I don't think Justin Trudeau really wants to be PM.

[Boges]

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/11/islamic-spirit-event-features-justin-trudeau

On Saturday, December 22, when most families across Canada will be coming together for Christmas, Justin Trudeau, aspiring leader of the Liberal party, will join thousands of Muslim young men and women in Toronto for the “Revival of the Islamic Spirit” (RIS) convention.

Organizers of the Islamic convention say it is a “celebration of our (Muslim) identity and Islamic faith.” However, a glance at its sponsors should give both Trudeau and the rest of us cause for concern.

RIS is co-sponsored by IRFAN-Canada, a group that lost its charitable status last year when the Canada Revenue Agency claimed it had sent almost $15 million of Canadian charitable donations to groups the CRA labelled as terrorist organizations.

According to the federal audit, IRFAN-Canada used “deceptive fundraising” to support Hamas. In addition, Canada Revenue Agency said the Islamic charity had produced videos that appealed to “all Arab and Muslim nations to join in the struggle against Israel and glorify martyrdom .” (IRFAN-Canada has appealed the CRA’s decision and denied the allegations.)

Another sponsor of the Toronto Islamic convention is Islamic Relief, a UK-based charity whose bank account overseas was recently blocked by UBS Bank, an action that raised eyebrows among counter-terrorism bloggers. (The charity’s director of finance says it has been caught in a wave of anti-terrorism regulations implemented since 9/11 that hinder its legitimate relief work.)

I'm sure Trudeau won't use this opportunity to speak out against Sharia Law, Honour Killings, Gender Segregation or Terrorism.

Does he not realize how horrible this looks?

[Moonlight Graham]

He's trying to get the growing Muslim vote in Toronto obviously. Maybe he should have done his homework though. The sponsors named in the article are the 2 largest sponsors of the event according to its website.

Maybe more importantly though is the actual content of the convention. It may be a peaceful, mainstream, socially positive Islamic convention for all we know.

[Newfoundlander]

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/11/islamic-spirit-event-features-justin-trudeau

I'm sure Trudeau won't use this opportunity to speak out against Sharia Law, Honour Killings, Gender Segregation or Terrorism.

Does he not realize how horrible this looks?

Is it as horrible as Harper sending his best wishes to them?

[PIK]

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2012/12/20121213-165631.html

What a ignorant little man.

Edited December 15, 2012 by PIK

[Newfoundlander]

^ Why because he continued to have a conversation with someone? I was delighted to hear about Sun News but they have been a complete disappointment.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I think he , through his staff , merely accepted an invitation to speak. Perhaps he sought the opportunity, I do not know. At any rate the point I wish to raise is that it is a public event with a partisan leadership candidate speaking at it. It works for both listener and speaker, in other words an opportunity for dialogue.

Unless of course fear and bias clouds your judgment the speaking of a politician to ANY group of people should not comes as a surprise.

[punked]

I think he , through his staff , merely accepted an invitation to speak. Perhaps he sought the opportunity, I do not know. At any rate the point I wish to raise is that it is a public event with a partisan leadership candidate speaking at it. It works for both listener and speaker, in other words an opportunity for dialogue.

Unless of course fear and bias clouds your judgment the speaking of a politician to ANY group of people should not comes as a surprise.

I agree our leaders should be opening dialogues with all types of Canadians. People were made at Mulcair for visiting the oil sands for no reason. Are we not a nation? Are these not people of this nation? This thread is disgusting and Boges should be ashamed treating some Canadians as lessor citizens. I guess some pigs are just more equal then others eh Boges. How is it going becoming what you once hated?

[jacee]

Marc Garneau:

"As an MP I'm ready to meet with any group at any time to talk about our shared values of peace, tolerance and equality," Garneau said. "In this case, I have concerns. One reason I wouldn't attend myself is because I'm not sure (these people) share those same values."

(these people) ... ???

I wonder what Garneau actually said.

Maybe, since he's "not sure", he should attend and find out.

I give Justin credit for informing himself directly.

Garneau gets a raspberry for ignorance and unwillingness to learn.

Edited December 15, 2012 by jacee

[cybercoma]

Basically, Marc Garneau is calling all Muslims ("these people") terrorists.

[Boges]

The reason this is controversial isn't because he's speaking at a Muslim Conference. It's controversial because the conference is partly sponsored by an organization that funds a known terrorist organization that lost it's charitable status.

Remember the column I cite in the OP is from Tarek Fatah, a Liberal Muslim.

