The Liberals had access to documents detailing deep ties between the terrorist group Hamas and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency when the feds decided to resume its funding on March 8.
The National Post was granted exclusive access to the intelligence provided to the Liberals that made Israel’s case to stop sending taxpayer money to the UNRWA.
The intelligence provided included detailed biographies of United Nations employees involved in the October 7 massacre in Israel, as well as satellite imagery showing schools in Gaza built over terrorist bunkers. Additionally, it revealed the presence of Hamas rocket launchers situated just metres from clearly marked UN facilities, among other undisclosed details, as reported by the news organization.
The intelligence briefing included 43 slides of evidence, including communications of Hamas operatives, social media, and a video from the October 7 terrorist attack, revealed the National Post.
Independent MP Kevin Vuong highlighted some of the accompanying issues in a statement to the House of Commons.
“On Feb. 1st, Ahmed Hussen said the Trudeau govt would await the results of the UN investigation into UNRWA. He lied. They reinstated funding despite knowing: nearly 2,000 employees are members of a terrorist group; 11% of UNRWA facilities contain terror infrastructure,” wrote Vuong in a post to X.
“How would the Canadian government know what the final report has found when the investigation is not finished, and the report hasn’t even been published yet?” Vuong asked in his address to the House.
He instead focused on what the Liberals did know.
“They knew that Hamas is deeply embedded in UNRWA and its key posts. They knew that Hamas members dominate UNRWA’s education system. They knew that Hamas uses UNRWA facilities for military activities, and they knew that UNRWA’s education system incites hatred and glorifies suicide bombers,” said Vuong.
He added that the Liberals knew that at least 15 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack, while at least six UNRWA principals in Gaza are Hamas members, said Vuong.
“What kind of madness has permeated the Government of Canada to restore funding to an agency more concerned with the advancement of terror than it is with any humanitarian work on behalf of the innocent Palestinian people?” Vuong asked, concluding his address to the House.
True North previously reported that on January 26, Global Affairs Canada suspended funding the UNRWA following allegations of staff involvement with Hamas. Canada’s halt to funding followed the United States, and numerous other countries joined them. The U.S. Congress banned funding to UNRWA until March 2025.
However, Japan, Australia, Finland, and Sweden have resumed funding the UNRWA.
On March 8, Canada resumed its funding to UNRWA with a payment of $25 million, part of a total $100 million pledge made by the Liberal party last year.
On April 4, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, alongside families that lost loved ones in the October 7 Hamas attack, filed a Federal Court application for judicial review of Canada’s decision to resume UNRWA funding.
“Though there is no dispute that humanitarian aid is needed and must urgently reach the civilian population in Gaza, our application lays out the arguments of why UNRWA cannot be the agency to fulfill this responsibility and should be disqualified from funding,” said Cory Hann, vice president of communications and marketing for the CIJA.
Hann explained that resuming funding to UNRWA violates Canada’s own anti-terrorism legislation.
“Canadian money given to UNRWA will only help Hamas continue attacking Jews and other Israelis,” he said.
“Urgent aid is needed for Palestinians now — and it will continue to be needed when the war ends — but UNRWA is not the answer. It cannot be trusted to distribute aid. It is a physical proxy for Hamas, and it uses its access to children to ensure the next generation is so fuelled by Jew-hatred and anti-Israel sentiment that peace will never be possible,” said Hann.
He added that UNRWA is part of the problem, not the solution — something the United States clearly understood when they halted funding to the organization until 2025.
“To help bring about a solution to the conflict, Canada cannot continue to contribute to organizations that help spread hate and support terrorism. And that’s why we are taking the federal government to court,” concluded Hann.
