Statement - Ministers Anandasangaree and Fraser Present National Commitments to Combat Antisemitism

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 26, 2026 /CNW/ - The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety and the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency today issued the following statement:

"Antisemitism is unacceptable and has no place in Canada. We must stand united against hatred in all its forms by promoting accountability, education, and solidarity. No one should live in fear because of their religious, ethnic or cultural identity.

"Recent events abroad have underscored the urgency of this work. The horrific mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia, where fifteen people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration in a terrorist attack, is a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of antisemitism and violent extremism. Canada stands with the people of Australia and the Jewish community as they mourn this tragedy."

"Last year, the Government of Canada convened the National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism. The Forum reinforced a national and collective sense of urgency towards action, and ended with a Statement of Intent. This statement reaffirmed a collective commitment to address hate crimes targeting Jewish Canadians and all people in Canada, and the joint responsibility to combat all forms of hate-motivated crimes through decisive, coordinated, and focused actions. Following the Forum, the Government of Canada also pledged to support communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes through a number of actions.

"The National Commitments to Combat Antisemitism, released today, represent a significant milestone in a pan-Canadian approach to preventing and addressing hate and protecting affected communities. These commitments are the direct result of discussions that took place during the National Forum, and were developed in collaboration with federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal partners, as well as law enforcement.

"The Commitments include:

• Enhancing law enforcement and prosecution by strengthening police training across Canada, expanding and supporting dedicated hate crime units, improving the consistency in collection and use of data on antisemitism, and strengthening prosecution processes to enhance coordination across jurisdictions;
• Raising public awareness of antisemitism in Canada;
• Strengthening national coordination and leadership to combat antisemitism through cross-government actions;
• Protecting the public from antisemitism, including students and people in academic communities, by enhancing the security of communities at risk of hate-motivated violence; and by
• Promoting consistent messaging in the fight against antisemitism by raising awareness of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definitions.

"The National Commitments follow the work of Canada's Action Plan on Combatting Hate, which provides the overarching framework for addressing hate in all its forms, including antisemitism. It also brings together initiatives to empower communities to prevent hate, support victims and survivors, protect communities and build community trust, partnerships and readiness.

"In support of these commitments, the Government of Canada introduced Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, on September 19, 2025. Proposed amendments to the Criminal Code would:

• Make it a crime to intimidate and obstruct people from accessing places of worship, as well as schools, community centres and other places primarily used by an identifiable group;
• Make hate motivated crime a specific offence, ensuring such conduct is more clearly denounced and that offenders are held accountable; and
• Make it a crime to wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group by displaying certain terrorism or hate symbols in public.

"In addition, changes to the Criminal Code in Bill C-9 would codify a definition of "hatred" to clarify when conduct constitutes a hate crime. Finally, the law would streamline the process to lay hate propaganda charges by removing the requirement to obtain the Attorney General's consent.

"The Government of Canada will continue to work with all levels of government and with partners to track our collective efforts and will release a public report on progress on a semi-annual basis."

Related links

• Statement of Intent on Combatting Antisemitism
• Government of Canada hosts National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism
• Canada introduces legislation to combat hate crimes, intimidation, and obstruction

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]; Lola Dandybaeva, Manager of Media Relations, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, 343-549-0347, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]