Muslim leader says Tory opposition to Islamophobia motion is stoking prejudice
OTTAWA — Conservative MPs are stoking a wave of anti-Muslim sentiment by raising unfounded fears about a motion calling on the House of Commons to condemn Islamophobia, a Canadian Muslim leader said Tuesday.
Samer Majzoub, president of the Canadian Muslim Forum, told a news conference that the Conservatives are trying to “delegitimize” and “degrade” the Liberal motion by presenting an alternative motion of their own that condemns all forms of racism, intolerance and discrimination against Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and other religious groups — without mentioning the word Islamophobia.
The Conservative motion was defeated a few hours later by a vote of 165-126, with the governing Liberals using their majority to block a united opposition front in favour of the motion.
Majzoub said Muslim Canadians are increasingly suffering prejudice and acts of hatred — including a deadly shooting spree at a Quebec mosque last month that left six worshippers dead — and that the problem can’t be tackled until it’s recognized for what it is: Islamophobia.