Liberal MPs Issue Urgent Call to Action Following Ottawa Attack, Highlighting Rise in Antisemitism
Following a stabbing attack on a Jewish woman in her 70s at an Ottawa grocery store – an incident police are investigating as a hate-motivated crime and which left the victim critically injured – MP Francis Housefather and 31 other Liberal Members of Parliament have released a joint statement calling for action against rising antisemitism in Canada.
The statement, shared by Housefather on X (formerly Twitter), expressed concern that such an attack is becoming “less shocking” than it would have been just three years ago. It cited a pattern of increasing antisemitic incidents, including attacks on synagogues, Jewish schools, monuments, businesses, organizations, and individuals.
The MPs’ statement underscored the danger of holding Canadian Jewish communities responsible for events occurring in the Middle East, labeling such actions as “wrong, unacceptable and antisemitic.” They emphasized that combating the spread of hate requires a collective response from all Canadians, encompassing all levels of government, law enforcement, schools, public institutions, and workplaces.Recent data from Statistics Canada supports the MPs’ concerns. The agency reported 920 police-reported hate crimes targeting Jewish people in 2024, exceeding the number of hate crimes directed at any other religious group. This represents a critically important increase from the 527 reports recorded in 2022.
The Liberal MPs reaffirmed their support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s commitment to amend the Criminal Code to specifically address unlawful intimidation and obstruction of access to places of worship, schools, and community centres. This pledge was initially made during the 2025 federal election campaign. The Liberals also reiterated their campaign promise to substantially increase funding for the Canada Community Security Program, aimed at bolstering the protection of vulnerable communities and religious sites.Prime Minister Trudeau himself responded to the Ottawa attack on Friday, stating the incident was “deeply disturbing” and reaffirming Canada’s solidarity with the Jewish community, pledging to “confront antisemitism wherever it appears.”
Signatories to the statement alongside Housefather include Ministers Evan Solomon (artificial Intelligence),Julie Dabrusin (Environment),Rebecca Alty (Crown-Indigenous Relations),and Rachel Bendayan (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister).
