[Canadian/British spelling used in Canadian news references.]

This past week Canadian politicians have distanced themselves from the upcoming Fatima Center conference.  "Defence Minister Rebuffs Anti-Semitic Conference" announced a Canadian Broadcast Corporation headline. Defence Minister Rob Nicholson told the CBC that he had never endorsed the event, contrary to claims in Fatima Center promotional media.  CBC had reported earlier in the week that Canadian Senator Roméo Dallaire dropped out of the Fatima Center event, expressing his embarassment that a mixup led to him being scheduled as a speaker.   The CBC quoted his personal secretary as saying, "There is absolutely no way that General Dallaire would be associated with these speakers."  Dallaire had been used in promotional media including a billboard at the U.S. and Canadian border featuring him and Ron Paul, keynote speaker for the event's September 11 gala dinner.