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Court Upholds Student Union's Right to End Funding for Hillel Zionazi Military Recruitment
The Concordia Student Union won a major legal victory in its defense of a $100,000
lawsuit brought by members of Concordia Hillel, as a Quebec Superior Court Judge effectively dismissed the case from the courts until such time as Hillel exhausts all internal channels first. The lawsuit was filed in December 2002, after the CSU Council
suspended the club's funding -- pending their commitment to cease recruiting for any military or paramilitary organisation on campus. The Council asked the University to investigate in the matter that this was an alleged violation of the Foreign Enlistment act. Given that the University refused to act on the request, students were forced to handle the situation on their own. The lawsuit sought to reverse this decision, as well as to receive $100,000 damages
lawsuit brought by members of Concordia Hillel, as a Quebec Superior Court Judge effectively dismissed the case from the courts until such time as Hillel exhausts all internal channels first. The lawsuit was filed in December 2002, after the CSU Council
suspended the club's funding -- pending their commitment to cease recruiting for any military or paramilitary organisation on campus. The Council asked the University to investigate in the matter that this was an alleged violation of the Foreign Enlistment act. Given that the University refused to act on the request, students were forced to handle the situation on their own. The lawsuit sought to reverse this decision, as well as to receive $100,000 damages
QUEBEC SUPERIOR COURT SUSPENDS $100,000 HILLEL LAWSUIT!
QUEBEC SUPERIOR COURT SUSPENDS $100,000 HILLEL
LAWSUIT!
A landmark ruling in safeguarding campus
dissent against unlawful governments
Concordia Student Union Press Release
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2003 -- The Concordia Student Union
won a major legal victory in its defense of a $100,000
lawsuit brought by members of Concordia Hillel, as a
Quebec Superior Court Judge effectively dismissed the
case from the courts until such time as Hillel
exhausts all internal channels first. The lawsuit
was filed in December 2002, after the CSU Council
suspended the club's funding -- pending their
commitment to cease recruiting for any military or
paramilitary organisation on campus. The Council
asked the University to investigate in the matter that
this was an alleged violation of the Foreign
Enlistment act. Given that the University refused to
act on the request, students were forced to handle the
situation on their own. The lawsuit sought to reverse
this decision, as well as to receive $100,000 damages
from the CSU for alleged "anti-Israel" and
"anti-Semitic" discrimination over the past four
years.
Judge François Bélanger's decision, announced on
April 24th, sided with the CSU's argument that Hillel
has not used up all of its avenues of internal appeal
of the Council decision. Further, in a landmark
judgement that should have far reaching-implications,
he noted that Hillel's charges of anti-Semitism are
directed against a union that has a significant number
of Jewish executive and council members running it.
The real issue, he noted, seems to be the political
differences over the State of Israel's policies: the
Concordia Student Union taking the position of the
United Nations, calling for a just solution affirming
the rights of self-determination for both Israelis and
Palestinians, while Hillel taking the Israeli
government line of continued annexation and occupation
of Palestinian land.
The intervention of outside parties was likely a
crucial factor in Bélanger's decision. The judge
noted the similar political differences amongst the
Canadian Jewish Congress, who intervened on behalf of
Hillel, and the Jewish Alliance Against the
Occupation, a Montreal-based Jewish group opposed to
Israel's occupation of Palestinians, who sided with
the CSU. Judge Bélanger also ruled that it was in the
public's interest to have the University take a more
active role in resolving this dispute internally,
especially amongst Jewish students of the same faith.
"I welcome the Judge's ruling," said Aaron Maté, a
CSU Vice President and 5th year Jewish student. "It's
an important victory for all of those who have been
scared and intimidated to remain silent on the
Israel-Palestine issue out of fear of being labeled
with the serious charge of anti-Semitism or
"self-hating Jew". I hope that all members of the
Jewish community, particularly Hillel and the
leadership of the Canadian Jewish Congress, will
recognize the serious damage that they are doing to
our people by exploiting and undermining the meaning
of anti-Semitism to intimidate and silence those who
have the courage to defend Palestinian human rights."
