Vivian Bercovici

Vivian Bercovici is a Canadian lawyer and academic. She practiced law in Toronto and was an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2012–2013) and was a member of the CBC's board of directors (2013–2014).

Vivian Bercovici
Canadian Ambassador to Israel
In office
January 2, 2014 – June 2016
MonarchElizabeth II
Prime MinisterStephen Harper
Justin Trudeau
Preceded byPaul Hunt
Succeeded byDeborah Lyons
Personal details
Born1961
CitizenshipCanada, Israel
Political partyConservative
Children2[1]
Residence(s)Tel Aviv, Israel (as of 2021)[2]
Alma materUniversity of Toronto (LLB)
York University (BA)[3]
Hebrew University of Jerusalem[4]

In 2014, she was appointed as the Ambassador of Canada to Israel,[5] and was replaced by career diplomat Deborah Lyons on July 19, 2016.[6] In 2021 the CBC reported that Bercovici was employed by Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube after the end of her ambassadorship.[7]

Early life and education

A dual citizen of Canada and Israel,[2][8] Bercovici was born to Jewish parents in 1961.

Bercovici studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem from 1981 to 1982 before going to York University, where she revieved a BA in English and political science in 1984.[4] She received a diploma in international relations from the London School of Economics in 1985, and her LLB from University of Toronto in 1988.

Career

Bercovici practised law in Toronto for 24 years. In the 1990s, she worked for two years as a senior policy adviser in Ontario’s financial ministry.[9] She also wrote a column about Israel-related issues in The Toronto Star and taught law at University of Toronto.[5][10]

Bercovici was a member of the Board of Directors of CBC News/Radio-Canada from 2013 to 2018,[4] and a board member of the Canadian Journalism Foundation.[11] She is a regular contributor to the Jerusalem Post, National Post and The Hub.[12][13][14]

Stephen Harper appointed Bercovici Canadian Ambassador to Israel in 2014.[9] The Globe and Mail reported that her appointment was viewed negatively in the Canadian foreign service due to her strong pro-Israel stances, lack of diplomatic experience, and ideological ties to Likud.[6][11] Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird and other media sources argued that her pro-Israel stances were in line with the Harper government's foreign a policy and that her long career as a Toronto lawyer demonstrated that she was qualified for the position.[15][1]

She was dismissed by Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion in 2016.[5] She was dismissed with a slew of other diplomatic appointees deemed "controversial".[6] She sued the Canadian government for $10 million following her dismissal;[5] the suit was settled out of court.[16]

Bercovici remained in Israel after her dismissal[5] and as of 2021 resided in Tel Aviv.[16] She is a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute in Jerusalem, an Executive Fellow with the University of Calgary School of Public Policy. She is the Managing Director of Nuuvera Israel, a cannabis company.[17] She continued to write about Israel issues, including pieces critical of Netanyahu.[18]

Connection to Black Cube

A 2021 investigation by CBC News/Radio-Canada learned that Bercovici worked for the Israeli intelligence firm Black Cube after the end of her diplomatic assignment.[7] The CBC was given messages in which Bercovici told prospective clients that Black Cube services include "undercover surveillance, finding hidden information about third parties' personal lives and tracing bank accounts and assets", and that "she would be one of the people personally supervising all operational matters".[7]

CBC was given these messages at a time when Bercovici, Senator Linda Frum, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Federations of Canada and B’nai B’rith Canada, accused the CBC of the antisemitic dual loyalty trope in its reports about her time as ambassador.[19][18]

See also

References
  1. Simmons, Shraga (2014). "Canada's Ambassador to Israel". Aish. Aish. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  2. Vivian Bercovici (October 29, 2018). "A False Cassandra". Commentary Magazine. Commentary Magazine. Retrieved September 6, 2023. You got me [Bercovici]. I'm not in the club. I am a dual Canadian-Israeli citizen. So, maybe that's why I don't understand what's to come.
  3. "Vivian Vercovici". National Insurace Conference of Canada. National Insurace Conference of Canada. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  4. "Vivian Bercovici". CBC Radio Canada. CBC Radio Canada. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  5. Csillag, Ron (August 2, 2018). "Former ambassador to Israel sues Canadian government". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  6. Fife, Robert (July 19, 2016). "Dion shuffles diplomatic ranks, replaces controversial Tory appointees". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  7. "Former Canadian ambassador to Israel worked for Black Cube, an Israeli intelligence firm". CBC News. May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  8. "Vivian Bercovici". All American Speakers Bureau. All American Speakers Bureau. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  9. The Canadian Press (January 8, 2014). "Toronto lawyer Vivian Bercovici named Canada's new ambassador to Israel". Maclean's. Maclean's. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  10. "Vivian Bercovici". The Jerusalem Post. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  11. Clark, Campbell (January 8, 2014). "Pro-Israel non-diplomat appointed Canadian ambassador". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  12. "Vivian Bercovici". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  13. "Vivian Bercovici". National Post. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  14. Vivian Bercovici, Author at The Hub
  15. https://www.cbc.ca/1.2488765
  16. Bureau, Brigitte (January 22, 2021). "Federal government settles lawsuit with Canada's former ambassador to Israel". CBC. CBC. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  17. NGO Monitor (June 21, 2017). "Board members: Amb. Vivian Bercovici". ngomonitor. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  18. Tibon, Amir (May 5, 2021). "Canadian Jews Protest 'Antisemitic' Allegations Against Former Ambassador to Israel - Americas". Haaretz.com. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  19. "Une ex-ambassadrice du Canada en Israël a travaillé pour Black Cube, une firme de renseignement israélienne". Radio Canada. May 21, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
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