Liberal MP Anthony Housefather has been appointed the federal government’s new special adviser on Jewish community relations and anti-Semitism.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, Hausfather will advise Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet on the federal government’s efforts to “combat anti-Semitism and ensure that Jewish Canadians can live in vitality, safety and dignity.”
Hausfather’s appointment comes after divisions within the Liberal government over Israel’s war with Hamas and raises questions about how his role differs from that of Deborah Lyons, the government’s special envoy on Holocaust memory and combating anti-Semitism.
“Never in my lifetime have Jewish Canadians felt more threatened than they do today,” Hausfather said in a media statement released Friday.
“We cannot eliminate anti-Semitism, but all levels of government, universities and police can take concrete steps to make Jewish Canadians feel safer in this country.”
The Mount Royal MP will take up his new role whilst continuing in his role as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chair of the Treasury Committee. The government says the MP will work closely with Lions, the Jewish community and relevant stakeholders across the country.
In a media statement on Friday, Trudeau said the government will “take all steps to combat the anti-Semitism and hatred that unfortunately is rampant in our communities.”
“With Mr. Housefather’s appointment, we will continue to ensure that Jewish Canadian voices are heard, protect the Jewish Canadian community, and make Canada a more inclusive country for all.”
Housefather has been at odds with the government over its stance on the Gaza war, saying in March he needed to reconsider his position within the Liberal caucus after a number of Liberal MPs supported an NDP motion on the Gaza war, saying he thought a “red line had been crossed.”
The NDP motion initially called on the government to formally recognize Palestine as a state and “cease all trade of military supplies and technology with Israel.”
Most Liberal MPs supported the motion after a last-minute amendment. The final wording called on the government to “work with international partners” to “pursue the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East” and to work “towards the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated two-state solution.”
My family has been here since the 19th century and we have certainly helped build this country. I’m not going anywhere. Sorry to all the anti-Semites. You may not like what I say, but I will keep saying it and I will remain a proud Jew and a proud Zionist. pic.twitter.com/T1NLVRdFuz
Jewish advocacy groups such as B’nai Brith Canada have reported a record rise in anti-Semitic acts.
Housefather himself has recently been the target of anti-Semitic messages. On Tuesday, the Montreal MP shared a photo of a poster calling him a neo-Nazi and urging him to “get out of Canada.”
This photo shows a poster tacked to a concrete lamppost in Montreal: the sign displays a Nazi flag and an Israeli flag (with the Star of David replaced with a swastika) along with the words “Hausfather = Neo-Nazi” and “Get Out of Canada.”
“My family has been here since the 19th century and we have really helped build this country. I’m not going anywhere. Sorry to all the anti-Semites. You may not like what I have to say, but I will keep saying it,” Hausfather wrote in a social media post.
Lawmakers have concerns about appointments
At least one member of the Liberal caucus has questioned whether he can unite Canadians in his new role.
“Ben Carr, Julie D’Absurdsin or anyone who takes a balanced approach would do a much better job,” Shafqat Ali, Liberal MP for Brampton Centre, said in a text message to CBC News in June.
“I believe his appointment will not help address anti-Semitism or Islamophobia because he lacks judgment and has only served to further divide Canadians over the past eight months,” said Ali, the Liberal member for Brampton Centre.
Housefather has repeatedly described himself as a Zionist, and did so during debate on the NDP motion in the House of Commons.
Nicole Nashen, a McGill University student, said it was “terrifying” to see anti-Zionist signs on campus because “it meant no Jews allowed.” Nashen was testifying before a parliamentary committee to discuss anti-Semitism on university campuses.
A senior government official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said addressing rising anti-Semitism and violence against Jewish communities across Canada is a top priority for Trudeau.
The official also said the Canadian government is working to combat Islamophobia, more than a year after appointing Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s first special representative on the issue.
“Zionism is not a dirty word, and no one should be attacked for sympathizing with it,” Trudeau said in May.
That same month, Shachi Karl, director of the Angus Reid Institute, said the Liberal Party appeared to be feeling the effects of trying to appease both Muslim and Jewish voters since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Jewish groups have criticized the government for not doing enough to support Israel, and the Liberal Party has seen its support decline among both Jews and Muslims.
Mr Housefather’s appointment comes after the Liberal Party suffered a tough federal by-election defeat. Toronto St. Paul In the town, once a Liberal stronghold, Jewish voters make up about 11 per cent of the electorate, according to 2019 data from Elections Canada.
The defeat marked the first time a Conservative candidate had won a seat in Greater Toronto since the 2011 federal election, casting doubt on Trudeau’s leadership and the Liberal party’s prospects.
In a media statement released on Friday, Neil Oberman, Conservative candidate for the Mount Royal constituency, questioned Housefather’s new role.
Oberman said that if Liberal MPs “really wanted to be effective in stopping anti-Semitism and standing up for Jewish Canadians, they would leave Justin Trudeau’s caucus, not this fancy new title.”
