Writing in the Toronto Star, Ihsaan Gardee of the National Council of Canadian Muslims criticises the Canadian government’s failure to take any action, or even issue a statement, in response to Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer’s appearance at a public meeting organised by the far-right Jewish Defence League.
Category Archives: Canada
Woman says she was accosted in mall over her Islamic veil as Liberals threaten election over Quebec charter
Saturday’s demonstration in Montreal against the so-called ‘Charter of Values’
The leader of the Quebec Liberals appears prepared to do everything he can to stop the Parti Quebecois government’s proposed charter of values – including fight an election over the issue. Philippe Couillard says he’s against any law that leads to employment discrimination and that Muslim women who wear a veil will always be welcome in his own party.
The PQ plan will become law “over my dead body,” Couillard said Sunday at a party meeting on women’s issues in Montreal. “The big mistake that the government is making is to make people believe that, in order to defend what is specific about Quebec, we must trample on other people’s rights.”
The PQ wants to forbid public employees from wearing religious headwear, including the veil, as part of a proposed charter announced last Tuesday.
Couillard’s remarks came after a Quebec woman of Algerian origin wearing an Islamic veil said she and her son were accosted at Place Laurier shopping centre in Quebec City two weeks ago by a woman citing the charter who demanded they change their religion and remove the headscarf.
Thousands march through Montreal to protest Quebec values charter
Thousands jammed the streets of Montreal on Saturday afternoon to denounce Quebec’s proposed charter of values, calling on Premier Pauline Marois to put an end to “politics of division.” The protest march, billed as an inclusive, multicultural event, drew many members of the Muslim and Sikh communities in particular. Others who claimed no religious allegiance also took part.
A group from a local mosque walked with a large banner that read: “Multi-faith gathering for peace.” “This is a time for all religions to come together for what they believe in,” said Noman Safdar, a 24-year-old engineer who was helping hold up the sign. “We came here for freedom,” said Safdar, originally from Pakistan and wearing a Muslim cap. “You can’t go and impose things on people like this.”
Montreal Muslims protest against Quebec Charter of Values
Montreal Demonstration against Quebec Charter of Values
Montreal, Quebec, September 12th, 2013 — The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) invites all Montrealers of conscience to join a peaceful demonstration this weekend against the Quebec Charter of Values recently unveiled by the Parti Quebecois government.
Multiculturalism in Britain – a defence
The Montreal Gazette has published an excellent letter from a Canadian now resident in Richmond responding to Quebec premier Pauline Marois’s attack on multiculturalism in Britain.
Ad aims to lure Quebec doctors to Ontario, targeting values charter
An Ontario hospital is trying to lure Quebec-trained health care workers by tapping into the controversy surrounding Quebec’s values charter.
Lakeridge Health is planning to run the ad, which features a woman wearing a headscarf, in a McGill University student newspaper. The ad says: “We don’t care what’s on your head. We care what’s in it.”
“We thought, given the controversy that’s going on in Quebec … maybe this would be an opportunity to create some awareness of what Lakeridge Health is,” said Kevin Empey, chief executive of the Oshawa-based hospital.
Quebec: Values charter is ‘conspicuously’ not about secularism
Writing in the Montreal Gazette, Don Macpherson carries out a thorough demolition of the Parti Québécois government’s proposed “Charter of Quebec Values”.
Alan Sked defends multiculturalism, opposes veil ban, accuses UKIP of ‘dog whistle policy to racists’
Amanda Kelly of Global News has interviewed Alan Sked, the founder and former leader of UKIP, to get his perspective on Quebec’s Charter of Values.
Canadian Muslims call for action against Geller and Spencer
Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer (recently banned from the UK because of their record of inciting hatred) are due to visit Toronto next week to address a meeting organised by the far-right Kahanists of the Jewish Defence League.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims has issued an action alert calling on concerned citizens to contact the federal Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney to urge him to review whether these anti-Muslim extremists should be allowed into the country.
Update: See “Canadian Muslim leaders worried U.S. speakers will spread ‘hate’ about Islam”, Canadian Press, 13 September 2013
Charter of Quebec values would ban religious symbols for civil servants
Public employees would not be allowed to wear overt religious symbols at work under the proposed charter of Quebec values, released by the Parti Québécois today.
The minister in charge of the charter, Bernard Drainville, announced at the national assembly that, if adopted by the legislature, the wearing of kippas, turbans, burkas, hijabs and “large” crosses would be banned for civil servants while they are on the job. “If the state is neutral, those working for the state should be equally neutral in their image,” said Drainville.