Stop Terrorism. Protect Canadians.

October 8, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Ottawa, ON – The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of Canada’s Common Sense Conservatives, announced his plan to list Samidoun as a terrorist entity, ending their ability to fundraise on behalf of terror organizations on Canadian soil.

The Problem: 

After nine years, the NDP-Liberal Government has made Canada unsafe. Violent crime has surged by 50 percent, and following the October 7^th terror attack on Israel, Canadians have witnessed a shocking rise in violent acts of antisemitism.

Earlier this summer, B’nai Brith Canada reported that the number of antisemitic incidents had reached a record high of 5,791 in 2023. Hate crimes have risen 251 percent since Trudeau became Prime Minister. In Montreal, a Jewish community centre was firebombed, while synagogues across the country have been vandalized. In Ottawa, an elementary school was evacuated and another Jewish school was shot at in Toronto. Under Trudeau’s weak government, Jewish Canadians are living in fear.

Meanwhile, amid this disturbing rise of antisemitism, Justin Trudeau and the NDP have allowed terrorist organizations to operate freely across Canada. It took years of Conservative pressure, and two votes in the House of Commons, for Trudeau to finally ban the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who openly support other terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas. Now, Trudeau is refusing to list Samidoun as a terrorist entity, even though they openly fundraise in Canada on behalf of terrorist groups who seek to murder innocent Jews and spread antisemitic propaganda.

The Cause:  

For nine years, Trudeau has turned a blind eye towards Samidoun, even though they have clear and direct ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The PFLP have been placed on the list of terrorist entities under Canada’s criminal code since 2003. Yet Trudeau has allowed Samidoun to continue operating, even though their founder, Khaled Barakat, has been described by the Israeli Government as a high-ranking member of the PFLP.

In February 2021, the Israeli Ministry of National Defence designated Samidoun as a terrorist organization and a subsidiary of the PFLP. And in 2023, Germany also banned Samidoun, saying they serve as an “international network which disseminates anti-Israel and anti-Jewish propaganda” and “supported and glorified various foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas.” Samidoun’s leadership was deported from Germany in 2019 and denied entry to the EU in 2022, both times being returned to Canada.

In 2019, PayPal, DonorBox, and Plaid shut down online donations to Samidoun due to its alleged links to the PFLP, following an incident in June 2016, where the PFLP issued an official statement of gratitude to Samidoun for its support to PFLP prisoners.

In Canada, Samidoun has a significant and active presence. They have organized several of the various rallies that have occurred across Canada, where support for the destruction of Israel is openly displayed. They also hold events, raise funds, run advocacy campaigns, and organize activities on university campuses. Earlier this year, Samidoun’s leader, Charlotte Kates, who is also a Canadian citizen, described the October 7^th attacks as a “heroic operation.” She has also travelled to Iran and appeared on Iranian TV, where she described Hamas’ actions of October 7th as “brave and heroic.” And last week, when Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was eliminated after his decades-long reign of misery and terror, Samidoun expressed their “deepest mourning and … highest salutes to the great leader.” And yesterday, Samidoun wrote “long live October 7” on their social media, celebrating the anniversairy of the Hamas terror attack which killed 1,200 men, women and children, while taking hundreds more hostage.

The Solution:  

Jewish Canadians deserve to live in a country where they are free from violence and intimidation. They should not have to share their streets with criminals who organize and fundraise on behalf of terrorist groups who want to destroy them.

For this reason, Common Sense Conservatives will stop home-grown terrorism and protect Canadians by listing Samidoun as a terrorist entity under section 83.05 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Samidoun qualifies for the second branch of the test under s.83.05, as the group has “knowingly acted on behalf of, at the direction of or in association with” a terrorist entity, the PFLP. Specifically, Samidoun is operated by the spouse of the PFLP’s founder; has organized rallies and activism directly aligned with the PFLP’s objectives; has been designated as a terrorist entity by both Israel and Germany due to its links to the PFLP; has previously had its online donation processes suspended due to links with the PFLP; and has been publicly thanked by the PFLP for its support.

Poilievre said:  

“The rise in antisemitic incidents and violence across Canada is appalling. While Jewish Canadians live in fear, terror groups like Samidoun are free to fundraise and support organizations like Hamas and the PFLP who seek to kill innocent Jews. We’ve seen what happens when these groups aren’t taken seriously, yet Justin Trudeau and his partners in the NDP have turned a blind eye to Samidoun.

“Common Sense Conservatives will ban Samidoun from being able to operate in Canada. We will protect Canadians of all faiths and nationalities, and bring home safe streets, so all Canadians can live in peace in their communities.”