By Joseph Marshall
Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather has long cultivated the image of a steadfast guardian of the Jewish community in Ottawa, ever present at synagogue commemorations and always ready with a statement. But beneath the polished appearances lies a disturbing pattern, repeatedly placing party loyalty over moral duty.
In late September 2023, Parliament gave a standing ovation to Yaroslav Hunka, a veteran of the Waffen SS Galician Division, a Nazi collaborator tied to atrocities against Jews. Jewish leaders were outraged. Survivor families watched in disbelief. Yet MP Housefather, speaking in public, limited himself to generic condemnations of antisemitism while avoiding the deeper accountability his own government should have faced.
The pattern continued. After the October 7 massacre shattered lives in Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, Jewish Canadians craved unequivocal support. But when the NDP motion on Palestinian statehood came before Parliament in March 2024, Housefather hesitated. He spoke about considering leaving the Liberals, but ultimately stayed. His gestures were symbolic, not substantive, leaving the impression that he would never actually risk his position to defend principle.
The pressure only deepened when Prime Minister Mark Carney announced in July 2025 that Canada would recognize the State of Palestine in September 2025. For many Jewish Canadians, this was a betrayal, rewarding terrorism even as memories of October 7 remained raw. MP Housefather again voiced concerns but chose once more to remain in a caucus that had openly turned against his community’s most urgent concerns.
Scandals within the government have also left deep scars. The Laith Marouf affair, in which a consultant with a record of anti-Israel activism, including being one of the organizers of the Bibi Netanyahu riot on September 9th, 2002, was awarded federal funding to teach reporters about biased reporting. The granting of funding shook Jewish Canadians’ confidence in Ottawa. While the funding was eventually revoked, many felt Housefather should have demanded stronger accountability from his colleagues. Instead, his approach was measured and cautious, reinforcing the belief that he was unwilling to challenge his own government even when Jews were directly targeted.
Even in smaller moments, his choices raised questions. When under 40 Liberals (out of 169) signed a strong pro Israel letter last week, MP Housefather excused the absence of the rest of his colleagues by saying the request had come during the Labour Day weekend. But the explanation rang hollow when the Conservatives managed to get their entire caucus, 144 members, to sign their own pro Israel letter. For many, Housefather’s words sounded like an apology for Liberal colleagues who simply chose not to stand up.
At the 2021 election, those frustrations nearly ended his political career. Running against Neil Oberman, a local lawyer best known for his injunctions against pro Hamas protests and other high profile legal work, MP Housefather barely held on in a riding once considered a Liberal fortress. Oberman, with no prior political experience, came close to unseating him, underscoring just how much confidence the Jewish community had already lost in Housefather’s willingness to put their interests ahead of party loyalty.
Taken together, these episodes form more than isolated incidents. They reveal a deliberate and continuous strategy. Show up in the community, offer comforting words, but never push the party hard enough to risk power or position. Supporters call this pragmatism. Critics call it betrayal. And for a community watching its supposed advocate retreat at critical junctures, that is perhaps the gravest betrayal of all.
