Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is resuming and increasing funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) despite the organization’s staff connection with Hamas terrorists. Ottawa had paused funding to the UNRWA in January after the government of Israel alleged 12 employees of the agency were involved with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. UNRWA fired all 12 staff members on January 26, and Canada announced, alongside the US, that it would pause funding — however, the next scheduled installment was still months away in April. Now, according to the CBC, the Trudeau Liberals plan to move ahead with the scheduled April handout of $25 million to UNRWA. That compares to the $30 million the federal government allocates to the Canadian Armed Forces for its entire annual budget. In addition to the $25 million, International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen intends to announce new funding as well. Hussen was supposed to make the announcements at a news conference Wednesday, but it was unexpectedly cancelled. No reason was given. CBC’s source, a government official who was unnamed because they did not have the clearance to speak publicly on the matter, said Canadian officials now have a UN interim report examining the allegations — and based on that information, the Trudeau Liberals are comfortable resuming funding, the source said.Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called the UNRWA a “terrorist organization” and said when he becomes prime minister, he’ll cut funding completely. The coalition government of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Trudeau conceded the allegations should be investigated, but decried the move to pause funding as “wrong” because it would punish people who rely on the UN’s agency. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the Liberals "need answers" before they can "establish funding," and denied the UNRWA is a terrorist organization despite 12 employees' alleged connection to Hamas. "The alleged employees that have participated or supported the events of October 7, the massacre of Jews, is something for which they need to be held for account," said Immigration Minister Marc Miller Wednesday. "You cannot, at the same time, necessarily conclude, that UNRWA is a terrorist organization, as Pierre Poilievre has suggested, I think he's playing a very dangerous line of stigmatizing Muslims generally," continued Miller. "That's a game they have played in the past, and he in particular is notorious for having to play that game. I think everyone knows what that smells like.""But at the same time we need answers, as a government, before we establish funding, and that's something the minister of international aide is attempting to get and for considerations about the timing of any further funding announcement, that's really up to the minister of international aide to answer for," said Miller .Appearing on CBC Tuesday evening, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said, “We regret the halting of that funding.”"We're necessary. We're doing what I think is almost the most difficult humanitarian operation,” he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is resuming and increasing funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) despite the organization’s staff connection with Hamas terrorists. Ottawa had paused funding to the UNRWA in January after the government of Israel alleged 12 employees of the agency were involved with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. UNRWA fired all 12 staff members on January 26, and Canada announced, alongside the US, that it would pause funding — however, the next scheduled installment was still months away in April. Now, according to the CBC, the Trudeau Liberals plan to move ahead with the scheduled April handout of $25 million to UNRWA. That compares to the $30 million the federal government allocates to the Canadian Armed Forces for its entire annual budget. In addition to the $25 million, International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen intends to announce new funding as well. Hussen was supposed to make the announcements at a news conference Wednesday, but it was unexpectedly cancelled. No reason was given. CBC’s source, a government official who was unnamed because they did not have the clearance to speak publicly on the matter, said Canadian officials now have a UN interim report examining the allegations — and based on that information, the Trudeau Liberals are comfortable resuming funding, the source said.Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called the UNRWA a “terrorist organization” and said when he becomes prime minister, he’ll cut funding completely. The coalition government of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Trudeau conceded the allegations should be investigated, but decried the move to pause funding as “wrong” because it would punish people who rely on the UN’s agency. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the Liberals "need answers" before they can "establish funding," and denied the UNRWA is a terrorist organization despite 12 employees' alleged connection to Hamas. "The alleged employees that have participated or supported the events of October 7, the massacre of Jews, is something for which they need to be held for account," said Immigration Minister Marc Miller Wednesday. "You cannot, at the same time, necessarily conclude, that UNRWA is a terrorist organization, as Pierre Poilievre has suggested, I think he's playing a very dangerous line of stigmatizing Muslims generally," continued Miller. "That's a game they have played in the past, and he in particular is notorious for having to play that game. I think everyone knows what that smells like.""But at the same time we need answers, as a government, before we establish funding, and that's something the minister of international aide is attempting to get and for considerations about the timing of any further funding announcement, that's really up to the minister of international aide to answer for," said Miller .Appearing on CBC Tuesday evening, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said, “We regret the halting of that funding.”"We're necessary. We're doing what I think is almost the most difficult humanitarian operation,” he said.
