Toronto (June 21, 2018) -Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) opposes financial support beingprovided to hate groups by the Canadian government. 

According to the government’spublic registry of organizations approved for the Canada Summer Jobs grant, theKitchener-based Islamic Humanitarian Service has received funding. Recently,the organization’s leader, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda,was filmed spewing antisemitic hate speech at Al Quds Day in Toronto, includingcalling for the “eradication” of Israelis and Zionists.    

“Not only has the governmentdisappointingly failed to put an end to this annual antisemitic and hate-filledrally, but it is also providing funding to groups that clearly do not upholdCanadian values,” said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. “The Canadiangovernment must put in place stronger vetting practices to ensure that groupsand individuals with a history of expressing any type of hatred are not beingfinanced.”

In a statement sent to FSWC, MP Michael Levitt stated thathe had discussions with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Developmentand Labour, Patty Hajdu, on the concerns being raised regarding thisorganization receiving funding.

“She understands the seriousness of the concerns beingraised and has confirmed to me that the government is actively investigatingthis issue. I look forward to the results of the investigation. The goal mustbe to ensure that moving forward we can avoid such situations of organizationsabusing this program,” said Levitt.