In a Monday-morning conference call with journalists organized by the Washington-based think-tank The Israel Project, Prime Minister Stephen Harper repeated Canada’s denunciation of this week’s United Nations World Conference Against Racism.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Speaking just before the start of the anti-racism conference in Geneva, Harper – who called in from Kingston, Jamaica, where he was scheduled to hold bilateral trade talks with Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding – reminded reporters that in June 2008, Canada was the first country to pull out of the conference, known as Durban II.
At that time, he said, Canada also indicated it “would not fund the participation of Canadian NGOs in the Durban process,” he said.
“We’re pleased that many countries have since followed Canada’s lead in withdrawing.”
As of Monday morning, the list of non-participating countries had grown to eight, with the United States, Australia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and New Zealand joining Canada and Israel on the sidelines.
Harper said Canada was “leading the world in championing international understanding and pluralism” and also in its stance against anti-Semitism and racism “in all other forms. We’re very concerned that anti-Semitism is growing in volume and acceptance, justified by opposition to Israel itself.”
He added: “Canada will not lend its name and reputation to an international conference that promotes these kinds of things.”
Citing Canada’s participation in the preparatory committee for this year’s conference, Harper said it was clear from the start that Durban II will be nothing more than an attempt to “scapegoat the Jewish people.”
Harper also criticized the fact that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – who has repeatedly called for the eradication of the State of Israel and denied the Holocaust – was the only head of state scheduled to address the conference on Monday, and noted that his address was timed “no doubt” to coincide with Yom Hashoah, he said.
“Our government will participate in any international conference that combats racism,” Harper said. “We will not, however, lend Canada’s good name to those, such as Durban II, that promote it.”
