Groups upset after Ottawa closes offices combating antisemitism, Islamophobia

Winnipeg’s Jewish and Muslim communities say they’re concerned after the federal government announced it would no longer have standalone offices to combat Islamophobia and antisemitism.

Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Marc Miller said Wednesday Ottawa would fold the first special representative on combating Islamophobia and the office of the special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism into a new advisory council on rights, equality and inclusion.

Belle Jarniewski, executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada and leader of the Manitoba Institute to Combat Antisemitism, said the news was disappointing and concerning at a time when there are fewer survivors of the Holocaust left in Canada, and with the rise of antisemitism in the country.

She noted that in addition to their work in Canada, the people who held the special envoy position to combat antisemitism were part of an international group holding similar positions across more than 15 countries.

“Now, Canada will no longer have a voice (there), nor will we be strengthened and supported by their important work,” Jarniewski said.

The special envoy position reflected the understanding “that antisemitism, the oldest and longest hatred, does not only affect Jews,” Jarniewski said. “Rather, it has a dangerous and negative effect on civil society and democracy itself.

Jarniewski expressed the hope that the new advisory council will have the talent and capacity to address antisemitism and preserve Holocaust remembrance.

The goal of the new council is to foster social cohesion, rally Canadians around a common identity and combat racism and hate in all forms. It will be comprised of prominent academics, experts and community leaders, would recognize Islamophobia and antisemitism, but focus on national unity and “trying to bring people together,” Miller said.

Jeff Lieberman, president of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, said new advisory bodies only matter if they produce results.

“We, along with Jewish organizations across the country, have long called for practical measures, including federal funding for security at community institutions and serious efforts to confront the root drivers of hate. Those priorities must translate into immediate action,” said Lieberman.

A volunteer with the Manitoba Islamic Association was surprised both offices were eliminated “when there is data showing that hate crimes are on the rise.”

Tasneem Vali said a major concern for her is who will be on the new advisory council, and whether they will have connections to “grassroots organizations.”

She also worries that all the goodwill and connections that were made in the past could be lost, along with trust in the Muslim and Jewish communities.

“Those offices showed understanding and acknowledgment that hate crimes are an issue in Canada,” Vali said.

Speaking as a Muslim woman of colour who wears a hijab, Vali noted: “my sense of safety and acceptance as a Canadian is linked to my government acknowledging that hate crimes are real and debilitating physically and mentally for someone who experiences them.”

By eliminating the special representative on combating Islamophobia, that sense is now in question, she said.

Also expressing concern about the move was the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

“It is crucial that the government’s new approach and the composition of the advisory council are designed to achieve meaningful outcomes in combating the unprecedented wave of antisemitism and extremism in Canada,” the organization’s CEO, Noah Shack, said.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims was also “deeply disappointed” by the government’s decision.

The council said the offices continue to be needed due to a rise in hate in Canada, the council said in a statement.

“We look forward to working with the Prime Minister to monitor the work of this new office to ensure that this important work continues,” the statement said.

Amira Elghawaby was named Canada’s first special representative on combating Islamophobia in January 2023. The office of the special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism was established in 2020. It has been vacant since Deborah Lyons’ retirement last year.

Details on the transition, along with the appointment of experts, will be finalized in the coming weeks.

— with files from The Canadian Press

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