In a statement, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center President and CEO, Avi Benlolo said: "I was delighted to see Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alongside former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion and interim Conservative Leader Ron Ambrose paying respect to Shimon Peres and the State of Israel today. The long standing bond between Canada and Israel is unbreakable especially as both nations share similar values of human rights, freedom and democracy. Today, we are all proud Canadians".

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Contact 
Stacey L. Starkman 
Director of Communications & External Relations 
416.864.9735 x 32  / sstarkman@fswc.ca 

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is a leading Canadian non-profit human rights foundation directly representing over 30,000 members. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, the Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and the widely acclaimed new Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles, which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca

Canadian Headquarters: Toronto  
Branches: Los Angeles • New York • Chicago • Paris • Buenos Aires • Israel