Canada hosts international conference on anti-Semitism

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced today that the Government of Canada is playing a very important role in addressing anti-Semitism by financially sponsoring the Parliamentary Centre as facilitator for the upcoming Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism, and Multiculturalism.

“Canada strives to be an international leader in fighting the pernicious evil of anti-Semitism,” Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said. “By supporting this conference, the Government of Canada is taking action to engage the global community in the struggle against hatred.”

The Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism will take place November 7 - 9, 2010 and will bring together members of Parliament, experts and dignitaries from around the world to discuss the global phenomenon of anti-Semitism and how to combat it.

The Parliamentary Centre is a non-partisan and not-for-profit organization devoted to improving the effectiveness of representative assemblies around the world. Other partners supporting and participating in the Ottawa Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism include the ICCA, the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA) and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.

“At the first conference of the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (ICCA) in London in February last year, Canada committed to hosting the 2010 conference in Ottawa,” said Amelita Armit, President and CEO of the Parliamentary Centre. Acting as facilitator for this conference aligns with the Parliamentary Centre’s objective to provide a forum for dialogue and exchanges on matters of interest to Parliamentarians.

Promoting and actively engaging in dialogue on issues of multiculturalism and diversity at an international level is one of Canada’s objectives through the Multiculturalism Program.