Supreme Court won’t hear Arab federation appeal over funding decision

OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal from the Canadian Arab Federation over a federal decision to cut funding due to allegations the group supported the actions of terrorist organizations.

The federation had provided language lessons to immigrants under an agreement with the federal government, but the former Harper government refused to renew the arrangement in 2009.

Then-immigration minister Jason Kenney explained the decision by saying the organization had made public statements promoting hatred, anti-Semitism and support for the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah.

The federation appealed the decision, saying the statements in question were either by people who did not officially represent the organization, or that it did not authorize or approve of them.

Both the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed the case.

As usual, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for refusing to hear the appeal.