Canadian Heritage Anti-Racism Program Funding Cut and Investigation Underway

Ottawa, ON – August 22, 2022 – Last week, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) questioned and called for Canadian Heritage to review their funding of an Anti-Racism Action Plan project by the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC), which employed Laith Marouf – an individual with a 20-plus-year history of making outrageous and hateful statements against Jews, Blacks, Quebecers, and others – to lead anti-racism training across the country.

Today, after in-depth consultation with CIJA, Canadian Heritage announced that they have cut funding to CMAC and demanded that CMAC conduct an internal investigation. Minister Hussen also confirmed to CIJA President and CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel earlier today that Canadian Heritage is committed to undertaking a comprehensive review of all procedures related to program funding and to establishing a new set of protocols that will ensure this situation is not repeated.

In response, CIJA’s President and CEO, Shimon Koffler Fogel, issued the following statement:

“We were disturbed that Canadian Heritage approved Anti-Racism Action Program funding to CMAC, an advocacy organization that employs an individual with a more-than-20-year history of making outrageous and hateful statements – against Jews, Blacks, Quebecers, and others. Anti-racism training is fundamental to eradicating hate. To be effective – and not counter-productive – education against racism, hate, and discrimination must be done properly. No organization that employs or gives a platform to individuals with a history of racist, misogynistic, anti-LGBTQ2+, or violent beliefs should receive funding from the Canadian government.

“Unfortunately, the situation with respect to CMAC funding is not unique. Canadian Heritage also provided funding to the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), which featured speakers at their annual conference who had proselytized misogynistic, anti-LGBTQ2+, antisemitic, and often violent beliefs – ideologies we believe most Muslim Canadians reject.

"We are gratified that Minister Hussen has cut the funding for CMAC and suspended the program and look forward to results of the investigation into how the funds were allocated in the first place and how they plan to avoid such errors in future."

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