Former prime minister Stephen Harper, former foreign affairs minister John Baird, current Members of Parliament Hon. Candice Bergen, MP, MP Judy Sgro attended Mujahedin-E-Khalq’s gathering in Paris and spoke in support of the MEK. MEK/NCRI is a radical cult that Harper’s own government considered a terrorist organization as recently as 2012.
In Canada a group called “Iran Democratic Association” is MEK’s organizer and affiliate. “Iran Democratic Association” pays thousands of dollars to sponsor politicians’ travels to MEK gatherings. It’s not clear whether other speakers at the conference were paid. However, The NCRI/MEK have been known for paying high speaking fees.
Harper, Baird, MP Bergen and MP Sgro must explain to Canadians why they support an extreme cult with radical views and a long history of violence and terror.
MEK has no support among Iranian people or among Iranian-Canadians. Guardian reported few days ago from the conference that “around half of the attendees were Iranian. The other half consisted of an assortment of bored-looking Poles, Czechs, Slovakians, Germans and Syrians who responded to a Facebook campaign promising travel, food and accommodation to Paris for a mere €25. Hundreds of Syrian refugees settled in Germany also attended. Many snoozed under trees during speeches.”