Vaughan Mayor Condemns Carney Liberals' Handling of Antisemitic Attacks
Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca has issued a sharp rebuke of the Carney Liberals' response to recent antisemitic violence, accusing many officials of being "too busy counting votes, rather than standing up for Canadian values." The criticism follows a series of disturbing incidents targeting Jewish institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
Shocking Discovery at BAYT Synagogue
At approximately 8 a.m. on March 7, just hours after multiple bullets were fired into the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT) synagogue in Vaughan, Mayor Del Duca arrived at the shul to demonstrate his support. Hundreds of congregants would soon arrive for Shabbat services, encountering a scene of police tape, barricades, dividers, and numerous York Regional Police officers.
"It was brutal, and a real shock to see firsthand," Del Duca recalled, describing his anger at witnessing shattered glass doors and windows with debris scattered everywhere. "The most heartbreaking part of all? Most of the response was not feeling surprised."
Breaking the News to Worshippers
Most arriving at the Orthodox synagogue were unaware of the attack, as they observe a digital disconnect from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. At the request of synagogue president Jeffrey Brown and Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Del Duca—wearing a blue kippah—addressed the congregation from the sanctuary podium to deliver the devastating news and offer words of support, receiving a standing ovation.
"They told me: 'We believed we were respected and admired, and we believed people wanted us here, and this is what it's come to,'" the mayor recounted, highlighting the community's profound disappointment.
Escalating Pattern of Violence
Law enforcement continues to investigate the BAYT incident, which was part of a troubling pattern. On the same evening, Toronto's Shaarei Shomayim synagogue was also struck by bullets, following another shooting at Temple Emanu El on March 2. These attacks occur within a city where approximately 15,000 Jewish residents live among 350,000 total inhabitants.
Del Duca, who served as Vaughan MPP for the Liberals from 2012 to 2018, has a history of supporting Jewish causes. In 2016, he backed then-MPP Gila Martow—now a Vaughan city councillor—in condemning boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel.
Personal Convictions and Political Frustration
Citing his Roman Catholic upbringing, Del Duca emphasized his commitment to "support and protect people who are vulnerable." He stated, "I believe that any one of our citizens, any one of our residents, who is under pressure and beleaguered and targeted, consistently, deserves to have support and protection."
However, the mayor expressed frustration that his words feel increasingly inadequate amid escalating antisemitism. "I want to remind everyone that they're not alone. These are words I've said so many times now since October 7, 2023," he explained. "But even I feel like the words, which I mean very genuinely, feel like they're falling short of the mark now for people, and that's a very, very discouraging place to be as an elected leader."
Del Duca acknowledged that Jewish community members are "almost tired" of hearing about their resilience, "even though they are resilient." He concluded, "I think the first and most important thing is that I've tried, and my colleagues have tried, to be there, to show up, to show solidarity, and to deliver a consistent message from Oct. 7, all the way through."
