QUESTION PERIOD — Ministry of Public Safety
Anti-Semitism
April 21, 2026
Minister, thank you for being with us here today.
This morning, minister, our Human Rights Committee released an important report on anti-Semitism and the alarming rise in hate and violence targeting Jewish Canadians across our great country. This report exposes serious gaps in coordination, enforcement, reporting and accountability.
Jewish Canadians are feeling unsafe, and many are even considering leaving the country. The government has failed to provide peace and good order to members of the Jewish community, minister. Daily, Jewish Canadians are facing harassment, intimidation, vandalism and violence; yet, your government’s response remains too slow and too uneven.
Minister, Canadians are looking for leadership on this issue. The question is this: When will your government take decisive, meaningful action to combat anti-Semitism across Canada?
More importantly, can you commit right here and now that, after reading the report, which I hope you will do in an expeditious fashion, you will acquiesce to a meeting —
Thank you, Senator Housakos.
Thank you, senator, for that very important question.
I have not read the report. However, I will say that my engagement with the Jewish community across Canada over the last 11 months has given me a great deal of understanding of the current realities faced by Jewish Canadians, which is a great deal of fear, a sense of intimidation and a sense that they are not safe in their own country.
My work has been to reassure Jewish communities, and Jewish Canadians across the board, that their safety and security is our first priority.
Bill C-9, which is now before the House, addresses the fundamental issues that the community has raised with me, Minister Fraser as well as Secretary of State Sahota. It reflects the need for protection at places of worship and gathering of Jewish communities, and for ensuring that symbols of hate are addressed in a way that will guarantee not just their safety and security but those of all minority groups.
In addition to that, you will recall that, about a month ago — in an unprecedented way — I released, as part of our Canada Community Security Program, $10 million to Jewish community networks in both Montreal and Toronto, where they have been operating for the last couple of years. They are good models. They also have the capacity to expand. In the case of Montreal, the expectation is that they will be broadening their work to the Atlantic. In the case of Toronto, the Toronto Jewish Security Network will be expanding to Western Canada.
I believe that these are very important steps, but there is still more to do.
Minister, it’s understandable that you haven’t read the report. We understand that. We only published it this morning. We hope, though, that you will take the time to peruse it quite carefully.
We appreciate the fact that the government has put funding forward to organizations across the country. However, providing more funding for security is not the solution to the problem.
Bill C-9, of course, is now before Parliament. We are looking at that carefully as well.
What I’m looking for today is a commitment because we have a report of which we’re very proud. Considerable work has been done. We believe it’s a landmark report with concrete recommendations for how to tackle the problem, which, we believe, would be a helpful path forward if the government embraces them.
I would like a commitment that you will meet with Senator Senior, who is the chair of the committee, and with other members, to have a thorough discussion.
I absolutely look forward to meeting Senator Senior. I do meet her on occasion. She is a dear friend from the region I represent in Scarborough.
The issues that you highlighted are critically important. These are things on which, as legislators, we all need to work together. This should not be a divisive issue. The safety and security of every Canadian, particularly minority groups — in this case, Jewish Canadians — are of paramount importance to all of us. I look forward to working in collaboration.
