CAMERA and CIJR Reschedule Garneau talk on Israel in friendlier territory

True to their word, The  Committee forAccuracy in Middle East Reporting (CAMERA) and the Canadian Institute forJewish Research (CIJR) have indeed reschedule a talk on Canada-Israel Relations in Montreal.  Back on January 12, the program was cancelled due to concerns over a possible demonstration.

This time, rather than have it in the immediate vicinity of the downtown campus of Concordia University, it will be held on Friday, March 20 (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) at the Gelber Conference Centre and feature the original intended speaker, Liberal Member of Parliament for Westmount-Ville Marie Marc Garneau.  Now that it is slated to occur in the heart of the Jewish community, there is not likely to be any controversy for it moves from the hornet's nest to a scene of calm where these kind of talks happen regularly. 

 

Marc Garneau

The CIJR, which originally agreed to host the CAMERA-sponsored talk, wishes clearly to state that it will not be intimidated by the kind of violent and threatening tactics used on, and off, campus by pro-Palestinian and pro-"BDS" groups.  In a statement they said: "Especially after the recent, violent Islamic murders at the Charlie Hebdo and Hyper Cacher sites in Paris, such undemocratic tactics, which threaten fundamental Canadian rights to free speech and free assembly, must not only be opposed but ruled out of order, on- and off-campus.  Individuals and groups, Jewish and non-Jewish, have the right to speak out and to assemble. The forces of public order  (campus, municipal, provincial and federal) must not only warn of violent 'protest,' but when necessary enforce the ability of those exercising their guaranteed rights to do so in an open and secure manner."