TORONTO — Prime Minister Mark Carney is skilled at saying all the right things, as he demonstrated during a speech on combating antisemitism at Toronto’s Holy Blossom Temple on Monday afternoon. However, critics argue that talk is cheap. In terms of actual policy prescriptions, Carney might as well have raised a white flag and admitted he has no idea what to do.
Rabbi's Call for Action
In a prerecorded message preceding Carney’s address, the synagogue’s chief rabbi, Yael Splansky, called on Canada to “make good on its promise of peace, order and good government.” She noted that “when hate is tolerated, it grows … when laws are not enforced, permission is granted and lawlessness escalates.” She also warned that “when Canadian elected leaders publicly condemn Israel, the world’s only Jewish state, Jewish-Canadians pay the price.” This was clearly aimed at Carney, who has been more critical of Israel than any prime minister in the last two decades.
Carney's Acknowledgment
Given Carney’s track record on Israel, it took fortitude for him to stand next to an Israeli flag and forcefully condemn the sharp rise in antisemitism in Canada. He admitted that Canada’s “civic compact is failing Jewish-Canadians” and that the government has “a special responsibility to ensure that no culture, faith, race, gender or identity is threatened or suppressed.” He acknowledged that Canada’s very “nature is being tested, as one of our communities is being particularly and brutally targeted.”
Carney listed numerous antisemitic incidents: “Antisemites in Canada have fired bullets at Jewish schools. They have thrown firebombs at synagogues and attacked community centres. They have targeted Jewish-owned businesses. Harassed Jewish patients at hospitals. Drove Jewish students from the common spaces on our university campuses. And desecrated our Holocaust memorials.”
Security Measures
The prime minister recounted attending the opening of a Jewish centre at the University of Ottawa, noting that the “otherwise joyous event occurred under heavy police presence and was interrupted by angry shouts of some passers-by.” That heavy police presence was also evident surrounding Holy Blossom Temple on Monday, with officers setting up camp in the parking lot and blocking traffic during rush hour. The location was kept secret to avoid disruption by antisemitic protesters.
While Carney’s speech was well-received by some, critics argue that he offered no new concrete policies. Instead, he relied on rhetoric and the announcement of a royal commission or similar measures, which many see as insufficient. The article suggests that the Liberal government is more focused on appearing to act than on implementing effective solutions to combat antisemitism.
