An Islamist group banned in the United Kingdom and Germany has cancelled its conference in Ontario as the federal government considers labelling it a terrorist entity.
Public Safety Minister David McGuinty urged Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada to cancel its Khilafah Conference 2025, scheduled for Jan. 18 in Hamilton, Ont. The minister called the event, which focuses on establishing an Islamic caliphate, “deeply concerning,” in a Jan. 14 statement.
McGuinty said law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP, were “closely monitoring” the planned event, adding that security and intelligence agencies were also assessing whether to list Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist entity under Canadian law.
“Hizb ut-Tahrir has a documented history of glorifying violence and promoting antisemitism and extremist ideology,” said the statement, noting that the group has celebrated “attacks on innocent civilians,” including terrorist group Hamas’ October 2023 assault on Israel. He added that its support for banned terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah is “entirely contrary to Canadian values of peace, inclusion, and respect for diversity.”…