Conservative MP cancels Baroness Cox event in wake of New Zealand attack

A Conservative MP has cancelled an event with a keynote speakeraccused of sympathizing with Syrian President Bashar al-Assadin the wake of mosque shootings in New Zealand which left at least 49 people dead.

As CTVfirst reported,ConservativeMPs Garnett Genuis and Kelly Block were already facing criticism for hosting Baroness Caroline Cox, a member of the U.K. House of Lords, at an upcoming event on Parliament Hill to promote women's rights in the Middle East.

Cox has come under fire for meeting al-Assad and visiting the region multiple times. Criticshave argued that her trips, billed as a way to promote religious rights,lend legitimacy to a leader linkedto war crimes.

"Baroness Cox's views and humanitarian work on international religious freedom have been the subject of some debate, and perhaps some confusion," said Genuisin a statement on Friday.

"With that said, our friends in the Muslim community are now reeling from one of themost horrific and appalling terrorist attacks to ever target their community. Out of respect for them, now is not the time for a conversation that could be misconstrued totakeplace on Parliament Hill."

Hours before the mosque shooting, Liberal MPOmarAlghabraexpressed his opposition to the event, accusing Cox of "promoting hateful stereotypes about Muslims."

In response,Genuissaid Cox is "well respected across faith communities and across party lines in the U.K., and works closely with British Muslim organizations."