There has been an alarming rise in anti-Semitism in Canada in recent years. Attacks on our Jewish neighbours are also an attack on the tolerant, pluralist society we have built in Canada. The threats facing the Canadian Jewish community are challenging Canada’s security and the foundations of our democracy. Canadians who value democracy and the rule of law, need to urgently take action to confront these threats to preserve the values we hold dear in the West.
Join us for a timely and engaging discussion with leaders and allies of Canada’s Jewish community.
📅 Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
⏰ Time: 7 PM
📍 Place: Royal Canadian Legion Chapelhow Branch 284, 606 38 Ave NE, Calgary
🎟️ Tickets: $25
Speaker Bios:
Emile Scheffel Managing Director — Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee (CJPAC)
Originally from Kamloops, B.C., Emile has deep political experience in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.
As Managing Director at CJPAC, he leads the organization’s training, political mobilization, outreach, and marketing functions.
Emile began his career in the B.C. provincial government, working in the Premier’s Office and Ministry of Health. He went on to serve as director of communications and then the youngest-ever executive director of the BC Liberal Party — a free-enterprise coalition of Conservatives and Liberals.
In the private sector, Emile has managed provincial community affairs for CN Rail, overseen regulatory and reputational matters for a technology startup, and led communications for Calgary-based Neo Financial.
Rev. Dr. Andrew P.W. Bennett Director of Faith Community Engagement at Cardus
A champion of religious freedom domestically and internationally, Dr. Bennett served as Canada’s first Ambassador for Religious Freedom and led Global Affairs Canada’s Office of Religious Freedom from 2013 to 2016. He simultaneously served as Canada’s Head of Delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). In 2025, he was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his work. Dr. Bennett holds a Ph.D. in Politics (2002) from the University of Edinburgh as well as degrees in history from McGill and Dalhousie universities.
As Cardus Director of Faith Community Engagement, Dr. Bennett leads Cardus’s engagement with faith communities across Canada on issues such as religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and the importance of public faith to our common life. He also helps to direct Cardus’s program of public theology through the Communio network of Christian young professionals. Dr. Bennett is a Senior Fellow at the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) in Washington, DC.
He is an ordained deacon in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in the Eparchy (Diocese) of Toronto and Eastern Canada. In addition to his work at Cardus, Fr. Deacon Andrew enjoys an active parish ministry at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine in Ottawa, Ontario.
Jared Shore Community Leader
Jared Shore is a dedicated husband, and father of two, born and raised in Calgary. With more than 25 years of experience in advocacy, Jared has played a vital role in shaping both the local and national Jewish advocacy landscape.
A former member of the Board of Directors for the Calgary Jewish Federation, Jared has been a consistent and thoughtful voice on issues affecting the Jewish community. His work spans grassroots engagement, policy dialogue, and interfaith collaboration.
Before his advocacy career, Jared was a performing musician, bringing creativity and passion to the stage—qualities he now channels into his community work. Currently, Jared works as a therapist for children with autism and their families.
Jared brings a deep commitment to public discourse, strong ties to Calgary, and a long-standing dedication to strengthening the Jewish voice in Canadian society.
Jeremy Nixon – Former Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services
Jeremy spent 15 years before politics working in the non-profit sector, working front line, and managing multi-million-dollar programs that were largely reliant on the generosity of community. There Jeremy saw firsthand how a well-managed economy helps everyone. Jeremy served as the MLA for Calgary Klein from 2019 to 2023, and served as the Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services. Jeremy was able to help bring jobs and prosperity back to Alberta, helping the government balance 3 budgets in a row, pay down the debt, begin rebuilding the Heritage Fund, and invest in supports for our most vulnerable.
