Malala’s message resonates, but we must now take action

Re Citizen Malala, April 13 I commend the Canadian government for granting Malala Yousafzai honorary Canadian citizenship and giving her the opportunity to address Parliament.

It is very important that people like Malala, who advocate for a brighter future, are given the spotlight they deserve. Malala is not only an excellent advocate for the education of both genders but also a great representative of Islam.

Her fight for the rights of millions of women around the world is a clear indication that Islam does not promote any sort of gender inequality. Rather, this distorted perspective is only generated by extremists and terrorist groups. I completely resonate with Malala’s message that extremism has no religion. Now, it is up to us to educate ourselves and carry out this perception. Fasih Malik, Calgary Last week marked both a new high and a new low for the federal government.

Bestowing an honorary citizenship upon Malala Yousafzai, a tireless crusader for girls’ education and a bridge builder between different religious groups, was a historic moment. All Canadians should be proud to call Malala one of our own, if only symbolically.

Conversely, International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau stated last week that the government has no immediate plans to increase international aid spending, suggesting Canada has to help poor people within its borders, too.

Honorary citizenships and eloquent speeches don’t pay for schools, teachers, books or proper sanitary facilities. Stephen St. Denis, Ottawa