Richard Marceau's journey from Quebec nationalist to Jewish advocate

On November 25, at a press conference held on Canada’s Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Richard Marceau, the VP of External Affairs and General Counsel for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the advocacy arm of Canada’s Jewish community, outlined the grievances that Jewish Canadians have with the Canadian government. “I say enough!” he declared. “After more than a year of inaction, we have had enough. Enough of the demonstrations in and around Jewish neighborhoods meant solely to intimidate us. Enough with having to go to court to obtain injunctions to protect our institutions, synagogues, schools, and community centers from extremists and haters. Enough with the public celebration and glorification of terror. Enough with riots in our streets where people openly call for death to the Jews. And more than anything, we have had enough of the placating words and good sentiments. We have had enough of politicians claiming to be allies, saying hate has no place in the public sphere, and declaring, ‘This is not our Canada.’ Well, it is now.”

He demanded, on behalf of the Jewish community, the creation of a new national forum to combat hate crimes, terrorism, and antisemitism. This forum would bring together federal, provincial, and municipal leaders alongside law enforcement and legal experts to coordinate a national response. “A concrete plan for combating Jew-hatred” Marceau said must be the forum’s ultimate goal, but action is needed immediately.

Marceau’s story is unusual for a defender of Judaism. Born a French-Canadian Québécois and Catholic, he was initially an ardent supporter of Quebec nationalism. From 1997 to 2006, he served as a member of Parliament for the separatist Bloc Québécois party. “Coming from a minority in North America – French Québécois represent about two percent of the North American population – there is a natural desire among Québécois to protect and promote their culture,” he explained. “I saw significant parallels between Jews and Québécois.”

He pointed out that like Quebeckers being a French-speaking minority in a predominantly English-speaking North America, Israel is a small country geographically surrounded by a predominantly Arab region, with Hebrew as its primary language, existing in a cultural and linguistic bubble. “Each also has a significant minority of the other group within its borders – English speakers in Quebec, and Arab citizens in Israel,” he added. “When I bring Quebeckers to Israel, I always show them the one-shekel coin where there is a fleur-de-lys depicted on it, a commonality of both our communities.”

Marceau’s late wife, Lori, a Jewish Canadian from Toronto, sparked his interest in Judaism, despite being secular. He converted first to Reform, then to Orthodox Judaism, in Montreal. “My wife opened the door to a world that I found very rich. If you’re looking for spirituality, there’s something for you. If you’re seeking intellectual engagement, there’s the Talmud. If you’re into history, Judaism offers a point of entry. There is so much depth and richness in Judaism for anyone interested in exploring it,” he said.

As a separatist MP, he increasingly became a defender of Jews and Israel, alongside his support for Quebec nationalism. In 2005, he “came out of the closet” as a Jew, eventually joining CIJA to advance the interests of Jewish Canadians. In 2011, Marceau authored his autobiography, A Quebec Jew: From Bloc Québécois MP to Jewish Activist. The book showcases his life journey but also serves as a thoughtful study of Zionism through Québécois and Canadian lenses and uses the Canadian context to showcase the arguments commonly used by Israel’s antagonists and antisemites.

“I was never a vengeful sovereigntist,” he wrote. “My view of sovereignty was always positive, founded on the conviction that the Quebec nation could have its own state and govern itself if it so desired. I never felt that sovereignty was aimed against Canada or Anglophones.”

In comparison, Marceau argued that Palestinian nationalists play a “zero-sum game.” Instead of focusing on raising living standards and building their state, “for them, being pro-Palestinian necessarily means being anti-Israel. Every problem, every tragedy the Palestinians experience is blamed on Israel and its Western supporters.” The result, he said, was a complete vilification of Israel – a situation that has worsened since the book was written in 2011.

What is your view of current Canada-Israel relations?

Canada was always seen as an ally of Israel but also a friend to the Palestinians, which enabled it to play a constructive role. During the Oslo Accords, Canada worked extensively on diplomacy. Palestinians could speak to Canadians, and Israelis could do the same. However, this balance has shifted under [Prime Minster Justin] Trudeau. Recently, Canada has adopted an increasingly critical stance toward Israel, shifting its UN voting record three times in quick succession. Other cracks in support have also surfaced, such as when, following a recent meeting between Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and her Israeli counterpart, Joly’s social media posts initially omitted any mention calling for the release of hostages – a glaring oversight that was only corrected after public backlash on social media, making the issue appear like an afterthought. Adding to the strain, Canada has all but abandoned its ally in its time of need from a military standpoint as well, imposing an arms embargo on Israel. While the volume of weapons involved was small, the decision sends a troubling signal to the international community. It risks being interpreted as indicative of a deeper problem, potentially encouraging other countries to follow suit. Canada, as a middle power, relies on multilateralism and international institutions to wield influence. However, by allowing anti-Israel bias and politicization to take root in these institutions, Canada not only undermines its credibility but also weakens its global standing. A friend should not turn its back on a friend in need, but that is exactly what the Canadian government appears to have done.

