CONSERVATIVE DECISION TO CANCEL RCMP PARTICIPATION IN OTTAWA PEACE CONFERENCE SENDS MESSAGE OF INTOLERANCE & COMPROMISES AGENCY’S ABILITY TO WORK WITH MUSLIM & ARAB COMMUNITIES
The Canadian Islamic Congress has condemned the decision of Conservative Public Safety Minister, Vic Toews, to cancel the RCMP’s participation in last Thursday’s Ottawa peace conference, due to the involvement of CIC Executive Director, Imam Dr. Zijad Delic.
Dr. Delic was to serve as moderator for a panel discussion, but was forced to step down from the event after being falsely labelled as representing an “extremist” organization by the Harper government.
Minister Toews pulled the RCMP presence on the basis of false allegations that the multilateral gathering was organized by those who promote “extremism and hatred,” another apparent reference to the CIC.
“It is ironic that the same Conservative Minister who recently called upon Muslims to cooperate with security agencies to identify radicalized youth, prefers to withdraw the RCMP from a peace conference solely because a national Muslim organization is also participating,” noted CIC National President, Mrs. Wahida Valiante. “How can this government expect any kind of dialogue or partnership with Muslim communities when it does not want its security agencies to even be seated at the same table as national Muslim organizations?”
“This decision continues the message of intolerance sent by the Conservative Defence Minister’s cancellation just last month of Imam Dr. Zijad Delic’s keynote address at an event honouring the contributions of Muslim Canadians serving in the Canadian Forces,” Mrs. Valiante continued. “The broad condemnation that decision received from all political parties, national Muslim organizations, and the media, has not deterred this ideologically driven government in the slightest.”Leaving no stone unturned--oh, you mean like they do in Iran, where turning stones on "adulterous" chicks is the sharia-decreed punishment?
“Unfortunately, Stephen Harper’s government has cynically calculated that it is better ballot-box politics to continue pandering to Islamophobic elements in society and their right-wing support base, rather than adopting a partnership approach with Canadian Muslim organizations,” she concluded.
“In real terms, this means that the same Conservatives who frequently lecture immigrant communities on the virtues of integration are leaving no stone unturned in marginalizing and disenfranchising Muslim Canadians.”
The CIC's amped up hissy fit aside, the real outrage here is that, initially, the RCMP had the go-ahead to participate in this farce of a conference.
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