Ending Special Envoy Roles Risks Abandoning Communities Facing Rising Hate

Howard Sapers, Executive Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association made the following statement in response to an announcement by the federal government to end the mandates of the Special Envoys on Islamophobia and Antisemitism:

The creation of an Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion is a welcome initiative; however, the breadth of its mandate does not meet the need for targeted measures to address specific, persistent and growing manifestations of hate such as Islamophobia and antisemitism.

The federal government’s decision to terminate the roles of Special Envoy on Islamophobia and Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism is deeply troubling and short-sighted.

It is puzzling that such positions would be removed during a time when incidents of Islamophobia and antisemitism are rising across the country. Muslim and Jewish communities are reporting increased harassment, threats, vandalism, and violence. In this climate, the need for leadership, coordination, and sustained government attention to combating hate has never been greater.

Special envoys play a critical role in engaging affected communities, coordinating policy responses, and ensuring that government action is informed by lived realities. Eliminating these positions sends the wrong message: that addressing hate, racism, and religious discrimination is a secondary concern rather than a core responsibility of government.

Fighting Islamophobia and Antisemitism requires more support, not less. It requires dedicated resources, clear accountability, and visible commitment at the highest levels of government. Removing these roles undermines efforts to confront hate and risks leaving communities feeling abandoned at a moment of real vulnerability.

Recent commemorations of Holocaust Remembrance Day and the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia serve as stark reminders of the devastating consequences of hate and the urgent need to confront it. Coming on the heels of these significant days, dismantling dedicated mechanisms to address hate runs counter to the very lessons they are meant to teach.

The federal government should immediately reconsider this decision and recommit to ensuring that combating specific forms of hate, such as Islamophobia and antisemitism are adequately resourced, while continuing to invest in strategies to combat all forms of hate and protect the safety, dignity, and rights of everyone in Canada.