Canada cuts funding to anti-Israel groups

[Swede]

VANCOUVER – The Canadian government has recently decided to cut back or entirely withdraw the funding to organizations that encourage a boycott of Israel or Israeli products, including pro-Palestinian and Christian groups.
One such organization is the Kairos welfare agency, which lost $7 million – half of its annual budget. Kairos is a social apparatus serving 11 Catholic and Protestant groups and churches promoting the "liberation theology" within the Canadian legal and educational establishments.



http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3834666,00.html

[Larkspur]

1. That's anti-Christian bigotry!!!!!

How come Israel, the 4th or 5th most powerful military force in the world, gets special treatment from Western governments against non-profit groups who rightly oppose Israel's apartheid policies?

[LeftishBrit]

3. Out of curiosity...

would you feel exactly the same way about de-funding Christian charitable organizations that promote right-wing causes; e.g. anti-abortion ones?

I don't know enough about the particular groups in question to know whether the Canadian government's decision is good or bad; but the argument that you use seems to get us onto rather thin ice.

[Larkspur]

4. I think if religious groups are helping the poor, then they should be supported as long as

they are running the anti-poverty org as a secular one. I don't support faith-based groups getting government money. I don't have a problem with faith-based groups running secular anti-poverty organizations that receive government money.

[azurnoir]

2. Does Canada still fund ProIsraeli groups?

if so it seems rather undemocratic to me

[azurnoir]

5. (Canadian) Liberals denounce funding cuts to KAIROS

A well-respected faith-based international aid organization that has taken positions on climate change, the environment and poverty in contrast to Conservative policy had its funding cut – yet again showing the vindictive, partisan nature of the Conservative government, Liberal MPs said today.

“KAIROS does tremendous work to help the world’s poor,” said Scarborough-Guildwood MP John McKay. “Stephen Harper is using his bully tactics once again to suppress those who might have a different opinion. If the Conservatives don’t like you, they cut you off, regardless of the quality or importance of your work.”

“The Harper government can’t keep shutting down independent critical voices it disagrees with, especially when KAIROS’ member organizations – including the Mennonites and Anglican, United and Catholic Churches – are all important voices across Canada.”

For nearly 40 years, KAIROS has received funding to do projects in the world’s poorest countries and is recognized as one of Canada’s the most respected and important charitable organizations. This week, KAIROS had its request for funding from the Canadian International Development Agency rejected because its programs no longer “fit” with the government’s priorities.

It is believed that KAIROS was censured for joining seven religious denominations in speaking out against Conservative policies on climate change, overseas mining operations, aboriginal rights, immigration and international trade.

Mr. McKay said KAIROS was instrumental in helping to get his private member’s bill C-293, the Better Aid Bill passed in 2008, which aims to better target foreign aid and make it more accountable.

http://www.liberal.ca/en/newsroom/media-releases/17057_liberals-denounce-funding-cuts-to-kairos

seems Harper is on quite a roll of repression

[LeftishBrit]

6. It looks as though the organization may NOT be encouraging a boycott of Israel

www.kairoscanada.org/en

I suspect that the current rather RW Canadian government may be looking for excuses to de-fund them, because of their local activism on poverty and social justice issues within Canada. Just a guess.

[azurnoir]

7. You are correct kairos is not advocating BDS

Harper has his own reason's for the funding cut

http://kairoscanada.org/fileadmin/fe/files/PDF/HRTrade/Pal-Isr/Paper_EconomicAdvocacyMeasures_Jan08.pdf