By Andrew L. Jaffee

Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper, leader of one of the world’s greatest liberal democracies, has the courage to stem the politically-correct tide, and to stand squarely in support of Israel. In a speech commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel, he said that the Jewish State, “is a tribute to the unquenchable human aspiration for freedom, and a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people.” In comments made the same week on a Toronto radio station, he said that the current fad of anti-Israel sentiment boils down to nothing but anti-Semitism. I encourage you to read the excerpts shown below, and to follow the links to read the full text of Harper’s courageous statements.

(more…)

By Fern Sidman

For the 4th consecutive year, anti-Israel apologists and propagandists will be convening at the University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada for a three week event (Feb 3-19) called Israel Apartheid Week. As in years past, the major objective of this smear campaign is to impugn and excoriate the Jewish State as a racist entity, as well as organizing symposiums to further an agenda of academic boycott and BDS (boycott, divestments and sanctions) against Israel. Through a series of cleverly crafted gross distortions of facts, outright lies and half-truths, the organizers of this event which include the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, Women in Solidarity with Palestine and the Arab Law Students Association have couched their flagrantly fraudulent and incendiary rhetoric in academic and intellectual terms in order to gain credibility. One of the groups participating in Israeli Apartheid Week is the Toronto Coalition to Stop the War, which obtained its place in historical infamy by traveling Egypt in March of 2007 to attend a conference intended to forge closer links between the international antiwar movement and Islamic resistance groups, including several on Canada’s terrorism list.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - The Stephen Harper government has withdrawn its support for a UN anti-racism conference scheduled to take place next year in South Africa, according to a media release today from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Jason Kenney, secretary of state for multiculturalism and Canadian identity, said today that the conference, like its predecessor in 2001, “has gone completely off the rails… Canada is interested in combating racism, not promoting it. We’ll attend any conference that is opposed to racism and intolerance, not those that actually promote racism and intolerance”.

(more…)

by Brooke M. Goldstein*

Award-winning author Mark Steyn has been summoned to appear before two Canadian Human Rights Commissions on vague allegations of “subject[ing] Canadian Muslims to hatred and contempt” and being “flagrantly Islamophobic” after Maclean’s magazine published an excerpt from his book, America Alone.

The public inquisition of Steyn has triggered outrage among Canadians and Americans who value free speech, but it should not come as a surprise. Steyn’s predicament is just the latest salvo in a campaign of legal actions designed to punish and silence the voices of anyone who speaks out against Islamism, Islamic terrorism, or its sources of financing.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) and members of the Kenyan-Canadian community applaud Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier and International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda for their initiative during the post-election crisis in Kenya, and commend the Government for its initial offer of financial assistance to the people.

“We are thankful for Canada’s contribution of $1 million to the Kenyan Red Cross,” said Tegi Obanda, International Coordinator of the Coalition for Constitutional Reforms Kenya (CCR-K). “It is a good start, but more must be done.”

(more…)

By Andrew Whitehead

The Council on American-Islamic Relations - Canada (CAIR-CAN) recently issued a press release calling for “zero tolerance” regarding domestic abuse in Canada.

http://www.caircan.ca/itn_more.php?id=2957_0_2_0_C

The press release involved a 16 year-old teenager, Aqsa Parvez, who was apparently strangled to death by her father for refusing to wear the traditional hijab outside her home. Her father has reportedly confessed to the murder.

(more…)

By Phyllis Chesler

Aqsa Parvez, the tragic sixteen year old slain by her father in an honor killing in Canada, was buried secretly and privately. Her teenage friends arrived hours too late at the Islamic Center where they had been told her funeral would take place. The kind of family and culture capable of honor murder (she and her family are all Pakistani immigrants) is also quite capable of denying her Canadian friends the opportunity of paying their last respects.

(more…)

By Salim Mansur

Public policy is generally judged on the basis of its intended effect.

But not infrequently the public is left to contend with the unintended consequences of a policy — for instance, the NEP of the Trudeau years or the Meech Lake Accord of the Mulroney years — long after the intended effects would have been consummated.

Politicians seek the glow of the intended effects of policies they initiate, and flee from the unintended consequences of those same policies that might leave the society worse off than the situation when a particular policy was proposed or enacted.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier condemned Burma’s military junta for the regime’s escalating assaults on freedom, democracy and individual liberty. The junta has long detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, abused other pro-democracy leaders and protesters, and denied free expression and free association to its citizens.

