Rights council seeks unity that Jewish, Muslim envoys couldn't achieve: Miller

Rights council efforts in Canada are being challenged after the federal government replaced separate envoys on Islamophobia and antisemitism with a broader “advisory council on rights, equality and inclusion.” The change was announced in February and framed by Prime Minister Mark Carney as a way to address hatred toward Muslims, Jews and Indigenous Peoples. The government said the new council will investigate antisemitism causes and improve research and data collection on hate incidents. Since Carney launched it a month ago, Jewish advocacy groups have criticized the shift, arguing antisemitism drivers are already documented in parliamentary reports. Noah Shack of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs urged Canada to restore the antisemitism envoy role and expand prevention and accountability. Parliament passed Bill C-9 last month to create new criminal offences tied to religious or cultural institutions.