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Ottawa - Canadian PM: Canada An Unyielding Defender of Jewish Religious Freedom |
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![Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of the international Jewish group Chabad Lubavitch honoured Jewish victims of Novembers Mumbai attacks on Parliament Hill yesterday. [photo credit: Christopher Pike, Reuters]](http://www.vosizneias.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pmcan.jpg "pmcan")
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and members of the international Jewish group Chabad Lubavitch honoured Jewish victims of Novembers Mumbai attacks on Parliament Hill yesterday. [photo credit: Christopher Pike, Reuters]
The ceremony, held on Parliament Hill and attended by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney and several other MPs, was organized by Chabad Lubavitch, an international Jewish group that operates centres in more than 50 countries.
Its centre in Mumbai was among the targets in the series of co-ordinated terrorist attacks throughout the city in November. The rabbi, Gavriel Holtzberg, and his wife, Rivka, were among six people killed in the building. Their two-yearold son and his nanny escaped.
Mr. Harper expressed his condolences over the couple's murders, calling them senseless and brutal and said they were "affronts to the values that unite all civilized people."
The Prime Minister said that sadly, the "age-old hatred, anti-Semitism remains an ever-present evil in our world today."
"Anti-Semitism is a pernicious evil that must be exposed, that must be confronted, that must be repudiated, whenever and wherever it appears. Fuelled by lies and paranoia we have learned from history it is an evil so profound, indeed as we saw in Mumbai, that it is ultimately a threat to us all," said Mr. Harper.
"Under our government, Canada will remain an unyielding defender of Jewish religious freedom, a forceful opponent of anti-Semitismin all of its forms and a staunch supporter of a secure and democratic state of Israel," he told the applauding audience.
The Prime Minister said the quick instalment of a new rabbi at the Chabad Lubavitch centre in Mumbai sent a powerful signal that the Jewish people will "never bow to violence and hatred."
"When it comes to standing against hate and intolerance, none have persevered, none have been as resolute as the Jewish people," he said.
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Read Comments (14) — Post Yours »
1
Mar 13, 2009 at 08:28 AM Anonymous Says:
they people got the point: chabad is standing strong and ready to start over
2
Mar 13, 2009 at 08:55 AM notacanadian Says:
Canada is an ideal example in the way they fight anti-semitism. they are one of Israel's biggest supporters and were the first country to boycott DurbanII
3
Mar 13, 2009 at 08:54 AM Anonymous Says:
Canada has a long history of tolerence to various faiths. Jew have been welcomed in Canada and have prospered.
4
Mar 13, 2009 at 08:53 AM eli Says:
chabad was allways strong what is there to start over my friend
5
Mar 13, 2009 at 09:17 AM Anonymous Says:
“ chabad was allways strong what is there to start over my friend ”
the chabad house in mubai my friend
6
Mar 13, 2009 at 09:45 AM Shmilfke Says:
Canada is simply the place to be!
7
Mar 13, 2009 at 10:43 AM Canadyid Says:
Canada owes a lot of Hakoros Hatove to Reb Stephen Harper.
8
Mar 13, 2009 at 10:34 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Canada is an ideal example in the way they fight anti-semitism. they are one of Israel's biggest supporters and were the first country to boycott DurbanII ”
You are obviously not a Canadian. Canada has a serious problem with anti-semitism. A recent report showed that over 60% of religious hate crimes committed in Canada are directed against Jews. Canada's publicly supported universities have fostered intolerance to student groups that support Israel. While the Canadian government has at times been supportive of Israel, it has long followed an "evenhanded approach." In the 58th UN General Assembly (2003), Canada voted for a total of 14 resolutions critical of Israel and abstained on four others.
9
Mar 13, 2009 at 11:40 AM Anonymous Says:
“ You are obviously not a Canadian. Canada has a serious problem with anti-semitism. A recent report showed that over 60% of religious hate crimes committed in Canada are directed against Jews. Canada's publicly supported universities have fostered intolerance to student groups that support Israel. While the Canadian government has at times been supportive of Israel, it has long followed an "evenhanded approach." In the 58th UN General Assembly (2003), Canada voted for a total of 14 resolutions critical of Israel and abstained on four others. ”
You are wrong 2003 was the liberal govt. under chretien Mr.Harper is the most fierce supporter of Israel today in the entire world.
He is risking his political future by standing up to his pricipals.
Please lets give him the wright full credit he deserves
10
Mar 13, 2009 at 12:43 PM Ephraim Says:
Prime Minister Harper is a breath of fresh air after a long list of Canadian leaders who constantly followed the lead of other countries hostile to Israel. He certainly has no political reasons to be friendly to Jews who make up only a tiny fraction of Canada's population. He should be recognized as a true friend "machaside Umois Haolam."
11
Mar 13, 2009 at 01:37 PM Anonymous Says:
The Harper government has been consistently pro-Israel including during the Lebanon war and in the Gaza. As #9 puts it--Chretien was another story. they just take the Jewish vote for granted and the Jewish areas vote liberal without thinking.
12
Mar 13, 2009 at 03:46 PM bigwheeel Says:
“ The Harper government has been consistently pro-Israel including during the Lebanon war and in the Gaza. As #9 puts it--Chretien was another story. they just take the Jewish vote for granted and the Jewish areas vote liberal without thinking. ”
...PM Harper is not a member of the Liberal party! Pierre Trudeau, opm (of past memory), however, was!!!
13
Mar 14, 2009 at 10:24 PM OTTAWANIAN Says:
The PM also told the assembled that Canada will always remain a home for the Jewish People. He cetainly does not hesitate to make politically incorrect statements. He has nothing to gain a some to lose by supporting Israel and making such comments. I agree he appears to be mechasidei umos haolam. Moshiach tsaiten!
14
Mar 15, 2009 at 03:12 PM Milhouse Says:
“ ...PM Harper is not a member of the Liberal party! Pierre Trudeau, opm (of past memory), however, was!!! ”
Yes, that's #11's point. Harper is great for the Jews, and yet like golems they voted Liberal at the recent election, and no doubt they'll vote Liberal again at the next election.