Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday the appointment of diplomat Deborah Lyons as Canada’s new special envoy for preserving the memory of the Holocaust and combating anti-Semitism.
This announcement was planned before the bloody Hamas offensive in Israel, but the October 7 attack that killed more than 1,300 people reminds the rest of the world that anti-Semitism is not a relic of the past, but a lived reality Jewish communities here, in Canada and around the world, points to Mr. Trudeau’s office in a press release.
Ms Lyons, who succeeds former Attorney General Irwin Cotler, was appointed to a two-year term.
A distinguished diplomat with 25 years of experience in international relations, political affairs, security management and development, Ms. Lyons previously served as Canada’s ambassador to Israel, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
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Former Federal Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Graham Hughes
Most recently, she supported peace and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
The unbearable pain caused by Hamas’ attacks on Israelis earlier this month must inspire us to continue the fight against anti-Semitism together.
Mr. Cotler was appointed special envoy in November 2020 to raise awareness of the Holocaust and combat anti-Semitism at home and abroad. His mandate was extended in 2022.
Ms. Lyons’ appointment also follows the outcry sparked by the honoring of a Ukrainian veteran who served in a Nazi unit during World War II.
The Yaroslav Hunka controversy has swept the world since it erupted following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Ottawa and led to the resignation of House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, who was there. Origin of this invitation.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Justin Trudeau recognize the presence of Yaroslav Hunka.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Patrick Doyle
According to Mr. Trudeau, Ms. Lyons’ appointment will particularly serve the education of younger generations […] so that they can learn the truth about what happened and know that anti-Semitism still persists today.
She is the best person for this leadership position. […] She has been on the front lines and seen firsthand what mass atrocities are like in Afghanistan.
The Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations (CIJA), which represents Canada’s Jewish federations, has been calling for the creation of such a body for years. On Monday, Richard Marceau, vice president of external relations at CIJA, said he was pleased with Ms. Lyons’ appointment.
The Jewish community in Canada is afraid, he said. People who spread hate in Canada should face the consequences: legally, criminally and professionally. […] Hate must be fought.
No “geopolitical mandate”
At a news conference announcing her appointment, Lyons, who is not Jewish, said she was honored to take on her new role and said she was “more determined than ever to fight anti-Semitism,” especially after the Hamas attacks .
“There is only one way to achieve this and that is to unite as Canadians in our common humanity, as we always have,” she added.
According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, 437 cases of hate crimes affected the Jewish community in the country. This is the most targeted community in Canada, despite making up only 0.9% of the Canadian population.
Asked whether it was possible to criticize Israel without being labeled anti-Semitic, Lyons said it was “acceptable to criticize any government in any country.” But if this country is constantly being targeted for criticism, without context, then it will be very obvious that this is happening from an anti-Semitic perspective, she added.
Ms. Lyons also declined to comment on Israel’s total siege of Gaza, saying her role had “no geopolitical mandate.”
In retaliation for the Hamas attack, the Israeli army relentlessly shelled this overpopulated Palestinian enclave, leaving 2,750 dead and nearly 9,700 injured to date, according to the latest Palestinian authorities report.