Note! Petitions to consider and sign below plus Yellow Vest rally info
No "Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia this year?
Another 29 January has come and gone with the country, once again, dodging the instatement of a national "Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia". Escaping such a day of atonement was certainly no sure thing. The lobbying effort to put it in place was both sustained and intense. Once considered a “slam dunk”, by virtue of its inclusion as a dedicated recommendation in the Heritage Committee’s “M-103” Report, it hit a bump-in-the-road this year and fell off the turnip truck. There is good reason to believe that the “bump” was provided by folks like you. Folks that took the time to participate in the C3RF call to "write their MPs" just two short weeks ago. Can you think of anything else that would take the federal government off its avowed path to combat Islamophobia and the “rising tide of hate and fear" in Canada? Thanks to all who put their oar in the water on this one.
"Mushroom Nation" no more!
As C3RF closes in on 10,000 members from coast-to-coast its ability to influence the battle to secure Canadian fundamental Charter Rights has attained critical mass. You are no longer a member of a “mushroom nation”. A nation where elites keep citizens in the dark and feed them crap. You have a very powerful voice in C3RF and it has influenced the national debate on such issues as the:
Your advocacy through C3RF has come at a very opportune time. This, as threats to fundamental, Canadian Charter rights are coming fast and from multiple directions. More than this, these threats are progressing unopposed by a blinkered collection of political, media, academic and security elites that refuse to see them for what they are. To do so, for them, would be to abandon the comforting but false narratives that are now part of the fabric of a post-modern Canada. One of these narratives has recently been debunked by the Egyptian-Canadian author, Saïd Shoaib.
Canada’s “naïve” and “romantic” leadership
Mr. Shoaib, in a video-taped interview from two weeks ago, made some observations that were less than complimentary of ruling Canadian elites. He described them as "naive" and instilled with "romantic" notions of Islam that they continuously seek to reinforce. This reinforcement, he stated, was readily available and offered up by a claque of imams and advocates that feign to speak on behalf of the whole of the Canadian Muslim community. These self-appointed spokespersons extol the virtues of sharia, and the Caliphate it calls for, even as they drown out words of warning emanating from Muslims who do not wish to live a life of sharia-compliancy. It is somewhat ironic to note that these latter Muslims came to Canada to escape such demands only to find they are being allowed to take hold in their new home. Could the proposition of a split Canadian Muslim community be true in fact? If so, what is the impact of affording one group all the attention while starving the other of oxygen?
Is there a split in the Canadian Muslim Community?
The evidence of a split Muslim community in Canada was plain for all to see in Motion M-103 testimony during the fall of 2017. This testimony was given as part of the House of Commons’ Heritage Committee study of the Motion that accused Canadians of religious discrimination – including Islamophobia. It was interesting to note that the majority of Muslim witnesses testified that they felt excluded by authorities as their first-hand accounts of the dangers posed by some in their community were persistently being ignored. For example:
It would appear that Mr. Shoaib has a point.
What is the impact of making "free speech" a selective right?
Mr. Shoaib also made the point that the continued blindness of Canadian elites would have poisonous effects on Canada's Muslim youth. After all, if they could not see or hear anything coming from the reform-minded within their community they would be left with the Islamist message by default. By way of example, he noted that a Canadian library would not accept the donation of two of his books even though they already featured another, earlier manuscript of his. The two he wished to donate spoke out against political Islam and, therefore, went against "Canadian values". The one already in stock did not breach these same, so-called values as it did not deal with religious reform. He found this to be very worrisome as such ignorant censorship could only lead to channeling young minds along an Islamist path dedicated "to the destruction of Western civilization". More than this though, Mr. Shoaib saw the Muslim community, as a whole, paying the price for such misplaced censorship. This would be the case as it will cause Canadians to inevitably turn against their naïve leaders to find others – others that might very well lump in the good with the bad as they dealt with a rising, Islamist problem.
Ongoing operations and trends
The institution of a "Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia" can be seen as a brick in the wall that shields Islamism from critical review and keeps reformers isolated and silent. Again, it is a very good thing that such a "Day" has been averted by your good efforts. These same efforts can be put to good use by considering and signing two petitions. The first is sponsored by C3RF and deals with rejecting the formation of a political party in Ontario dedicated to the introduction of sharia in that province. The second is from our good friends at CC4RG and calls for opposing a request to introduce “prayer spaces” within Toronto’s subway system. Please consider, sign and distribute far and wide. As well and for those who would like to join in on a “Yellow Vest” Rally this Saturday, here’s the cross country list of events you might like to support or attend.
We need your continued support.
Please note that efforts aimed at preserving the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians are not without cost. For those of you who have recently contributed to our coffers, thank you very much. We cannot continue to operate and progress such initiatives without such aid. The funds you so generously donate go directly into campaigning, events, bookkeeping, technology costs and legal advice. When these basic services are met, we use excess funding to assist other groups in advancing the cause of Canadian individual rights within a strong and free Canada. We also contribute to related legal proceedings, such as the Ottawa Public Library fight, and charitable activities when able. Please consider a one-time donation or a monthly contribution. Monthly donations, no matter how small, even $5/month, help us plan our finances in advance and provide us with greater flexibility.
And while you're considering making a difference, please follow C3RF on Twitter, on Facebook and on our web site and share with friends our great content and a realistic outlook on the continuing battle for Charter Rights in Canada. You can also join our Twitter feed here.
Major Russ Cooper (Ret'd)
Co-Chair C3RF
