Angry in the Great White North

That is an actual pamphlet distributed at the Durban conference in 2001 at the NGO forum. 

Liberal John Manley was the Foreign Minister at the time, and Manley went on the record as hoping never to see another Durban conference:

I think there's a more fundamental question here. Why are we having a conference in which on one hand we're either engaging in platitudes that everybody agrees with, or on the other hand we're engaging in vitriol and criticism against different groups? This is just not helpful. It hasn't been a good experience for the world community. It is not a good experience for the United Nations and I hope we don't have to see this again.

Former Liberal Justice Minister Irwin Cotler turned the Nazi reference on its head when he spoke of the 2001 Durban conference:

But if 9/11 was a transformative event, the same description must apply to another event that ended on the eve of 9/11. I am referring to "The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance>" in Durban, South Africa, which was the "tipping point" for the emergence of a new wave of anti-Semitism masquerading as anti-racism. Unfortunately, the 5th anniversary of this event has gone largely unremarked.

As one of my colleagues put it at the time, if 9/11 was the Kristallnacht of terror, Durban was the Mein Kampf. Those of us who personally witnessed the Durban festival of hate--with its hateful declarations, incantations, pamphlets and marches--have forever been transformed. For us, Durban is part of our everyday lexicon as a byword for racism and anti-Semitism, just as 9/11 is a byword for terrorist mass murder… [W]hat happened at Durban was truly Orwellian: A conference purportedly organized to fight racism was turned into a festival of racism against Israel and the Jewish people… A conference dedicated to the promotion of human rights as the new secular religion of our time increasingly singled out Israel as a sort of modern-day geopolitical Anti-Christ.

The follow-up, sometimes called Durban II, is looking to be as bad, if not worse, than Durban I.

Libya is the chair of the Durban II preparatory committee.  Iran is a vice-chair.  The kickoff to the preparation work was held during Passover in order to make sure Jewish groups would find it difficult to participate.  All NGOs that participated in Durban I are invited back for Durban II, including the ones pining for a world in which Hitler's Nazis had completed their work.

Presumably more Hitler pamphlets will be handed out.

Well, Stephen Harper, Maxime Bernier, and Jason Kenney are not going to allow Canada to be sullied by taking part in this upcoming hate spectacle, nor will they allow the hatemongers to steal what credibility they can from Canada's presence:

Canada is poised to become the first country to significantly distance itself from a major anti-racism conference that the United Nations is planning for next year.

Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier is expected to announce as early as today that Canada is dropping out of planning for the UN's Durban II Conference -- which the international organization is billing as a followup to its controversial 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa.

Insiders say the government feels the new conference is shaping up to be a copy of the anti-West and anti-Israel free-for-all critics said the initial gathering became.

"At the moment, much of the planning for the conference suggests it will focus little on denouncing racism wherever it occurs, and a lot on advancing some countries' agendas against Israel and the West," said one insider familiar with the new policy.

"The government feels that taking a stand against the gathering will do more in the long run for combatting racism than joining in."

The actual announcement of Canada's withdrawal from Durban II was made today by Jason Kenney:

The Hon. Jason Kenney's announcement that Canada has decided to withdraw from "Durban II" because the failure of the preparatory conferences to rid themselves of the vestiges of racism and antisemitism from Durban I five years ago, is being commended by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center For Holocaust Studies (FSWC).

"This Government's move is bold and brave," said Leo Adler, Friends' Director of National Affairs.

"The fact that Canada has tried its best to change the mood and tenor of Durban II and to see to it that the poisonous atmosphere of 2001 is not repeated, speaks volumes about this Government's commitment to Canadian values of freedom and liberty," added Adler.

Minister Kenney also indicated that Canada would be willing and prepared to work with NGOs dedicated to fostering democracy and are seeking alternative forums.

"FSWC would be pleased to participate and help in any way possible," said Avi Benlolo, Friends' President and CEO.

Given that such notable Liberals as John Manley and Irwin Cotler have come out so strongly against Durban I, this ought not to be an issue of contention when the announcement happens. Stephen Harper, Maxime Bernier, and Jason Kenney ought to be congratulated from all sides.

Many individual Liberals who have come out strongly against the anti-Israeli rhetoric that have found a home in some corners of the Liberal Party. Liberals like Susan Kadis, who switched her support from Michael Ignatieff to Bob Rae over Ignatieff's position that Israel was guilty of a war crime over the Qana bombing in 2006.  Kadis ought to join her opponent, Conservative Peter Kent, in welcoming this move.

I would be genuinely surprised if Stephane Dion actually recommended that Canada send a delegation.  Seriously, I give Stephane Dion far more credit than that.

If I'm wrong though, and Stephane Dion says Canada is making a mistake, I might suggest that Stephane Dion lead a delegation himself, then hold a news conference upon his return.

Durban I has been forgotten by most.  Three days after the conference ended, thousands of people died in the 9/11 attacks in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. 

Here's hoping history does not repeat itself with the Durban II conference in 2009.  By refusing to participate and legitimize this spectacle, Canada has taken the lead in making sure that this conference will be different from the last one.

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