Why this election matters to me
Muneeza Sheikh, 34, is a lawyer and partner at Levitt and Grosman LLP. A mother of two, she is genuinely concerned about the type of Canada her kids might grow up in.
Why does this election matter to you?
This election deals with a number of issues that are important to me as a Canadian; there are also issues that are important to me when looking at my identity as a Muslim Canadian.
Why should it matter to the Muslim community?
As is stands, I think all political parties can do more to advocate on issues that are important to Muslims. Understandably, they don’t do that, because despite Muslims forming such a significant voter base the voter turnout is low. Politicians are spending their time appeasing those who they know will vote on Election Day. We need to change this.
Ahmad Attia, 32, is an engineer and entrepreneur who was born and raised in Mississauga.
Why does this election matter to you?
This election is as important as prior elections and future elections to come. Elections matter because they are our opportunity to weigh in on the make of our political landscape and our government.
Why should it matter to the Muslim community?
Canadian Muslims are a beautiful community who offer so much to our country but play a limited role in the democratic process in Canada.
Canadian Muslims need to become informed and educated citizens and cannot stay silent, whether during an election or post-election. Civic engagement is the ultimate check on government.
But caring and participating in this election should not only be about Muslim community issues. Canadian Muslims must vote on October 19 because their vote improves Canada for everyone. Ultimately, if we are not present at the voting polls then our opinion will not count.
Shums Kassam, 22, is an entrepreneur. Born and raised near Barrie, Ont., Kassam voted for the first time in the last election.
Why does this election matter to you?
This election matters to me because I see voting and civic engagement as my way to voice my opinion and express to the Canadian government the issues that matter to me. Before, I didn’t understand the value of the ballot box. Politics in Canada is not broke. People who organize and express their opinions can see the difference it can make in the upper political spheres of this country.
Why should it matter to the Muslim community?
As a community, we should strengthen the democracy in Canada by exercising our right to vote. It’s sad that we have not done so in the past, and we cannot complain about the status quo without participating in the democratic process.
Shabbar Manek, 19, is a second-year industrial engineering student at U of T. This election will mark his first time voting.
Why does this election matter to you?
Simply put, I do not want to be apathetic. There’s so much going on in my personal world and it’s easy to get wrapped into it all. But there’s much more around me that I sometimes miss that I should be caring about. Casting an educated vote in this election is a simple way to take action, and make a tangible difference in the world around me.
Why should it matter to the Muslim community?
We as Canadian Muslims are lucky enough to live in a place where we are not persecuted for our faith, with the freedom to openly express ourselves, our opinions and our values. And, there are so many channels like social media that we can use to our advantage when expressing ourselves. All we need to do is speak up.
Sanaa Ali-Mohammed, 26, recently earned her master’s degree and works for a non-profit.
Why does this election matter to you?
More than ever before, I want the issues that are important to me — rising poverty; jobs for young people; violence against women, including missing and murdered aboriginal women; our commitment to uphold refugee and human rights; and the intensification of systemic Islamophobia — to be addressed. I can’t expect that to happen unless I am an active and vocal participant in the election process.
Why should it matter to the Muslim community?
I think the election should matter to all of the different Muslim communities in Canada because this is our home, and it’s time we started developing a voice and representation in formal politics. A lot of Canadian Muslims, especially young people, are politically active and engaged between elections around various issues. We now need to translate this into electoral engagement.