QUESTION PERIOD — Public Safety
Anti-Semitism
March 10, 2026
Repeal Bill C-69 and get rid of the red tape; you will be surprised how many projects you’ll get.
Government leader, hate crimes and politically motivated violence are running rampant in our communities. Just this past week, three synagogues in Toronto were struck by gunfire. Now even diplomatic buildings are being targeted, with the U.S. consulate in Toronto being shot at this morning. Senator Moreau, your government has a responsibility to protect Canadians, including Jewish Canadians, and it also has obligations under international law to ensure the safety of the diplomatic corps in Canada. On both counts, our government has failed.
Does your government recognize that its permissiveness towards hateful and discriminatory rhetoric at protests since 2024 and its failure to meaningfully address anti-Semitism in this country are putting lives at risk? Government leader, do you acknowledge things are getting out of hand?
Thank you for the question. It gives me the opportunity to be quite clear on this issue. First, the government is horrified by the reports of shots fired in Toronto, either at synagogues or at the consulate.
Minister Anandasangaree stood with this community over the weekend. Anti-Semitism has no place in Canada. No one should be afraid because of who they are or who they worship. The government has been engaging with members of the Jewish community from coast to coast, who are rightfully worried about the rise of anti-Semitism. The government has made a strong commitment to protect places of worship, schools and community centres by significantly increasing the budget of the Canada Community Security Program and with the combatting hate act, Bill C-9.
Government leader, for me, this isn’t a partisan issue; this is a question of national unity and nation building. In the last decade, we have seen unprecedented attacks on Jewish people. We’ve seen attacks on Sikh Canadians. We’ve seen attacks on Hindu Canadians. We’ve seen Islamophobia reach levels we have never seen before. This has all been over the last 10 years under the watch of a government that keeps saying they are taking the issue seriously.
Now we’re in a situation where the world is saying that when it comes to anti-Semitism, all eyes are on Canada. What, concretely, are we doing about it?
The government is taking concrete steps. Bill C-9 is one of those concrete steps. We are on the same page, Senator Housakos. Anti-Semitism has no place here in Canada. The government is quite clear on that issue. The Prime Minister is clear on that issue. I’m clear on that issue. We are increasing police budgets, we are increasing the capacity of the RCMP to intervene, and we are acting according to those values, that anti‑Semitism has no place whatsoever in our country.
