Liberal MP Housefather's appointment to role fighting antisemitism delayed by concerns about caucus divisions
The MP publicly discussed leaving the party in protest over Liberals' endorsement of motion on Gaza war
A proposal to appoint Liberal MP Anthony Housefather to a new role fighting antisemitism — which has been in the works for weeks — has been held up by concerns about divisions in the government caucus over the Israel-Hamas war, CBC News has learned.
And sources who spoke to CBC News — including one caucus member — are asking how Housefather's role would differ from the work of Deborah Lyons, the special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism.
The proposed appointment came after Housefather, a Montreal MP, publicly discussed leaving the Liberal Party in March. He spent weeks mulling his future with the party after almost the entire caucus helped to pass an NDP motion criticizing Israel's conduct in its conflict with Hamas. He ultimately decided to stay in caucus.
The government has been accused by Jewish groups of not being supportive enough of Israel, though it has seen its support erode among both Jews and Muslims.
Housefather declined to comment when reached by CBC News. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office also declined to comment.
A senior government official — who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to comment publicly — said an announcement about the appointment won't be made today.
The official said dealing with the rise in antisemitism and violence directed against Jewish communities across Canada is a priority for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The official also acknowledged the government needs to decide how the position would work with caucus and with Lyons's responsibilities. The official said the government is committed to combating Islamophobia as well.
News of the possible announcement spread internally among Liberal MPs late Thursday.
Shafqat Ali, a Liberal MP for Brampton-Centre, told CBC News in text messages that he believes Housefather is not the right person for the job.
"I think his appointment won't be helpful in addressing antisemitism or Islamophobia because he lacks in judgment and has contributed more in dividing Canadians in the last eight months," he wrote.
"Ben Carr or Julie Dabrusin, or anyone who has a balanced approach, would do a better job," he added, referring to the Liberal MPs from Winnipeg South Centre and Toronto–Danforth.
In a phone interview, Ali said he's not sure what Housefather would do in the position that wouldn't duplicate Lyons's work.
"I don't know if [this job is] in addition to the posts we already have, to strengthen them, to support them, or if there might be no confidence in them," Ali said.
Word of Housefather's potential appointment comes at a time when Jewish advocacy groups such as B'nai Brith Canada are reporting a record spike in antisemitic acts.
It also comes a few days before the Liberals try to hold the federal riding of Toronto-St-Paul's in a hotly contested byelection. Jewish voters make up roughly 11 per cent of the electorate in the riding, according to Elections Canada data from 2019.
Ali said he doubts there is a connection with the pending vote.
"People will have made up their minds in order to cast their votes," he said. "I don't know if this will have play in an election."
The unnamed government official also disputed the suggestion that the appointment was meant to coincide with the byelection.
In the motion passed in March, the House of Commons called on the federal government to work toward the establishment of a Palestinian state through a negotiated two-state solution, and cease the further transfer of arms to Israel.
Only three Liberal MPs voted against it. One of them was Housefather, who then said publicly he was considering whether he could stay on with the Liberals.
On April 5, he announced he would stay. He also said in a media statement he had "long and important conversations with the prime minister ... over the last couple of days."
"We have discussed policing, safe zones between demonstrations and community briefings, university campuses, antisemitism education, the implementation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition [of antisemitism] and so much more," he said.
In an interview with CBC's Power & Politics, Housefather said those conversations with Trudeau helped him decide to stay with the party.
"He said, 'Come work with me, come work with Deborah Lyons, play a leadership role on this file and we will fix it,'" he told host David Cochrane.
On Wednesday, the Conservative Party announced that Neil Oberman will be its candidate in the riding of Mount Royal, which Housefather has represented since 2015.
Oberman is a lawyer who recently represented students who filed an injunction request against the pro-Palestinian encampment on McGill University's campus.
The Liberals have held Mount Royal since 1940.
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