Keep Islamic law out of Canada, Quebec politicians urge

Friday, March 11, 2005

Minister suggests province reject; Muslim immigrants who favour system

MIKE DE SOUZA
The Gazette
Friday, March 11, 2005


Islamic law has no place in Quebec or the rest of Canada, a provincial cabinet minister and several MNAs said yesterday.

With the Ontario government expected to decide shortly on whether to allow the Islamic legal code, known as sharia, to be applied to settle family disputes among Muslims, Liberal and Parti Quebecois MNAs warned yesterday that using sharia would lead to blatant violations of women's rights.

"I think all political parties in Quebec must say loud and clear that not only do we not want it in Quebec, we don't want it in Ontario and we don't want it in Canada," International Relations Minister Monique Gagnon-Tremblay said at a conference.

The former immigration minister said Quebec should refuse immigrants who believe the Islamic system should be applied.

"We must rework the social contract (for immigrants) so that the people - Muslims who want to come to Quebec and who do not respect women's rights or who do not respect whatever rights may be in our Civil Code - stay in their country and not come to Quebec, because that's unacceptable."

"On the other hand, if people want to come to Quebec and accept our way of doing things and our rights, in that instance they will be welcome and we will help them integrate."
Sharia is canonical law based on the teachings of the Koran.

Ontario's attorney-general is studying a report, made public in December, that recommends sharia be allowed to settle family disputes.

But in an hour-long presentation, Liberal MNA Fatima Houda-Pepin argued Islamic law would infringe on women's rights and open the door to polygamy.
"We've seen sharia at work in Iran. We've seen it at work in Afghanistan, with the odious Taliban regime. We've seen it in Sudan, where the hands of hundreds of innocent people were cut off. We've seen it in Nigeria with attempts at stoning," she said.

Salam Elmenyawi, chairperson of the Muslim Council of Montreal, was outraged when told about the comments made at the conference.
"When you talk like that, you are attacking me and my faith," he said in a phone interview. "This is total ignorance. Bigotry and ignorance have no limits."

But Houda-Pepin, who was raised a Muslim, also warned that the public should make an effort to get to know those in the community who are lobbying for application of sharia.
"One of the strengths of Islamists is that they know you very well. They know our history, they know our culture, they know our justice system, the Charter of Rights," she said.

She said those lobbyists are trying to impose a political agenda, not necessarily a religious one.
"Their objective is not to integrate into Canada, it is to integrate Canada to their values," she said, acknowledging sharia is interpreted in a more liberal fashion in such countries as Morocco as opposed to Saudi Arabia, for example.

The stink of islam is finally being acknowledged for what it is - a death cult of hatred, fear and oppression..