Canadian Muslims must be politically active across BC.

By:Mahmood Awan We should not become isolated and made to feel we are not a part of Canada. Examples of this are glaringly demonstrated across the border in the US. The Muslim community lacks the leadership which is so essential in the success of Muslim Canadians to excel in the political arena. In Canada, we are blessed with fundamental rights (free speech, religion, etc.), rights that don’t exist in some countries that a vast majority of immigrants come from. You have the right to cast a ballot and have your voice heard. “The number of Muslims in Canada is expected to nearly triple in the next 20 years, from about 940,000 in 2010 to accountnearly 2.7 for milliona larger in share 2030. of Muslimsthe general population in Canada than they do in the United States. By 2030, 6.6% of Canada’s population is projected to be Muslim, up from 2.8% in 2010. Within two decades, Canada is expected to have the second-largest number of Muslims in the Americas.” — Pew Research Center, The Future of the Global Muslim Population, 2011 An unprecedented number of Muslims ran in the 2015 Federal Election. Eleven Muslims were elected to office. Most them said they decided to run for office to fight the negative stereotype of Muslim Canadians. Of those elected, ten were running in Ontario and one was from Alberta. One must applaud their success. At the same time, we in BC must wonder where we are in the political process. We certainly do not lack in the number of talented individuals who are willing to sacrifice their time in the service of their country. The only thing that I feel is lacking is the leadership in the Muslim community of BC. Ontario Muslim organizations became increasingly active after the tragic events of 9/11 and the anti-Islamic culture intensified Muslim activism and a new political confidence emerged. Muslim organizations in Ontario partnered with social justice groups to combat antiMuslim rhetoric and discuss Muslim identity and empowerment. In turn, this provided Muslims with the confidence they needed to run for office. BC Muslims have been sorely lacking in leadership from Muslim organizations such as the BCMA. BCMA has done a great service by providing many masajids across BC but further have our lacked inclusivitythe visionin the needed politicalto process at all three levels of government. Under this spirit, the vision for every Muslim and every BC Muslim should be for the future of our children and how they will have a voice in the future of Canada. Muslim candidates in BC receive no support, no funding and no volunteers from the Muslim organizations to assist in their bids for public office which is in direct contrast with the massive support Ontario. MuslimOur leadership, candidates especiallyreceive in the BCMA, must encourage and cultivate the political aspirations of those individuals who choose to run for office. They will become our rep- resentative voice that needs to be heard. Muslim MPs from different cultural and religious backgrounds will offer valuable input in legislative debates on social and economic issues that affect all Canadians. “Don’t ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy