as we see it. Sessions of the convention were recorded, clipped and stripped of context. Specific remarks by speakers that directly contradict the narrative being constructed were not reported. For example, in one session, a speaker demonstrated a platform that helps citizens draft letters to elected representatives. The session was then framed as something threatening. The tool the speaker demonstrated is functionally identical to what environmental organizations, labour unions and faith-based advocacy groups across the political spectrum use every day, but apparently becomes sinister when Muslims use it….

Source: Counterpoint: The Muslim Association of Canada’s recent conference was about faith and community

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Gail Asper, who helped create the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, raises concerns about its upcoming Nakba exhibit along with Cotler, with balance provided by Lederman

2026/06/25 Leave a comment

Struck a nerve:

When the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg opens a show about Palestinian displacement this weekend, one of its founders may be standing outside protesting.

Philanthropist Gail Asper, who led the museum project after the 2003 death of her father, media owner Izzy Asper, fears that the exhibition about the exile of Palestinians from what is now Israel lacks historical context and might inflame antisemitism in Canada.

“I definitely would protest. I am not going to attend the opening,” she said, although she added she does plan to see the show. It opens to the general public Saturday, after a launch on Friday. “I’m never the sort of person that wants a book banned before I’ve read it, so I will go and I will take a look.”

The show, entitled Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, is devoted to the Palestinian experience of exile after 1947 and uses photographs, videos and objects to relay first-person accounts. It has become controversial in the Jewish community because it does not cover the history surrounding the establishment of Israel, nor the displacement of Jews from Arab lands after the creation of the state of Israel in 1948….

Source: Gail Asper, who helped create the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, raises concerns about its upcoming Nakba exhibit

The Canadian Museum of Human Rights has failed its mandate

…In truth, 1948 produced a double catastrophe: Arab Palestinian displacement resulting from war, and the mass displacement of Jews from Arab lands. Any institution claiming scholarly seriousness must grapple with both.

Instead, the museum privileges one historical memory while marginalizing another.

That is not education. It is curation by omission.

Museums are not activist or propagandistic platforms. They are custodians of public trust. Their role is not to inflame but to illuminate; not to advance ideological narratives but to encourage inquiry, historical nuance and civic understanding.

When museums abandon scholarly neutrality for activism, they become instruments of polarization.

That risk is especially acute today, amid an unprecedented explosion of antisemitism, deep communal fracture and public anxiety.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights should be helping bridge divides, not deepen them.

A museum devoted to human rights need not avoid difficult subjects. But it must present them with evidence-based inquiry, context, intellectual honesty and moral seriousness.

In this case, it has failed that test.

If the museum wishes to contribute meaningfully to public understanding, it must revisit this exhibition’s framing and ensure it reflects historical truth rather than a selective political narrative.

Canadians deserve better from one of their most important public institutions.

Irwin Cotler was Canada’s minister of justice and first special envoy on Holocaust remembrance and antisemitism,Mark L. Berlin is Professor of Practice at McGill University and former senior adviser on the Middle East to the minister of justice, Alan H. Kessel is a former assistant deputy minister and legal adviser at Global Affairs Canada.

Lederman: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is right to portray the stories of displaced Palestinians

…Ms. Khan says she is concerned about antisemitism, as the head of a human rights museum should be – as every Canadian should be. She is also concerned that Palestinian experiences were under-represented in the museum. As she should be.

Rational people should be able to distinguish between a foreign dignitary’s museum visit and actual foreign interference. Reasonable people should understand that a human rights museum has every reason to profile the stories of displaced Palestinians. Reasonable people should also understand that the museum has a responsibility to present such stories with integrity. The Canadian public is counting on this national museum, this Crown corporation, to tell these stories. And to tell them fairly and responsibly.







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Lederman: There’s a lot not to like about the new anti-hate council

2026/06/22 Leave a comment

Never was convinced that these two positions were effective in reducing hate but they did provide assurances to the specific groups. We will see if the council will be more or less successful (don’t envy the officials responsible…):

…The group replaces Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia and the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. That was the government’s first mistake. Why not keep those positions (and perhaps set up others) and have the various representatives sit on a wider council? 

The problem is urgent, but beyond this announcement, it’s unclear what is happening. In responding to an interview request, one council member indicated they had not yet been officially onboarded and was waiting to have a better sense of specifics. 

