The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) confirmed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has selected Liberal MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, QC) as the special advisor on Jewish community relations and antisemitism. Trudeau said the Canadian government will “stand with Jewish Canadians — today and every day.”“And we will do whatever it takes to fight antisemitism and hate, which is unfortunately too prevalent in our communities,” said Trudeau in a Friday press release. “With Mr. Housefather’s appointment, we’re continuing to make sure Jewish Canadians’ voices are heard, protecting Jewish Canadian communities, and making Canada more inclusive for everyone.”In recent months, the PMO said Canadians have seen a disturbing rise in antisemitism. It added this cannot continue. It said Housefather’s role will be to advise Trudeau and cabinet ministers on the development and co-ordination of the Canadian government’s work to combat antisemitism and ensure Jewish Canadians are able to live with vibrancy, security, and dignity. This will include working with Jewish Canadians from across Canada. In this role, it said he will help advance actions throughout the Canadian government to combat antisemitism, enhance the protection of Jewish communities, and address discrimination against them. He will work with Jewish communities, stakeholders, and Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism Deborah Lyons.He has been an elected official for 30 years. Prior to becoming an MP, he served as a municipal councillor from 1994 to 2005 and as Cote Saint-Luc mayor from 2005 to 2015. As a former chair of the House of Commons Justice and Human Rights Committee, he advanced efforts to tackle antisemitism, hate, and bigotry in Canada. As co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism, he helped to tackle antisemitism around the world, including in online spaces. The PMO said antisemitism is not a problem for the Jewish community to solve alone. Rather, it said it will taken action through the government to make Canada safer, more inclusive, and better for everyone. Housefather pointed out there “has been no time in my lifetime when Jewish Canadians have felt as threatened as they do today.”“While we cannot make antisemitism disappear, all levels of government, universities, and police can take concrete steps to make Jewish Canadians feel safer in this country,” he said. “I am grateful to the Prime Minister for putting me in a position where I can work with Deborah Lyons to help translate words to action.”Housefather said in March the Liberals voting for the NDP’s Palestinian statehood motion crossed the line. READ MORE: WATCH: Liberal MP says he might leave caucus over pro-Palestine motion“When my party members got up and cheered and gave a standing ovation to Heather McPherson and the NDP, I started reflecting as to whether or not I belonged,” he said. “And I will let you know further how I feel over the coming days.”
