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Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Reuters) Last update - 05:52 24/01/2008 Canada to skip UN racism conference due to expected 'anti-Semitism' By Reuters Tags: Israel, United Nations  Canada will not take part in a major United Nations conference on racism next year because the event is likely to descend into "regrettable anti-Semitism", a top official said on Wednesday. Officials said they believed Canada was the first nation to announce it will not attend the conference in Durban, South Africa. A similar meeting at the same venue in 2001 was marred when Israel and the United States walked out in protest over draft conference texts branding Israel as a racist and apartheid state - language that was later dropped. Advertisement "(We) had hoped that the preparatory process for the 2009 ... conference would remedy the mistakes of the past. Despite our efforts, we have concluded that it will not. Canada will therefore not participate," Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said in a statement. Jason Kenney, the secretary of state for multiculturalism, said the Conservative government was sure the conference would "showcase the same regrettable anti-Semitism" as the 2001 meeting. "Our government sees no value in allowing Canada's participation to continue to dignify or legitimate such hateful and un-Canadian propaganda," he told reporters. The Canadian government is a strong supporter of Israel. Bernier apologized on Saturday for an internal Foreign Ministry training manual that listed both Israel and the United States on a torture watch list. B'nai Brith Canada praised Ottawa for pulling out of "a farce of conference" that it said "pays lip service to anti-racism but in fact provides a platform for the promotion of hatred and bigotry". The Canadian Jewish Congress also commended Ottawa for what it said was a principled stand. The United Nations declined to comment directly on Canada pulling out of the conference but UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said "racism is too important an issue for member states not to work out their differences. Next year will be a time of preparation for this conference; we hope that member states use this time constructively. The SG [secretary general] will continue to follow this issue very closely. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Bread will abound J'lem court allows pizzerias, bakeries to sell leavened products during Passover. The looking glass A T.A. film festival tackles Israel's hardest issues from war to polygamy.   1.   Canada stands tall 00:14  |  judith 24/01/08   2.   And a great big thumbs up to CANADA!!!! 00:15  |  Lynn 24/01/08   3.   Canada under PM Harper refuses to be Arab bootlickers 00:29  |  Sam 24/01/08   4.   Anti-semitism? 01:00  |  Lorenz 24/01/08   5.   love for canada 01:09  |  peter 24/01/08   6.   dance puppet dance! 01:15  |  Aboud 24/01/08   7.   ANOTHER UN function hijacked by the Moslem group.Wrecking it! 01:33  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   8.   Greta News to the Honor of Canada & Canadians 01:42  |  Joseph E . 24/01/08   9.   #4 peter needs spell check 01:44  |  jimmy 24/01/08   10.   Congrats Stephen Harper 01:52  |  Joe 24/01/08   11.   Crazy Canada 01:57  |  J-Rock 24/01/08   12.   What a pity! 02:00  |  Janet 24/01/08   13.   Canada under Harper bootlicks the Crime Syndicate! It recently 02:01  |  lakshmi 24/01/08   14.   Anti-ZIonism is not Anti-semitism - its racism 02:08  |  Steve Katz 24/01/08   15.   Justifed Criticism of Israel 02:14  |  gearoid 24/01/08   16.   Canada or no Canada, Israel is apparthied land. 02:30  |  John 24/01/08   17.   good decision canada 02:35  |  Joey 24/01/08   18.   