Meanwhile, Canadian youth are being hired by a foreign entity to shoot up synagogues. 

Government bureaucracy is notoriously snail-paced. This is no time for dawdling or endless committee discussions, but for meaningful action. This week’s passing of the anti-hate bill will offer some protection. But hate must be targeted at its root, not just its activation. It’s going to be a massive challenge. Let’s go.

Source: There’s a lot not to like about the new anti-hate council

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Silberstein: Rank Islamophobia in Congress is a crisis for American Jews

2026/06/19 1 Comment

Of note:

A growing caucus in the House of Representatives is targeting Muslims, and American Jews should be deeply concerned.

The Sharia-Free America Caucus, established in December, now boasts more than 60 members, all of whom are Republican. In announcing its establishment, one of its founders, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, warned that, “from Texas to every state in this constitutional republic, instances of Sharia adherents masquerading as ‘refugees’ — and in many cases, sleeper cells connected to terrorist organizations — are threatening the American way of life.”

His language was reminiscent of past xenophobic claims made about Irish and Jewish immigrants flooding the country with, respectively, Catholicism and communism. And the fact that the caucus has expanded in influence speaks to the continued radicalization of the Republican Party and the growing threat of American Christian nationalism. The attacks on our Muslim neighbors from the party in power call for Jews to stand up in defense of the value of religious pluralism in the United States.

American Muslims are the right’s immediate targets. But Muslims and Jews both stand to lose if the U.S. becomes an even less liberal and more strictly Christian nation than it is today.

A fictional threat

No one should dismiss the Sharia-Free America Caucus as a flash in the pan. Its membership includes a member of the Republican House leadership, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, who has said that “Sharia is completely incompatible with the American way of life and threatens the very fabric of our society.”

The caucus has introduced a number of pieces of legislation to combat the fictional threat of Sharia law, prompting a public letter signed by 119 Democrats demanding the House leadership not allow a vote on these ridiculous bills.

The Democrats are right to be drawing attention to this appalling demonstration of rank bigotry by dozens of Republican members of Congress. It should go without saying that there is no threat of Sharia law supplanting secular American law. Such talk is nothing but the crude fantasy of demagogues.

Instead, the caucus is twisting ordinary religious practices to demonize millions of Americans.

Sharia law, like Jewish halacha, is an unsettled body of religious law that has been interpreted, reinterpreted, and debated for centuries. In the U.S., scholars of Islamic law can weigh in on certain kinds of civil cases such as business disputes. This is exactly how batei din operate for many observant Jews: not as structures that replace American law, but as mechanisms that specific communities turn to voluntarily to help decide internal questions.

Just as the establishment of a Halacha-Free America Caucus would be an illegitimate and plainly hateful assault on the dignity of American Jews, so the existence of this caucus is an insulting act of bigotry toward American Muslims. The message being sent to them is clear: You do not belong here, and if you want to stay out of trouble, you can only practice your faith in ways the majority religious group finds acceptable.

A dark American history

These attacks against Muslims are continuous with a strain of illiberalism and xenophobia in the history of the U.S. with which Jews should be familiar. Yes, this country welcomed ships of Eastern European Jewish refugees at Ellis Island; but it also enacted the 1924 Johnson-Reed immigration quotas — which ultimately helped trap Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe.

After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, American Muslims faced widespread discrimination in the name of national security — including illegal detainments and unconstitutional invasive police surveillance of communities. Once the terrorism panic subsided, Islamophobia became a standard part of the right-wing playbook….

Abe Silberstein is the Associate Director, North America, of The Abraham Initiatives, an Israel-based NGO working to achieve equality between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Source: Rank Islamophobia in Congress is a crisis for American Jews

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Propos sur le « frérisme »: Ottawa accuse le chef du PQ de propager « une théorie du complot »

2026/04/27 Leave a comment

Valid criticism of PQ:

« Je pense que cela ressemble pas mal à une théorie du complot », a déploré mercredi le député de la région de Québec et ex-ministre Jean-Yves Duclos.

« La politique la plus facile, c’est celle de diviser. Il faut absolument travailler autrement dans le contexte mondial dans lequel on vit. Il faut qu’on soit unis et que l’on travaille ensemble et éviter de se polariser comme d’autres pays le font », a-t-il ajouté.

