We asked Canada's antisemitism special envoy what she's doing to stop 'despicable' protests targeting Jews

Canada’s century-old Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto was founded in 1923 by Jewish doctors who couldn’t find work elsewhere due to antisemitic hiring policies of the day. Now, the hospital which treats patients of all faiths and employs staff from all walks of life, has become the latest flashpoint for anti-Israel protesters and their campaign of intimidation and targeting of Jewish-affiliated institutions across Canada–in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, and the Israeli government’s declaration of war in Gaza four months ago. It’s exactly the kind of thing that’s been keeping Deborah Lyons awake at night. Lyons is Canada’s Special Envoy to combat antisemitism and to promote Holocaust remembrance. She started her job in October, right after Oct. 7. Lyons says stopping the rampant antisemitism now facing the Jewish community in this country, will take a team effort: from Canadian leaders in business, academia, politics, other religions, and also of course law enforcement. She’s put them on notice that they must step up and do more. Lyons joins today’s episode of The CJN Daily for a report card on her first four months in office.

What we talked about:

• Read about Ambassador Lyons’ appointment as Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism and for Holocaust Remembrance, in The CJN. Hear Ambassador Lyons’ debut interview on The CJN Daily from Nov. 2023.
• Read the Bloc Québecois’ Bill 373 to toughen Canada’s hate crimes laws outlawing antisemitic speech, to now include religious speech or opinions based on religious books
• Read more about the reaction to the Mount Sinai Hospital protests, in The CJN.

Credits:

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.