“Canadians applaud Minister Bernier’s firm support for democracy in Burma,” said Alastair Gordon, President, Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD). “The Minister must now demonstrate Canada’s commitment with decisive action aimed at ending the dictatorship, and restoring freedom to the Burmese people.”

(more…)

A personal vignette

By Cainnech Ó Sullibhain

It was just a week before Christmas 1974, and I had taken my son Pierre with me to the Beaver Lumber Store at Applewood Plaza, to buy a few last minute items for our home.

It might have been a very ordinary day, but events would take place that would make it highly unusual.

I had just come out of the Beaver Lumber Store when a man dressed in a rumpled suit and a fedora on his head accosted me. He said, “Sir, would you mind giving me $20.00 for my Rolex wristwatch, because I haven’t eaten for three days?” I then asked him where he was from. He replied that he was a Hungarian émigré who had been living in Switzerland, and had managed to get into Canada. I told him that I did not have $20.00 on my person, but I would accompany him to the small restaurant near the Steinberg Supermarket and buy him a meal. He agreed, and off we went in tow. I asked the waitress to bring a menu and told him to order whatever he wanted. He did not ask for much. I then emptied my wallet and my change pouch and gave the man whatever I had. He then took off his Rolex wristwatch and offered it to me. I refused it, because I already had a watch, which was in perfectly good working order and did not need another watch. I was not interested in taking away from another human being something that I did not want nor need.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) applauds Prime Minister Stephen Harper for taking a stand against exempting one religious group from the requirement of photo identification when voting.

“Prime Minister Harper is right to demand that all voters, regardless of their religion, be equal before the ballot box,” said Alastair Gordon, CCD President. “Permitting or accommodating the anonymity of a full Muslim veil or burqa at a polling station undermines the integrity of our electoral system.”

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada — The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) regards as unconscionable Elections Canada’s reported new policy of allowing Muslim women to wear identity-concealing face veils, including full burqas, when voting in upcoming federal by-elections in Quebec and Ontario. Canada’s federal elections’ regulator says Muslim women can “vote veiled” merely by identifying themselves with a driver’s licence and second piece of identification. As an alternative, “covered” women need only swear an oath and have another voter vouch for them.

Outbursts of public condemnation overturned a similar initiative earlier this year by Quebec’s Election Commission. The Commission was forced to reverse its consent to “burqa voting” when offended Quebec citizens and public interest groups threatened civil disobedience at election time. Highlighting the problem of double standards and arbitrariness, voters promised to attend polls with their faces covered by paper bags, sheets, hockey masks and other head coverings, and to assert “sensitivity” and special religious privilege as their justification for doing so.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - August 15, 2007 - India celebrates 60 years of independence. This occasion offers Canada an opportunity to reevaluate its relationship with one of history’s oldest continuing civilizations, a nation that is the world’s largest pluralistic democracy, and a major Asian military and economic power.

Like Canada, India inherited its parliamentary democracy, common law, civic administration and knowledge of English from its period as a British dependency. Despite having much in common with India, Canada has been slow to expand relations with the country, focusing more on its relations with China. This emphasis is reflected in the disproportionate extent of Canadian Government programs, civic engagement, trade, bilateral agreements and ministerial visits aimed at China, and a blinkered approach toward India.

(more…)

By Naresh Raghubeer, Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Last week, Ontario Auditor-General Jim McCarter reported that the province’s Immigration and Citizenship Ministry has been dispensing millions of dollars in grants to ethnic groups under a process that is “not open, transparent or accountable.” In many cases, groups got money simply because their members were chummy with ministry insiders. “In essence, the decisions behind ‘who got what’ were often based on conversations, not applications,” Mr. McCarter concluded.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - According to published reports, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to announce a resumption of aid to Palestinians President Mahmoud Abbas when he meets with Jordon’s King Abdullah this week.

“If the Prime Minister resumes funding to Abbas and his Fatah Party, it will be a repetition of past mistakes,” said Alastair Gordon, President, Canadian Coalition for Democracies. “We hope that Prime Minister Harper recognizes the connection between Mahmoud Abbas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade, a designated terrorist group in Canada, the connection between Abbas’ Fatah party and specific acts of terrorism, Fatah’s rampant corruption that has diverted aid destined for the Palestinian people to Fatah leaders, Fatah’s targeted killing of Arabs who cooperate with Israel, and Fatah’s failure to end PA-sanctioned hate and incitement against Israel and Jews.”

(more…)