Pour sa part, le ministre de l’Identité et de la Culture canadiennes, Marc Miller, a qualifié de « ridicules » les propos du chef péquiste.

Le libéral réagissait aux déclarations de Paul St-Pierre Plamondon qui a affirmé que le « frérisme » – une idéologie prônée par les Frères musulmans qui vise à islamiser les sociétés occidentales – « est une réalité documentée dans plusieurs pays d’Europe », mais que « la seule raison pourquoi on ne la documente pas au Canada, c’est que c’est l’agenda du gouvernement en place ».

« Je suis désolé, mais c’est ça », a soutenu le chef du Parti québécois, qui a ajouté que le « Québec n’étant pas un pays est subordonné à des décisions et à un service de renseignements absolument pas orienté par l’intérêt public à [son] avis ».

Il a tenu ses propos lors d’une assemblée publique (townhall) organisée par Centre consultatif des relations juives et israéliennes, le 15 avril. Il répondait alors à une question de Léo Dupire, du groupe de droite Québec Fier, qui lui demandait de reconnaître « qu’il y a un problème avec l’immigration musulmane de masse ». M. Dupire relaie lui-même l’extrait sur les réseaux sociaux.

Le leader souverainiste apporte rapidement des nuances à la question de son interlocuteur. « Je vise la paix sociale », affirme-t-il. M. St-Pierre Plamondon déplore ensuite « l’immigration incontrôlée » imposée par Ottawa et propose de « revenir à l’immigration planifiée ».

« Je n’irais pas à dire l’immigration musulmane parce que j’ai eu plusieurs discussions avec des gens qui ont fui des régimes iraniens, saoudiens, afghans. Des gens qui disent : “Moi, j’ai vu comment une société peut virer et je suis conscient du totalitarisme religieux, donc j’ai choisi le Québec pour ne pas vivre là-dedans” », explique le chef péquiste, qui dit vouloir « inclure tout le monde » dans la discussion.

Le Conseil national des musulmans canadiens a dénoncé des déclarations qui ne font « qu’alimenter la peur entre les Québécois avec des idées importées d’Europe ».

« Les propos tenus par M. St-Pierre Plamondon sont à l’image de sa rhétorique habituelle qui laisse planer la suspicion envers nos concitoyens de confession musulmane. En tant que prétendant au pouvoir, il doit être capable d’affirmer clairement que les Québécois de confession musulmane ne sont pas une menace pour notre société », a déploré le président-directeur général, Stephen Brown.

Dans un point de presse mardi à Québec, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon a rappelé que le Parti québécois « est capable d’attirer des candidatures de toutes les religions » qui sont « d’accord sur le contrat social qu’incarne » sa formation politique. Les candidats péquistes dans Jeanne-Mance–Viger et Anjou–Louis-Riel sont notamment de confession musulmane.

De « l’aveuglement volontaire »

Le leader péquiste a également précisé ses propos à l’égard d’Ottawa, mardi. « L’agenda, c’est le multiculturalisme et l’aveuglement devant l’ingérence étrangère », a-t-il expliqué.

Selon lui, il y a matière à inquiétude sur le phénomène du « frérisme » : « Ce serait surprenant qu’il n’y ait pas cette forme d’ingérence étrangère au Québec alors qu’on est en train de la documenter de manière assez précise dans plusieurs pays européens. » Il montre du doigt « la doctrine fédérale » qui est « de fermer les yeux » et d’ouvrir les vannes de l’immigration.

« C’est ce que Trudeau appelait le postnational. Le postnational, c’est un peu l’effondrement de l’État national qui surveille ses intérêts, puis qui voit à une planification », a-t-il dit, ajoutant ne pas observer de changement avec l’arrivée de Mark Carney.

Le ministre des Transports, Steven MacKinnon, s’est montré tout aussi cinglant que Jean-Yves Duclos. « L’agenda du gouvernement, c’est d’assurer la prospérité et la qualité de vie de l’ensemble des Canadiens. Mais venant du gars qui a regardé la caméra pour dire aux gens de l’Outaouais : “C’est ça qui est ça. Vous allez perdre votre job, mais vous allez agir en bons Québécois quand même”, cela ne me surprend pas », a-t-il décoché.

