Canadian government pressures Islamic group to cancel Mississauga conference

Following threats that it be declared a terrorist organization, an Islamic group has cancelled plans to hold a conference in Mississauga.

The group Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) had originally planned to hold the conference in Mississauga on Jan. 18 but after local pressure decided to move the event to Hamilton, only to reverse course again and bring it back to Mississauga.

However, Canada’s Public Safety Minister David McGuinty asked the group to cancel all plans while government agencies consider whether HT should be officially listed as a terrorist organization.

Today, HT announced through its website that it was “regretfully cancelling Khilafah Conference 2025.”

The move was welcomed by McGuinty who had earlier issued a statement saying that Hizb ut-Tahrir has a history of promoting antisemitism and supporting terrorist groups such Hamas and Hezbollah.

McGuinty said HT’s extremist ideology is “contrary to Canadian values.”

HT had planned to go ahead with the Mississauga conference after earlier being rebuffed by Mayor Carolyn Parrish who responded to a public outcry that the meeting should be banned.

Even American industrialist and U.S. President Donald Trump advisor Elon Musk weighed in on the legitimacy of the organization by posting a notice about the Mississauga conference and asking on his social media platform X: “Is this accurate?”

The group then planned to move it to Hamilton but after meeting resistance in that city looked to Mississauga once again. No location for the event was ever announced but Parrish said they wouldn’t be allowed in City of Mississauga facilities.

On its Facebook page, the organization says the topics at the conference were to focus on the obstacles and challenges facing the Islamic community and how to overcome them.

HT is banned in several countries but operates openly in Canada and the United States.

Critics say HT promotes hatred and has supported terrorist acts perpetrated against Western cultures.

Statements made by HT leaders say the group is non-violent and operates as a political party that advocates the unification of all Muslim countries led by one religious ruler that, once established, will expand into non-Muslim areas.