In the column he opines if Justin will try to preach the type of inclusiveness his party would have no problem criticism a conservative Christian on like opposition to Gay Marriage.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Boges

[Newfoundlander]

The reason this is controversial isn't because he's speaking at a Muslim Conference. It's controversial because the conference is partly sponsored by an organization that funds a known terrorist organization that lost it's charitable status.

Remember the column I cite in the OP is from Tarek Fatah, a Liberal Muslim.

In the column he opines if Justin will try to preach the type of inclusiveness his party would have no problem criticism a conservative Christian on like opposition to Gay Marriage.

Do you really think had Jason Kenney been invited to this he would have refused? The government has been sending their best wishes to the meeting.

Trudeau has the opportunity to flak to 20,000 people, not many would give up that opportunity.

[Boges]

That's hypothetical. Plus Jason Kenney isn't running for the leadership of a Federal party . . . Yet.

Harper takes flak for his connections to Christian groups all the time. People say he has a hidden agenda etc.

[Newfoundlander]

That's hypothetical. Plus Jason Kenney isn't running for the leadership of a Federal party . . . Yet.

Harper takes flak for his connections to Christian groups all the time. People say he has a hidden agenda etc.

I'll give you a hint... He wouldn't have.

Edited December 16, 2012 by Newfoundlander

[Newfoundlander]

Now the sponsor is out.

[Guest]

Basically, Marc Garneau is calling all Muslims ("these people") terrorists.

I doubt he could get away with that. Is it not possible he was just referring to the ones who are terrorists?

[cybercoma]

Since the conference isn't a terrorist conference, no.

[Guest]

Since the conference isn't a terrorist conference, no.

Well, I can't see him getting away with it then. So much for his leadership aspirations. He won't be allowed to remain as a Liberal MP, either.

What a fall from grace.

[jbg]

http://www.torontosu...-justin-trudeau

I'm sure Trudeau won't use this opportunity to speak out against Sharia Law, Honour Killings, Gender Segregation or Terrorism.

Does he not realize how horrible this looks?

He's fast proving he's in over his head, even as a backbencher.

On the other hand, his Daddy rode with Nazi motorcycle gangs during the early 1940's.

[jbg]

Harper takes flak for his connections to Christian groups all the time. People say he has a hidden agenda etc.

Yes. Islamists are more romanticized because they're harmful to the West and Canada. Not so much Christians who are our countries' bedrock.

[Boges]

Well I guess there's no issue now. All the bad press associated with this story has caused the group in question to withdraw its sponsorship.

Edited December 17, 2012 by Boges

[jbg]

Well I guess there's no issue now. All the bad press associated with this story has caused the group in question to withdraw its sponsorship.

Too little too late.

[jacee]

Well I guess there's no issue now. All the bad press associated with this story has caused the group in question to withdraw its sponsorship.

Interesting turn of events!

A group that lost its federal charitable status over alleged ties to Hamas is no longer sponsoring an Islamic conference in Toronto at which Liberal leadership hopeful Justin Trudeau is expected to speak.

On Saturday, the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) conference posted a release on its website, saying that its organizers had accepted IRFAN-Canada’s unconditional withdrawal as a secondary sponsor of the annual gathering, the largest of its kind in Canada.

“The material evidence used by Revenue Canada against IRFAN are matters best left to the relevant legal bodies to be resolved,” said Fouzan Khan, a founder and director of RIS, in the release. “It is extremely unfortunate that this issue has threatened to detract from the many accomplishments of RIS in the last ten years.”

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/canada/canadian-politics/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/16/justin-trudeau-islamic-conference

[PIK]

^ Why because he continued to have a conversation with someone? I was delighted to hear about Sun News but they have been a complete disappointment.

Yes, he could have stop and said I have nothing to say, but to ignore her like that ,shows he is a little ignorant man. It was only one question.

[Boges]

Yes, he could have stop and said I have nothing to say, but to ignore her like that ,shows he is a little ignorant man. It was only one question.

The LPC candidate in Durham region for the recent bi-election had a link to support his campaign on a Veterans page. Basically a bait and switch for someone looking to donate to veterans, pretty cruddy stuff. Sun asked Justin about it and he ignored the issue completely and said Harper mistreats veterans and Sun News should be ashamed of themselves for asking him such a question. So yeah he's an ignorant man for sure.

[jacee]

Too little too late.

No. Not for Trudeau.

He's very smart to try to connect with young Islamists in Canada, and the opposition just had the rug pulled out from under them.

It's politically stupid of the Cons to villify Canadian Islamists, and to ignore their concerns about western imperialism, imo.

Edited December 17, 2012 by jacee