Source: Propos sur le « frérisme »: Ottawa accuse le chef du PQ de propager « une théorie du complot »

“I think it looks a lot like a conspiracy theory,” lamented Quebec City region MP and former Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on Wednesday.

“The easiest policy is to divide. It is absolutely necessary to work differently in the global context in which we live. We must be united and work together and avoid polarizing ourselves as other countries do, “he added.

For his part, the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, Marc Miller, described the words of the Péquista leader as “ridiculous”.

The liberal reacted to the statements of Paul St-Pierre Plamondon who said that “fraerism” – an ideology advocated by the Muslim Brotherhood that aims to Islamize Western societies – “is a documented reality in several European countries”, but that “the only reason why it is not documented in Canada is that it is the agenda of the government in place”.

“I’m sorry, but that’s it,” said the leader of the Parti Québécois, who added that “Quebec, not being a country, is subject to decisions and an intelligence service absolutely not oriented by the public interest to [his] opinion.”

He made his remarks at a public meeting (townhall) organized by the Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations on April 15. He then answered a question from Léo Dupire, of the right-wing group Québec Fier, who asked him to recognize “that there is a problem with mass Muslim immigration”. Mr. Dupire relays the excerpt himself on social networks.

The sovereignist leader quickly brings nuances to the question of his interlocutor. “I aim for social peace,” he says. Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon then deplores “the uncontrolled immigration” imposed by Ottawa and proposes to “return to planned immigration”.

“I would not go to say Muslim immigration because I have had several discussions with people who have fled Iranian, Saudi, Afghan regimes. People who say: “I have seen how a society can turn and I am aware of religious totalitarianism, so I chose Quebec not to live in it,” explains the Pequist leader, who says he wants to “include everyone” in the discussion.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims denounced statements that “only fuel fear among Quebecers with ideas imported from Europe”.

“The remarks made by Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon are in the image of his usual rhetoric that leaves suspicion towards our fellow citizens of Muslim faith. As a contender for power, he must be able to clearly state that Muslim Quebecers are not a threat to our society, “lamented President and CEO Stephen Brown.

In a press briefing on Tuesday in Quebec City, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon recalled that the Parti Québécois “is able to attract applications from all religions” who are “agree on the social contract that embodies” its political formation. The Péquist candidates in Jeanne-Mance–Viger and Anjou–Louis-Riel are in particular Muslim.

Of “voluntary blindness”

The Pequist leader also clarified his remarks about Ottawa on Tuesday. “The agenda is multiculturalism and blindness to foreign interference,” he explained.

According to him, there is cause for concern about the phenomenon of “frarism”: “It would be surprising if there was no such thing as this form of foreign interference in Quebec when it is being documented quite precisely in several European countries. He points to “the federal doctrine” which is “to close the eyes” and open the floodges of immigration.

“This is what Trudeau called the postnational. The post-national is a bit of the collapse of the national state that monitors its interests, then sees to planning, “he said, adding that he did not observe any change with the arrival of Mark Carney.

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon was just as scathing as Jean-Yves Duclos. “The government’s agenda is to ensure the prosperity and quality of life for all Canadians. But coming from the guy who looked at the camera to say to the people of the Outaouais: “That’s what it is. You will lose your job, but you will act like good Quebecers anyway,” it does not surprise me, “he said.

Filed under Islamophobia, Multiculturalism, Religion Tagged with , , ,

Lederman: Now is a bad time for Canada to ditch its antisemitism and Islamophobia envoys

2026/02/12 2 Comments

Yet another commentary arguing for keeping the envoys. Still remain to be convinced that envoys will be any more effective than the council, apart from providing some comfort to affected groups:

…Why not keep these envoys and have them report to the council? 

Granted, the status quo wasn’t working. And it’s fair to question why a government assigns these roles to only specific groups. Why not for Black people – who are the most targeted for hate crimes in Canada – or Indigenous people, or LGBTQ+ folks?

But the way hatred aimed at Jews is being accepted, mainstreamed or shrugged off these days, all around the world, is astounding. 

Canadians are fortunate to have a government that cares enough about discrimination to create this council. But this is crisis time for the Jewish and Muslim communities. Specially designed roles are required, with strong people in them willing to take on all that hate; I don’t know how Ms. Lyons did it, or how Ms. Elghawaby has been doing it. Kudos to them both, and to Mr. Cotler.

