Aga Khan’s visit reminds us of the importance of compassion

Ismaili community’s commitment to diversity is inspiring, Jim Dinning writes.

After a winter we thought would never end, we’re eager to enjoy the beginning of spring weather with time spent outside, in the garden and on the golf course.

For members of our Ismaili Muslim community in Western Canada, spring brings the joy of celebrating the diamond jubilee of the Aga Khan’s spiritual leadership of the community, as he visits Calgary and Vancouver.

As I celebrate with my Ismaili friends, I am struck by the commitment of the women and men of the community who are driven by the values of pluralism and compassion that are advocated by the Aga Khan. I am awed by the selfless contributions made by Ismailis to the fabric of Alberta society over the past 50 years.

In 1972, when Idi Amin expelled Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian Ugandans of Asian ethnicity, his highness worked with Canada to find a home for these newly stateless refugees.

When the Aga Khan’s (and Canada’s) efforts secured the safety of many, including Ugandan Ismailis, he called on Canada’s new Ismaili community to put down roots and to advance the quality of life of their fellow citizens, regardless of faith or background.

The seeds planted by the Aga Khan took root, and the Ismaili community has excelled. The ethic of volunteerism that the community is known for, and the commitment to improving the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable, have made a big difference here in Calgary and the rest of Alberta.

Those efforts are also a model of how quiet, determined grass- roots work can shape a more compassionate and equitable society.

In my political, business and civic activities, I have engaged with Ismailis from all walks of life, as they offered their time, knowledge and material resources to improve our province and country.

When he received an honorary degree from the University of Alberta in 2009 for his contributions to humanity, the Aga Khan promised to establish a public garden in Edmonton, inspired by Islamic and Canadian landscape architecture traditions.

The garden, set to open to the public in a few weeks, will be a one-of-a-kind oasis where Albertans will seek inspiration, learn more about conservation, relax, and engage in respectful dialogue (something we need more of in these turbulent days.)

It was this commitment to peaceful, respectful dialogue and engagement that led to the establishment of the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, a partnership between the Ismaili Imamat and the government of Canada. The centre was established in our country because we have persisted in building a pluralistic society.

While Canadians who are Ismailis, and the Aga Khan, have contributed to enriching Canada, they continue to work together internationally. I have seen first hand the work of the Aga Khan Development Network.

It’s a non-denominational development agency that is a partner of choice for governments around the world.

Its long-term, communitybased focus is recognized by the World Bank as the gold standard.

Albertans contributed to the success of the Aga Khan Development Network in its earlier years when the provincial and federal governments funded work on maternal health and education initiatives that make a difference in the lives of women and children in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world.

In 2010, when Stephen Harper made the Aga Khan an honorary Canadian citizen, the former prime minister spoke of the Aga Khan’s and the Ismaili community’s untiring dedication to making the world safe for democracy by first making it safe for diversity.

On the Aga Khan’s diamond jubilee, I thank those in Calgary’s and Alberta’s Ismaili community for their tremendous contributions to Canadian life.

I am awed by the selfless contributions made by Ismailis.