February 4, 2026
OTTAWA – B’nai Brith Canada is warning the Federal Government not to compromise its own efforts to combat antisemitism.
Our warning comes amid media reports that Ottawa will be eliminating the role of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, which has been vacant since July. According to a press release Wednesday, the Government will instead establish a new Advisory Council on Rights, Equity and Inclusion (ACREI) within the Department of Canadian Heritage.
“We are hopeful that this initiative will serve Canadians’ best interests and develop real strategies for combating the proliferation of hatred in our society,” said Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “Unfortunately, the Government failed to take advantage of its Special Envoy, allowing the position to remain vacant during a crisis of antisemitism.
“The new advisory council must prioritize combating antisemitism. The numbers speak for themselves. Urgent action is required to confront the problem head-on and without delay.”
The Government’s decision comes a week after B’nai Brith Canada held a press conference to urge Parliament to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry on antisemitism. We also called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to fill the special envoy role, which we supported in principle as it provided Jewish Canadians with a trusted advocate within the Government, or to find an alternative solution.
In announcing the plan, the Government said the Advisory Council will draw on the expertise of prominent academics and community leaders. Its mandate will include antisemitism, among other forms of hatred and racism, as part of Canada-wide efforts aimed at improving “social cohesion” as well as “protecting rights and social inclusion.”
“The new Advisory Council must not dilute Canada’s efforts to combat antisemitism,” said Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer. “Antisemitism has reached unprecedented proportions in Canada and requires heightened focus. The Government must ensure it only appoints credible, capable experts who understand antisemitism’s distinct nature and grasp the challenge at hand.”
B’nai Brith Canada is also urging the Advisory Council to employ the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, which Canada adopted in 2019.
“Introducing this new council does not reduce the need for Canada to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry on antisemitism,” Wolle said. “Jewish Canadians are targeted at higher rates, according to official statistics, than other minorities. This problem has intensified since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, massacred civilians, and took dozens of hostages.”
Last January, the Government reaffirmed its national commitments for combating antisemitism, acknowledging that terrorism and violent threats targeting Jews have skyrocketed during the past three years.