Oppose the Canadian Government’s Threat to Criminalize Criticism of Israel: Independent Jewish Voices – Canada (IJV) Confronts Harper Government

• Oppose the Canadian Government’s Threat to Criminalize Criticism of Israel: Independent Jewish Voices – Canada (IJV) Confronts Harper Government
  by Independent Jewish Voices Canada, via http://www.globalresearch.ca/  
  IJV-Initiated Statement Defending The Right To Criticize The State Of Israel Gets 75 Organizational Endorsements
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  Independent Jewish Voices – Canada (IJV) approached dozens of labour, civil rights,  student and community-based organizations from across the country to endorse a statement defending the right of Canadians to freely criticize the State of Israel and employ the tactic of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) as a legitimate form of protest. The statement, entitled “Oppose the Canadian government’s threat to criminalize criticism of Israel”, condemns the Canadian government’s repeated assaults on the right to freedom of expression regarding this issue.
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  As of April 14, the statement has 75 organizational endorsements, including from the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, La Ligue des Droits et Libertés, the Green Party of Canada, Québec Solidaire, the National Union of Public and General Employees,  and the Confédération des syndicats nationaux. For a full list of organizational endorsements, click here. 
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  The Canadian Labour Congress, with the endorsement of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the National Union of Public and General Employees, and Unifor, has written their own statement that echoes the concerns of the IJV-initiated statement, which you can read here. The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association has also issued a similar statement, which you can read here. 
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  Click here to read an IJV-written Frequently Asked Questions regarding the statement below.
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  Oppose the Canadian Government’s Threat to Criminalize Criticism of Israel
  In 2009, the Canadian government gave major support to the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Anti-Semitism (CPCCA), a group of parliamentarians who accused those challenging Israel’s unjust treatment of Palestinians of being anti-Semitic. The goal of the CPCCA was to create a climate in which criticism of Israel could be criminalized in Canada. Fortunately, that initiative was unsuccessful, thanks to widespread opposition from members of the Canadian public.
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  In what appears to be another attempt to suppress criticism of Israel, the Canadian government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Israel which makes the claim that “the selective targeting of Israel is the new face of anti-Semitism” and declares that Canada will oppose those who support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
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