Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi expects ‘spicy’ conversation at Senate committee on Bill 21 – Calgary | 24CA News

Former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi will likely be talking at a Senate Committee on Human Rights on Monday, elevating issues concerning the enhance in non secular bigotry and Bill 21 in Quebec — and predicts some “spicy” phrases for federal politicians.

Nenshi turned the primary Muslim mayor of a significant North American metropolis when he was first elected in 2010.

He says that always over shadowed his ideas on transit and taxes.

Speaking in Calgary on Saturday, Nenshi stated that him holding mayoral workplace for 11 years was not an indictor that there isn’t  drawback in the case of Islamophobia in Canada.

“We know that in Canada, the rates of hate crime have gone up. We know that overall we are seeing an increase in religious bigotry,  whether it’s anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or anti-Christian bigotry. But we also know that there are certain policies in the country that are, on the face of it, discriminatory towards Muslims, towards Sikhs and towards Orthodox Jews. I feel like our political class has gotten too shy in calling this out,” Nenshi stated.

Senators held public hearings final fall the place they heard experiences from Canadian Muslims who skilled the influence of Islamophobia.

Some key themes raised throughout the hearings included the underreporting of hate-motivated threats and violence and the challenges of regulating on-line hate.

On Monday, Nenshi stated he will likely be be voicing his opposition to Quebec’s Bill 21 that bars sure civil servants from sporting non secular symbols at work.

Nenshi says the regulation targets some individuals — significantly Muslim ladies who put on the hijab.

The function behind the regulation is to protect Quebec’s standing as a secular state. Nenshi doesn’t purchase the argument that the traditionally overwhelming presence of the Catholic Church in Quebec ought to justify Bill 21.

“I don’t think you can use past discrimination to justify current discrimination. I will probably be a bit spicy with federal politicians and say: ‘Look, we need you to take some leadership on this’,” Nenshi stated.

Canada’s first-ever particular consultant on combating Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, not too long ago apologized for her previous remarks about Quebec, which she made in an op-ed she co-authored in 2019.

Pointing to a ballot executed on the time, she urged “the majority of Quebecers appear to be swayed not by the rule of law, but by anti-Muslim sentiment.”

“I feel bad that she was brow-beaten into it because, if you’re going to appoint anybody into that job as the Islamophobia fighter, I’m sure they’ve spoken about Islamophobia in the past — that’s why they had the job. They ought not to have to apologize for it,” Nenshi stated.

Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal says he helps Elghawaby and stated continued requires her resignation elevate issues.

“I stand with her because her work is very important to make sure we tackle and deal with Islamophobia, racism and discrimination across Canada.”

Some leaders in Calgary’s Muslim group say what’s taking place with Bill 21 is impacting Muslim households all over the place.

Sheikh Abdi Hersy says Islamophobia is a actuality throughout Canada.

“We live with it day in and day out. What’s happening in Quebec is affecting everybody. It’s affecting our kids.

“We have kids that are born and raised in Canada and they feel less Canadian when they hear those kind of things happening in their communities and in their country. We can do better. Muslims are a part of the fabric of Canadian society and they should be treated as such,” Hersy stated.

According to Statistics Canada, the variety of police-reported hate crimes concentrating on Muslim religions in 2021 elevated 71 per cent from the earlier 12 months.

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