Needed: Leaders to fight antisemitism
On October 7, Hamas terrorists launched the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust — murdering more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking hundreds of hostages. Just nine days later, I was appointed as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.
Some might say that I consistently find myself in difficult jobs, during especially excruciating times, having most recently led the United Nations’ efforts in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over in 2021. But this role is different. As a diplomat, I dealt with issues that impacted Canada’s relationship with other countries, but as Special Envoy, I’m dealing with an issue that is challenging Canada’s very own relationship with itself, its social cohesion, democratic values, and national security.
I hesitated to accept this opportunity when Irwin Cotler, the Special Envoy at the time and a good friend, first spoke to me about it during a lunch in Jerusalem in 2022. Wasn’t it time to retire and relax? But the rise in hate speech in Canada that I had seen while I was living abroad, and imagining a future for my grandchildren where Canada’s social cohesion was being eroded, helped me realize that I couldn’t turn away. This was a time to stand up for my country.
Shortly after my appointment, I visited Jewish communities across the country to hear their experiences first-hand, and met with religious leadership, law enforcement, representatives of municipal, provincial and federal governments, and with students and educators to understand how they were addressing the rise in antisemitism, which has spiked significantly since October 7. For example, Jewish people account for less than four per cent of Toronto’s population, but since the start of 2024, Toronto police report that 45 per cent of reported hate crimes have involved antisemitism. Likewise in Ottawa; Jews represent 1.1 per cent of the population but represent 33 per cent of the targets of hate incidents in this same period.
What became clear to me is that we are facing a crisis in leadership in Canada. Leadership at every level, including political, faith and business leaders, is paralyzed to act. Clearly speaking out against hatred in our city streets, disinformation online, intimidation in our centres of learning and antisemitism here in Canada, and on the world stage, is largely missing.
So, what does meaningful engagement from political, community, faith and business leaders look like? As Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, I encourage all leaders in Canada to LEAD with courage at this critical time:
Lean into a proactive rather than reactive approach.
Leaders often wait for antisemitic incidents to take place before responding. To shift from a reactive to a proactive approach, leaders can establish a relationship underpinned by trust with Jewish individuals in their organizations. This could be a network, an adviser position, or a recurring meeting with a group representing the Jewish community. Combatting antisemitism works best when it is continuous, and not only when a problem arises. Nurturing relationships built in trust with Jewish individuals, actively listening to them and proactively engaging on issues is helpful in preventing antisemitism.
Encourage interfaith and intercommunity dialogue.
I have seen a lot of pain in the eyes of Jewish Canadians, particularly after October 7. Much of this pain has come from the loss of friends and allies, and the silence and lack of support they’ve received from other Canadians, including from other faith communities. Community and faith leaders should understand that empathy and understanding for one group should not preclude empathy and understanding for others. Faith and community groups should extend their hands in support, as the Jewish community has so often done for others in past crises. Leaders should remember that we can be pro-israeli and pro-palestinian at the same time. Leaders should encourage interfaith and intercommunity dialogue, by creating spaces for these difficult but important conversations to happen. If done with mutual respect, compassion,
nd and rooted in our shared values as Canadians, these spaces can help bring us back together rather than continuing the divisive dialogue and binary thinking that is destroying our civility.
Advocate for Jewish Canadians through allyship.
As a non-jewish person, what I have learned most clearly is that antisemitism cannot be solved by the Jewish community alone. Jews did not create antisemitism and as with any other marginalized group, it is not on them to fight it alone. Being an ally means being present, an active listener, and a support system. Most importantly, it means believing Jewish Canadians when they speak. And taking action. A simple way for leaders to demonstrate their allyship is to ask Jewish neighbours, friends or individuals in their organizations: “What does support look like for you” and “How can I help?”
Discover modern day manifestations of antisemitism.
To address antisemitism, we must first define and understand it. In 2019, the Government of Canada formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of antisemitism as part of Canada’s Anti-racism Strategy. The IHRA Definition is the product of a 16-year-long democratic, iterative process, and as of the date of publication, has been adopted by 42 other countries and multiple international organizations. It is a tool for recognizing antisemitic expression, behaviour, intention and impact. The IHRA working definition — particularly through its 11 examples — serves as a helpful tool for leaders to understand the many forms of antisemitism and how to meaningfully address them.
Much work remains to be done. If this vacuum from faith, political and business leaders continues it may become too difficult to find our way back. It is our role as Canadians to stand now with our Canadian Jewish family across our country. It is what our Jewish family deserves. It is what Canada needs, now.
WE ARE FACING A CRISIS IN LEADERSHIP IN CANADA.