Acts raise odds MPs will OK Islamophobia study

‘Whole-of-society’ tabled motion ‘to combat hate’

OTTAWA • The murder Sunday night of six Muslim worshippers at a mosque in SteFoy, Que., has increased the odds MPs will ask for a study of the problem of Islamophobia in Canada.

The parliamentary resolution that could set that study in motion will not be debated for another month and while many Liberal and NDP MPs appear ready to support such a resolution, some Conservative MPs remain hesitant and one — leadership hopeful Kellie Leitch — is opposed to the idea.

The resolution is known as M-103 and was put before the House of Commons in early December by Iqra Khalid, a first-time Liberal MP from Mississauga — Erin Mills, Ont. It is scheduled for debate in the House of Commons on Feb. 21 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Khalid, who was born in Pakistan, will argue in favour of three things with M-103. First, that the House “condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination;” second, that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage be instructed to study the issue of “eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination including Islamophobia;” and, finally; that the federal government collect data on hate crimes for further study.

Khalid did not respond to requests for an interview Monday but, when she tabled her motion last December, she told the House of Commons, ” I am a young, brown, Muslim, Canadian woman. When I moved to Canada in the 1990s — a young girl trying to make this nation my home — some kids in school would yell as they pushed me, ‘Go home, you Muslim,’ but I was home. I am among thousands of Muslims who have been victimized because of hate and fear.

“I am a proud Canadian among hundreds and thousands of others who will not tolerate hate based on religion or skin colour. I rise today with my fellow Canadians to reject and condemn Islamophobia.”

Her motion, if it passes, would not change any Canadian laws. Moreover, House of Commons standing committees are often asked to study a particular issue and make recommendations to the government on a course of action.

Governments sometimes accept those recommendations, but they just as often ignore them.

In any event, Khalid’s motion has the full support of Dan Vandal, the MP who represents Saint BonifaceSaint Vital, Man., and who is one of six Liberal MPs on the heritage committee.

“This was a very sad day yesterday,” Vandal said Monday in the foyer of the House of Commons. “This was an act of terrorism, a hate crime times 20. So anything that we can do as a government, as a society to combat violence, to combat hate crimes, to combat intolerance is a good thing.

“I think we need to take a whole-of-government approach, a whole-of-society approach to do what we can to educate our citizens … to combat intolerance, to combat hate.”

The NDP caucus is expected to vote in support of Khalid’s motion as well.

“We’ll always be with everybody who supports a motion or a bill that condemns Islamophobia or any kind of racism or discrimination,” New Democrat Alexandre Boulerice, a Montrealarea MP, said.

But it’s not yet clear if Conservatives will support the motion.

Leitch, in a telephone interview Monday, said Sunday’s events do not alter her previously announced decision to vote against Khalid’s M-103.

“I’m opposed to the motion. I don’t think any religion deserves to have special privileges,” Leitch said. “We live in a society where we embrace a certain set of Canadian values and that means freedom and tolerance, but that means freedom and tolerance of all religions.”

“Obviously, last night … was a tragedy. People in Quebec murdered as they pray. This is an outrageous act of violence,” she said. “There’s no justification for this type of terrorist attack.”

None of the three Conservative MPs on the Heritage committee responded Monday to requests for comment.

Conservative MP and Leader of the Official Opposition Rona Ambrose said through an aide that she would be discussing M-103 with her caucus and would announce her decision in the days before the debate on the resolution.

Khalid’s motion builds on a petition, presented to the House of Commons on Dec. 5, that was signed by 69,742 Canadians who called on MPs “to join us in recognizing that extremist individuals do not represent the religion of Islam, and in condemning all forms of Islamophobia.”

Among the nearly 70,000 who signed that petition were more than 12,000 Quebecers and more than 8,000 from Alberta.