Despite "Rift," the Canadian Islamic Congress Remains 99 44/100% Pure Elmo

What's going on at the Canadian Islamic Congress? National Post reporter Joseph Brean would have us believe that a fight for the outfit's soul is underway. On one side: Wahida Valiante, "Elmo" Elmasry's successor, and a champion of the status quo (which includes embracing nutty 9/11 conspiracy theories, Israel-bashing, wearing the mantle of victimhood and complaining to "human rights" commissions when people criticize any aspect of Islam or Muslim behaviour). On the other side: Wahida's underling, Imam Dr. Zijad Delic, a "moderate" who wants to distance the CIC from its wacky Elmo days. Reporter Brean has obviously decided that Delic is the good guy in this battle, even though the imam's own words re free expression (he doesn't think it "works" for "minority communities") and coded language in the speech he never got to deliver to the Department of National Defense (timed for the CIC's annual Da'wafest, a.k.a. Islamic Let's Rewrite History Month Canada, it was canned by Defense Minister Peter MacKay) seem to indicate that he and Wahida still have plenty in common, and that their conflict may be more one of style than of substance.

Anyway, Wahida, who can see what's happening here, and who is accustomed to being deferred to by Canada's "human rights" wonks (see this by Ezra Levant), is having none of it. She has written a letter to the Post that aims to put both Brean and Delic in their place:

Re: The CIC's Canadian Imam, Joseph Brean, Oct. 9.

The Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) has, since its establishment in 1999, prided itself as an indigenous, Canadian Muslim advocacy organization focused on civil liberties, democracy and human rights.

As part of this mandate, the CIC has endorsed a policy of integration. It has encouraged Canadian Muslims to actively engage with the democratic process and to be fully informed with respect to Canada's history and traditions.

In a post 9/11 environment, the CIC has advocated for laws and measures that do not unduly limit civil liberties and human rights. Simultaneously, it has encouraged Canadian Muslims to remain vigilant for fringe elements that could harm their community and Canadian society, and to fully contribute to preserving Canada's national security.

The CIC's directors and officers remain committed to preserving the organization as an advocate for civil liberties, democracy and human rights. The views expressed by Zijad Delic were his own and in no way reflect the views of CIC board.

Furthermore, in relation to the CIC's complaint in 2008 that Maclean's magazine was fostering Islamophobia, it should be noted that all efforts were made to settle the issue by negotiation. Failing to achieve the settlement, we had no choice but to got to a human rights commission. We lost the case legally, but achieved our goal in the form of comments by the commission.

Wahida Valiante, national president and chair of Islamic History Month, Thornhill, Ont.

Exactly. Even though it was an official loss, Wahida and her "human rights" enablers scored a direct hit on free speech, one whose ramifications have yet to be fully understood and that will be playing out for the foreseeable future. That said, the fact that Delic says he would not have resorted to the "human rights" bodies a la Elmo and Wahida, that he would have gone a different route, does not persuade me that he isn't equally committed to the CIC's mandate, albeit in a smoother, more "interfaith-y" way.