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Podcast Episode 191 Description – Influential Origins with Alan Mindel and Guest Anthony Housefather (Part 1)

In this engaging and wide-ranging episode of Influential Origins on hmTv, host Alan Mindel sits down with Canadian Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather for a deeply personal and political journey through identity, public service, and the power of community.

From growing up in Quebec as part of the English-speaking Jewish minority to becoming mayor of Côte Saint-Luc and ultimately a federal MP, Housefather reflects on his family's long-standing roots in Canada dating back to the 19th century. He shares insights into the evolution of Jewish life in Canada, his early passion for competitive swimming, and the profound impact of language laws, cultural tension, and legislative challenges in Quebec.

Listeners will hear how Housefather's early exposure to public service, legal and business leadership, and his mother's academic influence shaped a multifaceted career. With wit, clarity, and conviction, he speaks on the fight for bilingualism, religious freedom, and the nuanced struggle to protect minority rights in a changing political climate.

This episode is a compelling portrait of a public servant who’s as comfortable in a courtroom as he is in the community pool — and who carries both heart and history into Parliament. Stay tuned for Part 2, where the conversation turns to today’s global challenges and their ripple effects in Canada.