Canada Stands In

OTTAWA — Canada is representing Israel’s diplomatic interests in Venezuela after its president, Hugo Chavez, expelled Israel’s diplomats during the Gaza war. Thornhill MP Peter Kent, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Americas), told the Dominion newspaper that “Canada has agreed to represent Israel’s interests in Venezuela,” as it does for Israel in Cuba, Kent said.

Cotler To Lead March

OTTAWA — Liberal MP and former federal justice minister Irwin Cotler will lead a rally April 21 at the gates of Auschwitz to protest the followup to the 2001 United Nations anti-racism conference. To lead the rally, being organized by the March of the Living organization, Cotler will leave Geneva, site of the Durban Review Conference, where he will be at conferences countering the anti-racism forum, the March of the Living announced. Canada, Israel and the United States have boycotted the Durban Review Conference because they say it will be a repeat of the 2001 parley, which Jewish groups criticized as anti-Israel and anti-Zionist. March leaders are urging other countries to boycott the conference, slated for April 20-24 in Geneva.

Prof Faces Charge

REGINA — A former math professor at the University of Saskatchewan who heads the National Socialist Party of Canada has been charged with contempt of court for disobeying a Canadian Human Rights Commission order to stop posting hate online. Terry Tremaine faces a charge brought forward by Ottawa lawyer Richard Warman that he posted racist and anti-Semitic material, despite a 2007 order. The material reportedly describes Jews as “highly evolved parasites” and calls for their extermination.