It is imperative that the voices representing these communities do not get drowned out, watered down, or disqualified in a council dealing with what shouldn’t be, but sadly and certainly at times will be, opposing concerns.

Source: Now is a bad time for Canada to ditch its antisemitism and Islamophobia envoys

Former Minister and envoy Cotler:

…Mr. Cotler, founder and international chair of the Montreal-based Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights non-profit, and Canada’s first antisemitism envoy between 2020 and 2023, said the government’s decision to abolish his former post was “however well intentioned …. uninformed, ill-advised and prejudicial, both to its mandates of preserving Holocaust remembrance and combatting antisemitism.”

He said the decision had been made “precisely at a time when we are witnessing an unprecedented global explosion of antisemitism, including here in Canada, and rising levels of Holocaust denial, distortion, minimization and inversion.”

Mr. Cotler said in a statement that the new advisory council on rights, equality and inclusion, while valuable, will be no replacement for the envoy role. 

“From my experience, such a council, while necessary to combat all forms of hate, tends to marginalize or erase the singularity of anti-Jewish hatred, its globality, and its descent into standing threats of intimidation, harassment, violence and even terrorism,” he said. “This decision will end up, however inadvertently, making Jews in Canada less safe, and feeling less safe.” 

The new advisory council will be overseen by Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller, and it is not known if Ms. Elghawaby, the Islamophobia envoy who still had several months left on her term, will be a member. …

Source: Former antisemitism envoy warns abolition of the post could make Canadian Jews less safe

From former head of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation:

…This is not about privileging one community over another. It is about protecting the integrity of Canada’s human rights framework. Antisemitism remains the oldest and most persistent hatred in Western history. Islamophobia has intensified in recent decades and has proved deadly in Canada. Treating these realities as interchangeable risks responding inadequately to both.

Unity is not built by flattening differences or avoiding difficult truths. It is built through recognition, accountability and trust. Communities facing rising hatred are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for visible leadership, institutional commitment and meaningful consultation. When decisions affecting them are made without that engagement, trust erodes — and trust is far harder to rebuild than institutions.

Canada does not face a choice between unity and effectiveness. It can pursue both. But doing so requires clarity, not consolidation. Dedicated offices with clear mandates, stable funding and public accountability should be strengthened, not dissolved. Advisory bodies should support this work, not replace it.

As we remember the victims of the Quebec City mosque attack and reflect on the enduring lessons of the Holocaust, the minister of Canadian Identity and Culture should reconsider this decision. Combating hatred is not a matter of administrative efficiency. One size does not fit all.

Source: Opinion: Let’s not dilute antisemitism and Islamophobia

Filed under Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Multiculturalism Tagged with , ,

Kutty | Two major cuts by Carney are testing the limits of community trust

2026/02/10 Leave a comment

As I wrote some four years ago, don’t believe these envoys facilitate integration and greater mutual understanding as they tend to be advocates for particular group: Racism and the need for a national integration commission:

…In practical terms, Ottawa’s legitimacy on this issue will now depend on what happens next.

Who will sit on the new council? Will Muslim and Jewish leaders be adequately represented? Will the council have independence and influence? Will its recommendations shape legislation, policing, education, and online regulation? Will ministers remain directly accessible to affected communities?

Racism and religious discrimination are not interchangeable phenomena. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Black racism, and anti-Indigenous racism each have distinct histories and dynamics. Treating them as generic “hate” risks flattening those differences. At the same time, siloed responses can obscure shared structural causes such as economic precarity, digital radicalization, and political scapegoating.

The government must now demonstrate — through appointments, funding, transparency, and sustained engagement — that it is not retreating from the fight against Islamophobia and antisemitism, but reorganizing it in good faith.

Community organizations are right to remain vigilant. Monitoring, advocacy, and constructive pressure are not signs of disloyalty. They are essential features of democratic accountability.

This moment should not be framed as a simple victory or betrayal. It is better understood as a test.

A test of whether Ottawa can move from symbolic politics to durable partnerships. A test of whether institutional reform will deepen or dilute accountability. And a test of whether trust — so painstakingly built over years — will be reinforced or quietly eroded.

The answer will not be found in press releases. It will be found in practice.

Source: Opinion | Two major cuts by Carney are testing the limits of community trust

Filed under Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Multiculturalism Tagged with ,

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