Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a stark warning Monday that antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in Canada, declaring that the country is failing its Jewish community and unveiling a new federal initiative aimed at confronting anti-Jewish hatred and extremism.

Addressing an audience at Holy Blossom Temple, a Reform synagogue, Carney described the surge in antisemitic incidents as a national emergency that requires direct and focused action from the government.

“The crisis of antisemitism in Canada today is specific, it’s severe and it demands a targeted response,” Carney said. “Canada’s civic compact is failing Jewish Canadians.”

Government figures underscore the severity of the problem. Of the 1,342 religion-based hate crimes reported across Canada in 2024, nearly 70 percent were directed against Jews, despite Jewish Canadians comprising only about 1 percent of the nation’s population.

In response, Carney announced the formation of a new body known as the Ministerial Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion, which will study antisemitism alongside other forms of hatred and extremism. The council will be led by Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller.

According to Carney, the new council has been tasked with evaluating the causes and scope of antisemitism in Canada, improving the tracking and reporting of hate-related incidents, and reviewing whether current government investments in education, prevention programs, and security measures are producing meaningful results.

The prime minister pointed to a series of attacks targeting Jewish institutions and individuals across the country, including shootings directed at Jewish schools, firebomb attacks on shuls, assaults on Jewish community facilities, vandalism targeting Jewish-owned businesses, and intimidation of Jewish students on university campuses.

“The horror and shame are global. Our actions must be local,” Carney said.

Canada has experienced a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the war that followed in Gaza, mirroring trends seen throughout much of the Western world.

While acknowledging similar developments in Europe, Australia, and the United States, Carney argued that Canada must develop its own strategy to confront the problem at home.

The prime minister also outlined six anti-hate and public-safety initiatives his government has advanced. Among them is legislation designed to strengthen protections for houses of worship, schools, and community centers while creating a specific criminal offense for hate-motivated crimes. The measure passed the House of Commons in March and is currently awaiting action in the Senate.

Carney also highlighted a previously announced commitment of C$75 million to improve security at religious institutions, including synagogues and Jewish day schools. The funding is intended to support enhanced physical security infrastructure and additional protective personnel.

“It pains me that we had to commit $75 million to this, any dollar to this,” he said.

In addition, the federal government directed more than C$36 million last year toward programs aimed at combating violent extremism.

Carney emphasized that efforts to combat antisemitism must not come at the expense of legitimate political debate or free speech.

“I want to be clear about what these potential measures are, and what they are not,” he said. “They are not curtailments of freedom of expression. They are not constraints on legitimate criticism of any government on any subject anywhere.”

He added that the goal is to ensure that all Canadians can participate safely in public life without fear of harassment or exclusion.

“They are the basic standards we owe one another, in our shared public institutions, to ensure that no Canadian community is driven from those institutions by hatred.”

Among those welcoming the speech was Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify and one of Canada’s most prominent Jewish business leaders, who praised the prime minister’s remarks on social media.

“Canada finally said the quiet part out loud.”

Before Carney delivered his address, Noah Shack, chief executive of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said government leaders must continue strengthening security measures and intensify efforts to combat antisemitism nationwide.

{Matzav.com}