March 6, 2026
OTTAWA – Following a recent spate of incidents targeting the Jewish community, B’nai Brith Canada is escalating its call for the Federal Government to establish a Royal Commission on antisemitism.
“We are urging all Canadians to sign our petition for the Government establish a Royal Commission on Antisemitism in Canada,” said Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer. “The crisis of antisemitism is untenable and must be investigated with the full force of government action.”
Shortly after Purim services ended on Monday, a Toronto-area synagogue was hit with gunfire. This comes as war has erupted in the Middle East, leaving many Jewish communities on edge, as conflicts involving Israel have historically exacerbated antisemitism on Canadian streets.
In January, B’nai Brith Canada wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney to recommend that his government establish a Royal Commission on antisemitism. We later held a press conference on Parliament Hill to explain our reasons for the campaign.
A Royal Commission would include experts, community stakeholders, and others, who would study the phenomenon of antisemitism and recommend measures to combat its spread. Parliament has created similar bodies to address previous crises, including the 1991 Royal Commission on Aboriginal [Indigenous or First Nations] Peoples.
The Federal Government of Australia recently created a similar commission in the aftermath of the antisemitic massacre at Bondi beach in Sydney during Hannukah last year. The perpetrators expressed support for the Islamic State and specifically targeted Jews.
The PM, who is in Australia this month, has not yet responded to B’nai Brith Canada’s Jan. 15 letter.
“What will it take for the Government to develop a whole-of-government approach to confront antisemitism?” Wolle asked. “A Bondi-style attack on a gathering of Jewish Canadians?”
Concerns about Jewish safety in Canada have been reinforced by recent reports from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). In December 2025, its Terrorism Threat Assessment Centre warned of a “real possibility” that terrorists could target Jews in Canada. Other government reports have also linked antisemitism to rising levels of extremism in this country.
“Jewish communities are being intimidated, threatened, and attacked,” Wolle said. “With tensions rising in the Middle East, the situation is intensifying. We expect our Government to employ every resource at its disposal to protect Jewish Canadians and end this crisis of antisemitism.”
Our petition is available at this link.