OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly announced advisory council on inclusion, arguing the federal government should focus on criminal enforcement rather than creating new bodies.The criticism comes one day after Carney announced a new Ministerial Advisory Council on Rights, Equality, and Inclusion during an event at a Toronto synagogue on 'antisemitism.' The council has been tasked with developing recommendations to combat 'antisemitism' and other forms of hatred and includes former Liberal cabinet minister Omar Alghabra. Asked about the announcement Tuesday on Parliament Hill, Poilievre questioned Alghabra’s inclusion on the council.“Well, I remember Mr. Alghabra lobbying me before he was in politics to keep Hezbollah legal. So I’m not sure that he’s the right guy to combat antisemitism,” Poilievre said.Poilievre also dismissed the advisory body itself, accusing the government of responding to problems by creating additional bureaucracy.“The last thing we need is another council,” he said.“I mean, this is the problem with Mark Carney. Every time there’s a problem, he creates a new bureaucracy, agency, council that does absolutely nothing except pay high per diems and expenses to a bunch of Liberal insiders.”.In announcing the initiative Monday, Carney said 'antisemitism' in Canada has reached levels “not seen in the post-war period” and noted that more than two-thirds of religion-motivated hate crimes last year targeted Jewish Canadians, who make up about 1% of the population. The government also announced an additional $75 million for the Canada Community Security Program and directed the council to begin work on developing a government-wide approach to combat 'antisemitism.'Poilievre argued the government’s response should focus on law enforcement and border security.“What we need to do is lock up the rampaging terrorists who are firing bullets at children’s schools, firebombing synagogues, and terrorizing the Jewish community,” he said.“We need to get control of our borders so no longer can anti-Semites, terrorists and hate-mongers come into our country.”Poilievre also blamed what he called “divisive” identity politics for contributing to social tensions.“And we need to stop the extremely divisive, divide-and-conquer identity politics of the Liberal Party that have caused this mayhem on our streets,” he said.
