Following a vote against a Conservative motion in the House of Commons to extend the mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) expressed its disappointment and urged the government to reconsider.

David J. Cape, CIJA’s chair said that although the office operated on a “relatively modest budget” of $5 million a year, “it established a number of practical initiatives to help protect at-risk communities and strengthen Canada’s role as a leading voice for human rights. We also note that the office was instrumental in uniting diverse religious communities in Canada – including Jews, Christians, Muslims and Sikhs, among others – to work together as partners in this vital cause… We encourage the government to reconsider its decision.”

The motion was defeated 226 to 90, with the Liberals, NDP and Green party voting against it.

READ: CIJA ‘DISAPPOINTED’ AFTER CANADA FAILS TO RENEW OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

The office was established in February 2013 by the Stephen Harper Conservatives with a three-year mandate and had a staff of five people, including Ambassador Andrew Bennett. Some critics had criticized it for being too focused on Christianity and saw it as an attempt to gain support from some ethnic voter groups.

In advance of the March 21 vote, Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion confirmed that while the government will continue to defend and promote religious freedom as a part of its human rights agenda, the office’s mandate will expire March 31.

Dion added that the Liberal government is “determined to fight tooth and nail for religious freedom around the world,” and that he appreciated the work the office has done.

“We have to consider whether it might not be more effective to combine all of Global Affairs Canada’s efforts to defend and promote human rights into a single office to advance and to leverage the resources of the department in its embassy network around the world to advance this mission,” Dion said.

“Canada will support every effort to speak out when human rights are in question or where people are being persecuted for who they are or for their beliefs, including when human rights defenders are arrested and threatened for daring to speak out against human rights.”

Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose posted a note on Facebook that called the vote a “sad evening in the House of Commons,” as the office “advocated on behalf of religious minorities under threat, opposed religious hatred, and promoted Canadian values of tolerance. It also funded projects, which have helped groups in Iraq monitor and report on religious persecution.”

She added: “Closing this office at a time when freedom of religion is under threat is truly shameful.”

CIJA spokesperson Steve McDonald said the office was involved in projects from Holocaust commemoration activities to alleviating tensions in particular communities.

“They were active in Sri Lanka, in Nigeria, in Burma, in Pakistan in areas where there are often clashes and religious minorities are singled out and attacked,” McDonald said.

“We engaged with [Bennett] not just on the Holocaust file… but we also began working with him on the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and Africa. On that file in particular, he was a great force in bringing together Eastern Christian leaders as well as Jewish community leaders to talk about these issues, to learn from one another and learn from these opportunities for joint advocacy.”

He added that while the statement expressed CIJA’s disappointment “we also noted that we are pleased with the fact that Dion’s statement was very strong in saying that Canada is going to vigorously defend freedom of religion.”

READ: DION TOUTS NEW FOREIGN POLICY APPROACH, VOWS TO REENGAGE WITH IRAN

Avi Benlolo, president and CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, said, “In the face of continued divisiveness in our society, the Office of Religious Freedom provided a sense of inclusivity with government to many groups of numerous faiths. This is a loss for Canada and for anyone who believes in human rights and the sanctity of freedom of religion.”

Michael Mostyn, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, said the government’s decision was “unfortunate.”

“The Office of Religious Freedom was an important symbol to recognize the suffering and oppression so many face because of their faith. With acts of terror so often religiously motivated, now more than ever, Canada must enshrine the promotion of religious freedom as a cornerstone of its foreign policy,” Mostyn said.