A prominent Jewish advocacy group is warning that Canada’s decision to dismantle its federal antisemitism watchdog risks weakening the country’s ability to confront rising hatred and preserve Holocaust memory, and could leave Ottawa in breach of its international commitments.

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative said this week that the government’s move to dissolve the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism has created a dangerous vacuum in national policy.

In a statement, AGPI said the envoy’s office had been established to implement Canada’s obligations under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, including applying the IHRA’s Working Definition of Antisemitism across government agencies and public institutions.

“With the office now removed, it is unclear who is responsible for coordination, enforcement, and accountability,” the group said.

While AGPI acknowledged that the envoy structure needed reform, it warned that eliminating it outright risks diluting the fight against antisemitism by folding it into broader advisory frameworks.

“Antisemitism is a distinct, historically rooted form of hatred,” the organization said. “Treating it as just one issue among many weakens oversight and reduces measurable impact.”

The group also raised alarms about the future of Holocaust remembrance in Canada, arguing that without a dedicated national authority, educational and commemorative efforts could become fragmented and inconsistent.

“Remembrance is not symbolic,” AGPI said. “It is an educational responsibility and a safeguard against historical repetition.”

The decision comes as Jewish organizations across North America report rising antisemitic incidents tied to global political tensions and online radicalization. Critics say Canada’s move sends the wrong signal at a time when governments are under pressure to demonstrate concrete action.

AGPI called on the government of Prime Minister Mark Carney to reverse course by establishing a new, independent national commission on antisemitism. The proposed body would be tasked with enforcing IHRA standards, preserving Holocaust memory, and addressing contemporary forms of anti-Jewish hatred.

“Canada must not retreat from its responsibility,” the organization said. “Leadership in this area must be strengthened, not dismantled.”

So far, the government has not publicly detailed how it plans to replace the functions previously handled by the envoy’s office. Without a clear successor structure, critics say, Canada risks undermining years of institutional progress on Holocaust education and antisemitism prevention.

AGPI, which focuses on Holocaust remembrance, human rights, and democratic values, warned that the consequences could be long-lasting.

“When oversight disappears,” the group said, “so does accountability. And when accountability fades, history has a way of repeating itself.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)