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…)

By Caennech Ó Sullibhain

The recent rash of house fires in Val-David, Quebec beginning June 2, 2007, was aimed at the Hasidic Jewish community. I don’t think that in this case it was anti-Israeli, or if the word anti-Semitic will do, or that it was the work of someone from the Middle East.

(more…)

The U.S. and its allies face terrible consequences from a military attack on Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s nuclear facilities, but the alternative is worse

by David Harris*

When the United States strikes Iran — as it will — the result will be a disaster, but a disaster that cannot be avoided.

Today, Iran’s radical Islamist military, security and intelligence machine reflects the extremism of its history and entrenched masters. It has made Iran an engine of global instability and menace. For Iran today is on the verge of grasping the nuclear club, even as it remains an ungovernable influence in the international community.

Iran’s extremist and uncontrollable nature has been well defined through action.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies welcomes Hon. Frank Iacobucci’s ruling of 31 May 2007, concerning his mandate as Commissioner of the Internal Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin. (See “Ruling on Terms of Reference and Procedure“)

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is concerned about the entry into Canada of China’s Commerce Minister, Bo Xilai on Monday May 28th, 2007. There are serious allegations about Bo Xilai regarding torture and crimes against humanity. These concerns have been brought to the attention of Canadian government officials, the RCMP and the Department of Justice’s Interdepartmental Operations Group of Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity & War Crimes Program.

(more…)

By Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada - As the Lebanese government attempts to bring Palestinian terrorist and their foreign allies based in UN refugee camps under control, serious questions must be asked about the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) and its role in supporting and sustaining these armed gangs and their expensive infrastructures. For its part, the Canadian Government must investigate the way its own money and support for UNRWA have been misused to fuel extremism in the region.

(more…)

Statement by the Canadian Coalition for Democracies

Ottawa, Canada, April 4, 2007 — The Iranian hostage drama is a test that the West must not fail.

Iran has two strategic reasons for this outrage. First, Iran is testing the West to see if it is capable of any meaningful response to a clear escalation. If Iran’s rulers feel little or no pain as a consequence of this crime, increasingly dangerous escalations will follow. Iran has reliably followed this pattern since the West reacted with weakness and disunity to the seizure of American hostages in 1979.

(more…)

An impossible dream now at the crossroads worldwide

By Kenneth T. Tellis

When Amandeep Atwal, a Kitimat, British Columbia teenager was stabbed 17 times by her father Rajinder Atwal on July 30, 2003, could there have been any doubt that the old ways are hard to change? Atwal also slashed his daughter’s face. Is having an old-world mentality an acceptable excuse for such a crime? I think not! When a person who is steeped in another culture immigrates to a new country in the West, that person must realize that the mores of his/her country of origin and racial or religious background have no bearing on the new society. The mores of the new western society are now what he/she will have to live with, and by.

(more…)

by David Harris*

For too long Canada has somehow overlooked the biggest democracy in the world, India, mistakenly focusing on China instead. India’s annual GDP growth is now only one percentage point short of China’s. And the subcontinent is pushing a broader spectrum — both manufacturing and services — than China, with its emphasis on manufacturing.

A passage to India, or a slow boat to China? At last, Stephen Harper’s government might be making the right choice.

For years Canadian diplomacy has emphasized China over India. But next week, Trade Minister David Emerson’s high-profile India mission can bring a needed change — provided Canada’s government is prepared to pursue the right initiatives.

(more…)

By Andrew L. Jaffee

It seems that some Canadians — at least the ones represented by the Liberal Party — are ready to put 9/11 behind them, that is, pretend terrorism doesn’t exist, as the House of Commons yesterday voted to allow two anti-terror laws to expire. It hasn’t even been a year since the arrests of Canadian Islamists planning to detonate 3 tons of ammonium nitrate in and around Toronto. Ah, but the planned mass murder never came about. Unfortunately, because of human nature — taking the path of least resistance — terrorist intent to slash our supple Western throats is perceived as somehow different than if our throats were actually slashed. Too late! When you notice the threat, all your blood has run out. Never mind the bloodshed happening “over there.” My, how the grass is greener at home.

(more…)

By Dick Field

Published online January 18, 2007 – Canada Free Press

In a previous article, I briefly mentioned Canada’s racist laws. Some people were confused. This article is much too long but frankly it would require a book to fully detail the harm done to Canada by our misguided governments over the last 45 years.

Therefore, let’s keep this as easy to understand as possible. Until 1963-68, the years the Pearson/Trudeau era began, and particularly after the charismatic Pierre Elliot Trudeau swept the Canadian public off their collective feet and became the Prime Minister of Canada, we operated under an English Common-Law system of criminal and civil law. Under that system we had the right to do anything not specifically forbidden by law.

(more…)

Inter-climatic Immigration, Global Warming & Greenhouse Gases

By Dick Field

A few commentators have expressed grave concern that the continued importation of millions of immigrants to Canada, the UK, the USA and northern Europe contributes to an ever increasing urban sprawl and the consequent destruction of vital agricultural lands. Even Canada’s huge land mass cannot support the density of human occupation that its size would lead one to believe. Most of Canada’s land mass is virtually uninhabitable. Compatible cultural integration is also becoming a cause of concern.

(more…)