By Artur Wilczynski

February 12, 2026

The Carney government recently eliminated the positions of both Special Envoy on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism and Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, replacing the two offices with a broader Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion.

As the first (now former) executive champion of the Jewish Public Servants Network, I can attest that the cut has left Jewish federal public servants asking who will be there for them at a time of spiking antisemitism in Canada and around the world. Cutting the special envoy and their staff creates a significant gap in Canada’s efforts to combat antisemitism.

In recent testimony before a Senate committee, Jewish public servants reminded us that, as Canada’s largest employer, the federal government is not immune from larger trends.

The office of the special envoy was a watchdog providing early warning of antisemitism in an institution that is not immune from systemic discrimination against Jews.

The first special envoy was former Justice Minister Irwin Cotler. He was succeeded by senior diplomat and former Ambassador to Israel Deborah Lyons.

The role had domestic and international responsibilities. In addition to working with other countries in a global network dedicated to fighting antisemitism, Canada’s envoy was head of delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), a Berlin-based organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust.

The envoy had responsibilities within Canada. They provided advice and guidance to support the Government of Canada’s efforts to combat antisemitism as part of a broader Canadian Anti-Racism Strategy.

They supported ministers in the development of policies, laws, and programs that could affect Jewish Canadians. The envoy promoted broader public awareness and understanding about Jewish communities in Canada. These actions are key to the fight against resurgent antisemitism.

While representing the Jewish Public Servants Network, I worked closely with Irwin Cotler when he was special envoy. His ability to open doors to the most senior levels of government ensured the voices of Jewish public servants were heard.

In a statement last week, Mr. Cotler said: “From my experience, such a council, while necessary to combat all forms of hate, tends to marginalize or erase the singularity of anti-Jewish hatred, its globality, and its descent into standing threats of intimidation, harassment, violence and even terrorism. This decision will end up, however inadvertently, making Jews in Canada less safe, and feeling less safe.”

I also worked with Deborah Lyons in her development of a practical guidebook on the use of the IHRA definition of antisemitism – an essential step in helping the federal government address the specificity of antisemitism in Canada.

For reference and reminding, here is that definition:

Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

With the dissolution of the special envoy role and its replacement with a generic Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion, the ability to address the specificity of antisemitism in the public service has been curtailed.

The advisory council will report to the minister of Canadian Heritage, but none of its members have been announced yet, and its size, membership, resources and access are still unclear.

Its mandate is generic and includes combatting all forms of racism and hate, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. While laudable, the ambiguity does not provide any comfort to the thousands of Jewish public servants who feel that the broad antiracism approaches practiced by most government departments have failed to address their lived experiences with discrimination.

While not an insurmountable loss, this change leaves Jewish public servants more vulnerable.

Many Jewish public servants continue to share with me that they hide their identities at work. They tell me about the challenges they face with fair representation by their unions. They are concerned that policies aimed at advancing equity, diversity and inclusion within the federal public service exclude them.

They are repeatedly gaslit that they don’t face racism. They are worried that their specific experiences will be ignored by senior management. Jewish public servants work hard every day to ensure inclusion for all Canadians. All they ask for is the same in their workplace.

The onus is on the Clerk of the Privy Council, on deputy ministers, and on the whole Carney government to ensure they do not fail to address the growing antisemitic challenges confronting the public service. The public service of Canada must be a safe place for all its employees.

Artur Wilczynski served as Canada’s ambassador to Norway, and at Canadian Heritage, Public Safety, Global Affairs Canada. and the Communications Security Establishment. He was the first executive champion of the Jewish Public Servants Network. He is currently on the Board of the Centre for Holocaust Education & Scholarship in Ottawa.