Differences in the ways Canadian politicians approach Jews and antisemitism were on display on Thursday, as officials wished Jewish constituents a happy Purim.
“Happy Purim to all members of the Jewish community across Canada,” stated Mark Carney, the Liberal Party leader who is being sworn in as prime minister. “May this be a time for you to gather with your loved ones and celebrate warmth, community and the perseverance of the Jewish people. Chag Purim Sameach.”
Jagmeet Singh, who leads the country’s New Democrats Party, wished “everyone celebrating a joyful Purim.”
“Today, we celebrate the strength and resilience of Jewish people in Canada and around the world,” he wrote. “We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community against rising antisemitism and commit to building a world free from hatred in all its forms,” adding “happy Purim” and “Chag Purim sameach.”
Pierre Poilievre, the opposition leader and head of the Conservative Party, wrote that “as the sun sets, Jewish families will gather to celebrate the joy of Purim.”
“The story of Esther reminds us that the forces of evil will never overcome the strength of the Jewish people,” he stated. “Chag Purim sameach.”
Kevin Vuong, an independent member of the Canadian Parliament who has sought to join the Conservative Party, posted an image with the Batman logo on an orange background, imagery associated with the Bibas children whom Hamas killed in captivity in Gaza.
“Wishing everyone a joyful Purim as we honour the resilience and strength of Canada’s Jewish community,” Vuong wrote. “We remember those who cannot join you, and we recommit ourselves to not only standing with you, but also actively fighting the hate that’s gripped our country. Chag Purim Sameach.”
Jeremy Levi, the Jewish mayor of Hampstead, in the Montreal area, shared screen captures of Carney’s, Singh’s and Poilievre’s posts.
“Thrilled to see where the Jewish community in Canada is placing its trust. The message couldn’t be clearer: the Conservatives stand firmly with us, while the Liberals have turned their backs, betraying the values they once claimed to uphold,” he wrote.
“As for the New Democrats Party, their desperate attempts to stay relevant only expose their lack of real conviction,” he wrote. “The Jewish community remembers who stands by them—and who has abandoned them when it mattered most.”
Levi told JNS that “for decades, Jewish Canadians have been a reliable pillar of support for the Liberal Party, drawn by its historical alignment with their values and unwavering commitment to Israel.”
But Hamas’s attacks on Oct. 7 and the aftermath of the massacre “served as a stark inflection point, exposing the extent to which the party has distanced itself from both Israel and the concerns of Jewish Canadians,” Levi told JNS.
“This is no longer the Liberal Party of years past,” he said. “The community, acutely aware of this shift, is now rallying behind Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives—seeing in them a steadfast commitment to the principles and security that matter most.”
HonestReporting Canada thanked Poilievre for his “steadfast support of the Jewish community.”
“As Purim shows us, those who stand with the Jewish people stand on the side of justice and resilience,” it stated. “The story of Purim reminds us that courage and unity will always triumph over adversity.”
HonestReporting Canada had a different message for Singh. “What have you done that shows, as you claim, that you and the New Democrats Party have stood ‘in solidarity with the Jewish community against rising antisemitism?'” it stated, sharing three images of crickets.
Anthony Housefather, a Jewish member of Parliament and secretary to the president of the Treasury Board, also shared a Purim message. (Housefather has served as Canada’s special advisor on Jewish community relations and antisemitism.)
“The story of Purim is the story of Jewish survival and resilience, and it also is the story of a great woman who saved her people,” he wrote. “I wish everyone celebrating a Chag Purim Sameach.”