What about Canada’s endorsement of UNRWA?

CIJA is suing the Canadian government for its support of UNRWA due to its inextricable ties to Hamas.. For the organized Jewish community to be forced to take its own government to court to hold them accountable for funding a Hamas-infested UN organization is a stark example of how far Canada has strayed.

You wrote about antisemitism in Canada in your 2011 book. How have the themes evolved since then?

The general themes remain relevant; however, the situation has become worse in the following areas:

1) Illiberal attempts to weaken the West from within: Within the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) culture, Jews and Israel are often perceived as symbols, or the incarnations of Western civilization and its problematic values, which means that this framework, meant to oppose injustice, often fails to address antisemitism meaningfully. Within this culture, antisemitism is frequently erased or overlooked. In the context of the Middle East, Israel is portrayed as an oppressor, with Palestinians categorized as the oppressed. Similarly, in Canada – and in the United States – Jews are increasingly framed as oppressors, casting them as villains within these ideological narratives. This erasure is particularly striking given that, according to Statistics Canada, 70% of religiously motivated hate crimes target Jews. Despite these alarming figures, DEI ideologues have shown a troubling reluctance to include antisemitism in their initiatives.
2) The unwillingness to understand the genocidal intent of Israel’s enemies: Groups such as Hamas overtly state that their goal is to eliminate the Jewish state and eradicate the Jewish people from the world. However, many anti-Israel activists, especially on campus, refuse to acknowledge these clearly stated intentions; and there has been an incomprehensible inversion of blame, where Israel, the attacked party, is placed into the accused box instead of the other way around.
3) Vilifying of mainstream Canadian Jewry: According to recent studies, more than 90% of Canadian Jews support the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish state. For those who hold Jewish self-determination as a core value, if not part of their very identity, the constant demonization of Israel is consequently painting them, and the Jewish community as a whole, in a negative light that is resulting in an unprecedented surge of antisemitism that has seeped into all aspects of their lives
4) Tokenizing anti-Zionist Jews to mask antisemitism: According to these same studies, only 3% of Canadian Jews hold anti-Zionist beliefs, yet Israel’s opponents disproportionately amplify this small but vocal group to legitimize their antisemitic messages.. This practice is a troubling form of tokenization – one that would be deemed unacceptable if applied to any other minority group, be it Black, LGBTQ, or Asian.

This double standard perpetuates the marginalization of Jewish voices and undermines the fight against antisemitism in all its forms.

5) Attempts to traif mainstream Jews and mainstream Jewish institutions: In Canada, there are widespread attempts in unions, in some social justice groups, and even in interfaith circles to exclude the vast majority of Jews and Jewish organizations from participation. “If you don’t condemn Israel, you cannot be part of the discussion,” they tell members.
6) The narrative of anti-Palestinian racism: The definitions of anti-Palestinian racism (APR) circulating today claim that being a Zionist inherently makes you a racist. They frame even basic expressions of Jewish identity or support for Israel as discriminatory, attempting to establish a specific political stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a universal human rights standard.

The implication is clear: Disagreeing with this narrative results in being labeled a racist – one of the most damaging accusations in today’s society.

This concept has begun infiltrating institutional settings, where it is weaponized to silence, stigmatize, and exclude Jews. As a result, these spaces have become increasingly toxic for Jews and for anyone who supports Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, leaving many feeling unsafe and marginalized.

What can be done about the current situation?

Jewish communities worldwide are coordinating better. I represent CIJA in a group called the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism, which includes the ADL and the Conference of Presidents from the US and its equivalents in Canada, France, the UK, Australia, Argentina, and Germany. Jew-hatred is a global issue that requires local, national, and international responses.

Do you have a message for our readers?

Canadian Jews feel under siege because they are under siege. Antisemitism is on the rise globally, and Israel faces relentless attack. Yet, even in these challenging times, Jews must remain steadfast and proud of their identity – a people whose contributions have profoundly shaped the world. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, a personal hero of mine, once said, “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism.” His words remind us of the power of self-respect and pride in who we are. Let us hold our heads high and stand tall, without fear or hesitation. I will fight back and advance the interests of our community at every opportunity – on every platform, television, and radio station; in every parliament, international gathering, and public space – everywhere!■