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Deborah Lyons, left, was appointed antisemitism envoy, and Amira Elghawaby has been serving as the special representative on combatting Islamophobia.The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney is scrapping the roles of antisemitism and Islamophobia envoys, appointed by Justin Trudeau, and is creating an Advisory Council on Rights, Equality and Inclusion to combat hate instead.
Deborah Lyons resigned in July as Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism. The vacancy prompted Jewish groups, including B’nai Brith, to call on the Prime Minister’s office to fill the vacant role amid a surge in antisemitism.
But others in the Jewish community regard having envoys with similar but separate mandates as divisive.
Amira Elghawaby was appointed as Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia in 2023. The former journalist and human-rights advocate, whose role involves advising the federal government, has spoken openly about facing harassment and Islamophobia herself.
Ms. Lyons, former Canadian ambassador to Israel, was appointed by Mr. Trudeau in 2023 to replace former Liberal justice minister Irwin Cotler after he retired from the role.
Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity, will oversee the new advisory committee, which will comprise prominent Canadians from academia, as well as community leaders.
It will write reports and studies and provide advice to the federal government. Among its aims will be combatting racism and hate and promoting a narrative that fosters trust and understanding among different communities in Canada.
