Liberal MP Anthony Housefather says he is “eager to make a real difference” as the government’s new special adviser on Jewish community relations and antisemitism.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced his appointment to the role on Friday, saying Housefather will advise the prime minister and cabinet and work with the Jewish community.
Housefather, who is Jewish, has been outspoken about the rise of anti-Semitism in Canada since the current conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October.
The appointment comes four months after Housefather considered leaving the Liberal parliamentary caucus after an NDP motion on the Israel-Gaza war left him feeling intense anger and isolation within his party.
After that period of reflection, he said he would remain a Liberal and that Trudeau had asked him to work with the government to address the “massive” problem of anti-Semitism in Canada right now.
In May, Housefather helped launch a parliamentary committee study into antisemitism on university campuses.
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The Housefather himself has been the target of anti-Semitic hate, including earlier this week when posters were plastered on Montreal signs calling him a Nazi, equating Zionism with terrorism and telling him to “get out of Canada.”
Housefather welcomed his appointment, which will include working with Deborah Lyons, the federal government’s special envoy on combating antisemitism.
“Jewish Canadians need to feel safe in our communities, on campus and in Canadian life,” he said in a statement.
The NDP’s original motion included a demand that Canada officially recognize the state of Palestine.
The MP described the wording as one-sided and the motion caused significant division among members of Parliament, including within the Liberal parliamentary group.
The motion that was ultimately passed was revised to closely align with existing Canadian foreign policy, including recognition that a Palestinian state would be part of a two-state solution within the Middle East peace process.
Language was added to call on Hamas to lay down its arms and clearly identify the militant group as a recognized terrorist organization. The motion also included a call on Canada to stop approving arms export transfers to Israel.
At the time, the MP acknowledged that the last-minute changes improved the motion, but said he could not support it in part because the changes came so late in the process that they were not fully debated.
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