December 18, 2025 / 28 Kislev 5786 

The Honourable Mark Carney 
Prime Minister of Canada 
Ottawa, Ontario 
Canada 

Dear Mr. Prime Minister: 

Re: Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism 

Special Envoy Deborah Lyons resigned her position on July 17 of this year. Canadians, and more particularly Jewish Canadians, have been without a public person of distinction – a Special Envoy -- to speak to the numerous pressing issues surrounding Holocaust Remembrance and escalating Antisemitism for five months now. 

We, the undersigned, represent lay and Rabbinical leadership of Beth Tzedec Congregation, the largest synagogue in Canada, serving more than 4,000 members and located in the riding of Toronto – St. Paul’s. We urge you, on behalf of the members of Beth Tzedec Congregation, to move expeditiously to appoint a new Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. 

Pressing Need 

There has never been a more pressing need for advocacy to preserve remembrance of the Holocaust and to combat the growing surge of Antisemitism within our country. According to the Canadian Government website, the Special Envoy is the Head of Delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). We well know that remembrance of the Holocaust is under attack in our streets, in our schools, and especially online from the purveyors of Holocaust denial, distortion, and trivialization. It is the task of the Special Envoy to take a leading role in ensuring that the memory of the Holocaust and the 6 million Jews who died is preserved. This mandate includes collaborating with international partners to strengthen and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research worldwide. 

The Special Envoy plays a pivotal role in Canada’s and Canadians’ efforts to combat Antisemitism and hatred at home and abroad. Following the murder of 15 souls at Bondi Beach in Australia last Sunday and being well aware of our own spiking Antisemitism here in Canada, we cannot relent in our fight against Antisemitism and hatred. Hate crimes targeting Jews are at unprecedented levels. Despite representing only 1% of the population, Jews are the victims of 70% of religiously motivated hate crimes in Canada. 

We are aware that your government recently introduced in the House of Commons Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, which addresses hate crimes and Antisemitism. While this is a positive step, we believe more must be done, beginning with the appointment of a new Special Envoy. Among other things, the Special Envoy would be free to advocate for a broader domestic adoption of the IHRA definition of Antisemitism in our municipalities, our universities, and our School Boards – spaces where we have seen a frightening escalation of Antisemitism and hate. The Special Envoy could also combat Antisemitism abroad by working with international partners, such as ambassadors and other Special Envoys to Combat Antisemitism named by other countries. The need has never been greater. 

Canada’s Commitments 

It is important that you move speedily to appoint a new Special Envoy. Canada has made commitments to do so. The position and mandate of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism arises from the commitments of the 2000 Stockholm Declaration, which include both domestic and international components. Further, Canada undertook important commitments at the National Summit on Antisemitism in July 2021 and at the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism in October 2021. 

Conclusion 

Antisemitism has become normalized in Canada. It continues unabated. It often manifests as anti-Zionism. This is not about criticism of Israel, its conduct or policies. This is about the demonization and marginalization of all those (including about 94% of Canadian Jews) who support Jewish self-determination in their ancestral lands. Zionism, properly understood, is not incompatible with Palestinian self-determination, although its meaning has been distorted to delegitimize Israel’s very existence. Prime Minister Trudeau declared himself to be a Zionist and said that no one should be afraid in Canada to call themselves a Zionist. But in many Canadian spaces, it is no longer safe to call oneself a Zionist. 

The need for a true advocate within government to fight this normalization has never been more urgent. We urge you to appoint a new Special Envoy immediately, to publicly reject efforts to demonize our community, and to address the scourge of Antisemitism in Canada proactively. 

Don Smith, President 
On behalf of the Executive Committee of Beth Tzedec Congregation: Paul Mandel, Mitch Max, Corinne Promislow, Patti Rotman, Brian Segal, Don Smith, and Daniel Stern 

Rabbi Steven Wernick, Senior Rabbi 
On behalf of the Rabbis of Beth Tzedec Congregation: Rabbi Lara Rodin, Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin, and Rabbi Steven Wernick 

Bruce Elman, Advisor/Board of Directors