For further information contact Aaron Mate at 514 848-7970
________________________________________________________
Montreal Muslim News Network - http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW - PARCE QUE VOUS AVEZ LE DROIT DE SAVOIR
News, analysis, photos, announcements & robust opinions
Send us your feeback at: http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/feedback.php
=====================================================
To UNSUBSCRIBE / SUBSCRIBE to our regular e-mailing list please visit:
http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/subscribe
=====================================================
*** PM Jean Chretien Phone: (613) 992-4211 Fax: (613) 941-6900
Email: pm [at] pm.gc.ca
*** Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham Phone: (613) 992-5234
Fax: (613) 996-9607 Email: Graham.B [at] parl.gc.ca
*** Email your member of Parliament using his/her name:
eg
*** To find your MP: http://www.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?montrealmuslimnews+258
QUEBEC SUPERIOR COURT SUSPENDS $100,000 HILLEL
LAWSUIT!
A landmark ruling in safeguarding campus
dissent against unlawful governments
Concordia Student Union Press Release
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2003 -- The Concordia Student Union
won a major legal victory in its defense of a $100,000
lawsuit brought by members of Concordia Hillel, as a
Quebec Superior Court Judge effectively dismissed the
case from the courts until such time as Hillel
exhausts all internal channels first. The lawsuit
was filed in December 2002, after the CSU Council
suspended the club's funding -- pending their
commitment to cease recruiting for any military or
paramilitary organisation on campus. The Council
asked the University to investigate in the matter that
this was an alleged violation of the Foreign
Enlistment act. Given that the University refused to
act on the request, students were forced to handle the
situation on their own. The lawsuit sought to reverse
this decision, as well as to receive $100,000 damages
from the CSU for alleged "anti-Israel" and
"anti-Semitic" discrimination over the past four
years.
Judge François Bélanger's decision, announced on
April 24th, sided with the CSU's argument that Hillel
has not used up all of its avenues of internal appeal
of the Council decision. Further, in a landmark
judgement that should have far reaching-implications,
he noted that Hillel's charges of anti-Semitism are
directed against a union that has a significant number
of Jewish executive and council members running it.
The real issue, he noted, seems to be the political
differences over the State of Israel's policies: the
Concordia Student Union taking the position of the
United Nations, calling for a just solution affirming
the rights of self-determination for both Israelis and
Palestinians, while Hillel taking the Israeli
government line of continued annexation and occupation
of Palestinian land.
The intervention of outside parties was likely a
crucial factor in Bélanger's decision. The judge
noted the similar political differences amongst the
Canadian Jewish Congress, who intervened on behalf of
Hillel, and the Jewish Alliance Against the
Occupation, a Montreal-based Jewish group opposed to
Israel's occupation of Palestinians, who sided with
the CSU. Judge Bélanger also ruled that it was in the
public's interest to have the University take a more
active role in resolving this dispute internally,
especially amongst Jewish students of the same faith.
"I welcome the Judge's ruling," said Aaron Maté, a
CSU Vice President and 5th year Jewish student. "It's
an important victory for all of those who have been
scared and intimidated to remain silent on the
Israel-Palestine issue out of fear of being labeled
with the serious charge of anti-Semitism or
"self-hating Jew". I hope that all members of the
Jewish community, particularly Hillel and the
leadership of the Canadian Jewish Congress, will
recognize the serious damage that they are doing to
our people by exploiting and undermining the meaning
of anti-Semitism to intimidate and silence those who
have the courage to defend Palestinian human rights."
For further information contact Aaron Mate at 514 848-7970
________________________________________________________
Montreal Muslim News Network - http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW - PARCE QUE VOUS AVEZ LE DROIT DE SAVOIR
News, analysis, photos, announcements & robust opinions
Send us your feeback at: http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/feedback.php
=====================================================
To UNSUBSCRIBE / SUBSCRIBE to our regular e-mailing list please visit:
http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/subscribe
=====================================================
*** PM Jean Chretien Phone: (613) 992-4211 Fax: (613) 941-6900
Email: pm [at] pm.gc.ca
*** Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham Phone: (613) 992-5234
Fax: (613) 996-9607 Email: Graham.B [at] parl.gc.ca
*** Email your member of Parliament using his/her name:
eg
*** To find your MP: http://www.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?montrealmuslimnews+258
For more information:
http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pub...
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