Canada will not take part in a major United Nations conference on racism next year because the event is likely to descend into “regrettable anti-Semitism,” a top official said on Wednesday.
Officials said they believed Canada was the first nation to announce it will not attend the conference in Durban, South Africa.
A similar meeting at the same venue in 2001 was marred when Israel and the United States walked out in protest over draft conference texts branding Israel as a racist and apartheid state — language that was later dropped.
It’s a strong statement. But an even stronger statement might have been to attend and loudly stand up for what’s right. Boycotts only go so far; if you want to make a difference, you generally have to be sitting at the table.