Late yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, convened a meeting with Jewish community leaders from Winnipeg, Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal focused on the rise of antisemitism in Canada.

The leaders shared personal stories and accounts from their communities, describing incidents of harassment and violence targeting Jewish individuals in places of worship, schools, and other public spaces. They emphasized how Jewish Canadians are increasingly being excluded from cultural celebrations and public events. The leaders stressed that many Jewish Canadians across the country no longer feel safe in their own communities and live with growing concern for their children's safety.

Prime Minister Carney strongly condemned the disturbing and intolerable rise of antisemitism in Canada, reaffirming that basic security is an inalienable right of every human being. He noted that hate crimes are on the rise in Canada and, in 2024, almost 70% of police-reported religious hate crimes were directed toward Jewish communities – a trend that must end. The Prime Minister emphasized his government’s commitment to defending that right for every Canadian and outlined its plan to confront hate and protect vulnerable communities.

As part of this plan, the Prime Minister outlined legislation to be introduced in Parliament this fall that includes additional provisions to address hate and protects religious and cultural buildings and spaces. This legislation will make it a criminal offence to intentionally and wilfully obstruct access to any place of worship, schools, and community centres. 

To bolster these legislative efforts, the Prime Minister outlined that the government is providing targeted funding to provinces for the training of law enforcement officers and Crown prosecutors, enhancing their ability to protect communities at risk and enforce hate crime laws effectively.

Prime Minister Carney stated that Canada is a country of acceptance and community – affirming that Jewish people must be able to live their lives openly, freely, and safely. 

The Prime Minister and community leaders agreed to meet again regularly in the future.