Open letter to Canada`s Prime Minister 02:47  |  Phillipe T. Lucre 24/01/08   19.   Congratulations Canada! 03:00  |  Nechama 24/01/08   20.   Thank you Canada - well done!!! 03:09  |  Free Gilad Shalit 24/01/08   21.   # 3 Sam,It is under the Conservative governments of Harper and 03:13  |  Max Zinger P.Chimist 24/01/08   22.   Canada`s wimp-out 03:18  |  graczek 24/01/08   23.   It`s not just a political decision 03:23  |  Softwalker 24/01/08   24.   Proud being Canadian, thanks to Harper. 03:30  |  D. 24/01/08   25.   All other civilized countries... 03:41  |  Eric 24/01/08   26.   Another thumbs up for Canada 03:48  |  Gina 24/01/08   27.   Pure demonstration of decency itself. 04:07  |  Stranger 24/01/08   28.   Don`t forget Harper and Bush are buddies 04:19  |  Grant 24/01/08   29.   Harper 04:24  |  Hugh Loughead 24/01/08   30.   Amazed 04:30  |  AmazedInVan 24/01/08   31.   Canada is pathetic! 04:35  |  Deborah 24/01/08   32.   Hugh 04:35  |  Brad 24/01/08   33.   TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE 04:41  |  Brant 24/01/08   34.   Shame on Israel and Canada 04:44  |  Myron Berg 24/01/08   35.   to Brad #22 04:44  |  Amazed 24/01/08   36.   re: Deborah 04:54  |  Efox 24/01/08   37.   Nice move, Deb 04:57  |  Grant 24/01/08   38.   Canada can see it coming 04:59  |  Efox 24/01/08   39.   bravo 04:59  |  alan 24/01/08   40.   5 and 25 - is ignorance bliss? 05:06  |  Miche Norman 24/01/08   41.   AUSTRALIA has also refused to support this publicity stunt 05:18  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   42.   Canada realizes what a fraud this conference is 05:32  |  Conroy 24/01/08   43.   Brad 23 05:40  |  Hugh Loughead 24/01/08   44.   Canada is suceptable to political pressure 05:47  |  Natallie Durson 24/01/08   45.   Myron Berg 06:07  |  Connie 24/01/08   46.   zionists....you will be appreciated someday!!!! 06:26  |  nmf 24/01/08   47.   Good for Canada, its about time the world stood up to the bullies 07:00  |  Jacob Blues 24/01/08   48.   Let`s see what EU and other countries do at this sham conference 07:02  |  Conroy 24/01/08   49.   #24 Beautiffuly put. Bravo Mr. PM 07:11  |  MaryRose 24/01/08   50.   Natalie - you`re the one who hates 07:14  |  Eli 24/01/08   51.   SO PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN UNDER THE HARPER GOV 07:18  |  don 24/01/08   52.   Israel both racist and apartied! 07:21  |  Issac 24/01/08   53.   About #27 Wrong on several counts Deborah. 07:24  |  MaryRose 24/01/08   54.   Inconvenient Truth! 07:31  |  Pal 24/01/08   55.   Canada`s confusion 07:34  |  Jon 24/01/08   56.   you cant stand the truth 07:38  |  Ben 24/01/08   57.   Tell the truth and your boycotted. Tell a lie like 07:40  |  "What`s in a name" 24/01/08   58.   Looks like.... 07:47  |  Danite 24/01/08   59.   Deborah #27 07:48  |  Danite 24/01/08   60.   History alone will judge our behavior and our actions 08:04  |  Kris 24/01/08   61.   DO THE MATH... 08:19  |  MIKE 24/01/08   62.   #37 Canada was against SA`s apartheid 08:21  |  lydia 24/01/08   63.   "President" Harper 08:25  |  delia ruhe 24/01/08   64.   #40 - Natallie Durson does not know what... 08:31  |  Maurice 24/01/08   65.   WHAT"S in a name? Darfur did not get a mention 08:43  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   66.   Kol haKavod Canada 08:51  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/01/08   67.   Deborah 08:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/01/08   68.   Thank you Canada !! 09:13  |  Ruth 24/01/08   69.   Ridiculous 09:13  |  p.man 24/01/08   70.   Canada sending a strong clear message! 09:28  |  Daniel 24/01/08   71.   #16: John is ill informed 09:36  |  Itzik 24/01/08   72.   Well done Canada!!!!! Again with a backbone 09:36  |  AA 24/01/08<