To the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

An open/public letter

http://shakh.blogspot.com
   /2009/06/to-social-sciences-and-humanities.html

On behalf of the Canadian citizens among my family, which includes myself, we urge you to follow the advisement forwarded below.

Sincerely,

Daniel Shakhmundes, B.Sc.
-------------------------------------------
Phone: 1-905-321-9898
Email: d@shak.ws
HTTP://Shak.WS

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Goodyear, Gary - M.P.
To: 'D.Shak'
Subject: RE: Community Action Alert on York University conference questioning Israeli's right to exist
Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:33:34 -0400

Dear Mr. Shakhmundes,

Thank you for your correspondence on the conference at York University entitled, "Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace". I will ensure that the Minister is made aware of your comments.

I would like to encourage you to also write to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to share your thoughts with them. As you may know, the Council funds academic conferences under their "Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada" program and is responsible for grant decisions under the program. You can reach them at: webmaster@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca


Sincerely,

Stephanie Thomas

Member's Assistant
Office of the Hon. Gary Goodyear
Minister of State | Science and Technology
Suite 117 Confederation | Pièce 117 Édifice de la Confédération
House of Commons | Chambre des communes | Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
tel: 613.996.1307 | fax: 613.996.8340
goodyg@parl.gc.ca


-----Original Message-----
From: D.Shak [mailto:daniel@shakhmundes.net]
Sent: June 9, 2009 12:10 PM
To: Goodyear, Gary - M.P.
Subject: Community Action Alert on York University conference questioning Israeli's right to exist

To the Office of the Hon. Gary Goodyear
117 Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
T: (613) 996.1307
F: (613) 996.8340
E-mail: goodyg@parl.gc.ca


DEAR MINISTER GARY GOODYEAR:

* Thank you for your request to the SSHRC that it reconsider its
support for the June 22nd-23rd conference at York University
titled, "Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths
to Peace". in light of the serious concerns that have been
brought to light. As a Canadian citizen, I appreciate it.

* I urge you (the Minister) to direct the SSHRC to immediately
withdraw its funding from this sham of a conference that seeks
to delegitimize the Jewish State and its supporters here at
home.

Sincerely,

Daniel Shakhmundes, B.Sc.
-------------------------------------------
Phone: 1-905-321-9898
Email: d@shak.ws
HTTP://Shak.WS


-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: JEWISH CANADA
To: Daniel@Shakhmundes.Net
Subject: Community Action Alert on York University conference
questioning Israeli's right to exist
Date: 8 Jun 2009 16:25:24 -0400


COMMUNITY ACTION ALERT

REGARDING UPCOMING YORK UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE

QUESTIONING ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST


B'nai Brith Canada has brought to urgent attention of the Government the
sponsorship by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
(SSHRC) of an upcoming June 22nd-23rd conference at York University
titled, "Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to
Peace". As many of you know, this conference being held under the guise
of academia is in fact a blatant exercise in anti-Zionist propaganda.
Its entire thrust calls into question the Jewish State's very right to
exist, and promises to be a veritable "who's who" of anti-Israel
propagandists.


We were disturbed to learn that the SSHRC, a federal agency that is
answerable to Parliament and which reports directly to the Minster of
Industry, was listed as a lead sponsor on the conference's website,
contributing both moral and financial support.


Subsequent to our appeal to the Government on this matter, the Hon. Gary
Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, released a
statement on the conference that is reproduced below. While the
statement stops short of announcing a funding withdrawal, it does bring
into question the SSHRC's continued support for the conference.


Statement from the Hon. Gary Goodyear


OTTAWA, June 5, 2009 - The following is a statement from the Hon. Gary
Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, on the
conference at York University entitled, "Israel/Palestine: mapping
models of statehood and prospects for peace".


"Our government is committed to the principle academic independence and
the independent, arms-length, peer review process for assessing
applications for research grants.


"It has come to my attention that following a recommendation of a peer
review board earlier this year, the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council provided $19,750 under its Aid to Research Workshops
and Conferences Program to a conference at York University entitled
"Israel/Palestine: mapping models of statehood and prospects for peace".


"Approval of this funding was based on an initial proposal that did not
include detailed information on the speakers at the conference. Since
funding was provided, the organizers of the conference have added a
number of speakers to their agenda.


"Several individuals and organizations have expressed their grave
concerns that some of the speakers have, in the past, made comments that
have been seen to be anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic. Some have also
expressed concerns that the event is no longer an academic
research-focussed event.


"Therefore, I have spoken to the president of the Social Sciences and
Humanities Research Council to bring these concerns to his immediate
attention and asked that Council give them full consideration. In
particular, I asked that the Council, once they have seen this
information, to consider conducting a second peer review of the
application to determine whether or not the conference still meets
SSHRC's criteria for funding of an academic conference."


ACTION ALERT - WRITE TO MINISTER GARY GOODYEAR

* Convey your thanks and appreciation to the Minster for his
request to the SSHRC that it reconsider its support for this
conference in light of the serious concerns that have been
brought to light.
* Urge the Minister to direct the SSHRC to immediately withdraw
its funding from this sham of a conference that seeks to
delegitimize the Jewish State and its supporters here at home.
* Please send a blind carbon copy of your letter to B'nai Brith
Canada at bnb@bnaibrith.ca


Office of the Hon. Gary Goodyear

117 Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
T: (613) 996.1307
F: (613) 996.8340
E-mail: goodyg@parl.gc.ca


B'nai Brith Canada has been active in Canada since 1875 as the foremost
Jewish human rights organization. To learn more about its advocacy work
and diverse community and social programs, please visit
http://www.bnaibrith.ca.