Jewish group calls on Ottawa to launch commission on antisemitism

By Canadian Press on January 26, 2026.

OTTAWA — Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith is calling on Ottawa to launch a commission on antisemitism and appoint someone to the envoy role that has been left vacant since July.

The group is holding a midday press conference on Parliament Hill today, a day before the annual remembrance ceremony at the National Holocaust Monument.

It’s asking Ottawa to fill the role of special envoy for combating antisemitism that has been vacant since Deborah Lyons resigned in July, three months before her term was set to expire.

B’nai Brith is also calling for a royal commission on antisemitism in Canada, arguing that Ottawa and the provinces are not doing enough to stop a rising number of hate crimes and dangerous rhetoric that could inspire deadly attacks.

In a statement issued earlier this month, the Prime Minister’s Office said it is undertaking “significant engagement with the community” on how best to build on the work of past antisemitism envoys.

The government says it’s “taking action to combat the scourge of antisemitism” by educating Crown prosecutors to identify hate crimes and proposing a law to ban obstruction of religious or cultural institutions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 26, 2026.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press