Irwin Cotler named special envoy for Holocaust remembrance and the fight against anti-Semitism
IRWIN COTLER - FORMER JUSTICE MINISTER NAMED SPECIAL ENVOY TASKED WITH COMBATTING ANTISEMITISM / ANTIZIONISM
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CILR’S MESSAGE TO MR. COTLER:
“No one more suited for the job than you”.
Mr. Cotler will begin the role with a broad mandate, and will take time consulting with Jewish community leaders and organizations to develop specific plans of action on various issues. He will also become the head of Canada's delegation to the international Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) and will represent our country at the upcoming plenary in Germany. His immediate priorities will include addressing Holocaust denial and distortion, as well as strengthening domestic efforts to implement the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism/Antizionism.
Mr. Cotler will work both internationally and domestically across Canadian departments and agencies, as well as with civil society. He will also be tasked with regularly advising the Foreign Minister and the Minister for Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, as well as other ministers as needed. The latter is responsible for the government's Anti-Racism Strategy.