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The Hamilton Spectator – January 19, 2007
Canada: anti-Muslim incidents on the rise
By Rakshande Italia
McMaster University's director of human rights and equity services is worried that racism and Islamophobia are growing on campus.
Mark Walma said it is often subtle but it is affecting the environment for the school's minorities, which include 1,500 students who are Muslim.
He organized a seminar on campus yesterday to address the problem. It was attended by about 100 students.
"We've been tracking an alarming number of racist incidents ranging from derogatory comments and opinions expressed by students and faculty to physical violence against Arab and Muslim students and it's not a healthy climate for studying or working," says Walma.
Walma said because it is often subtle it is often a challenge to deal with it.
"How do you prove that a person was not included in a group discussion or was not invited to a social event (because of the person's religion or background)?"
Walma told of incidents where calls were made to security when people thought to be Muslim, passed the nuclear reactor on campus.
"This complaint creates a chain of events that is beyond our own security."
The moment a complaint is made, the local police need to be contacted, and an automatic complaint goes to Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CISIS).
"You're making that complaint which you wouldn't have normally made if it was another person walking around and that is of concern."
Walma said that of 260 complaints in 2005-06, 17 per cent concerned race and 12 per cent religion. Counting students, part-time students and staff, McMaster has more than 30,000 people frequenting its campus, said Walma. He believes for every complaint there are 10 people who do not speak up.
http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=1014656316146&c=Article&cid=1169160614526]
The Windsor Star – January 19, 2007
Canada: Anti-Islamic lecture cancelled by church
By Jason Kryk
A Windsor church that drew heated criticism last week for hosting the anti-Islamic lecture of a purported former Muslim terrorist cancelled his second speech Thursday night to give the church's embattled leader a chance to defend himself.
"First and foremost, I am a Christian," proclaimed Pastor Donald McKay before a capacity crowd at Campbell Baptist Church.
"As a Christian, I am also under a very heavy mandate to do my part in defending this great country of ours -- this dominion of Canada -- from any attacks, either overt or incipient," he said."
McKay said he stands in defence of Canadian liberties, freedoms, "our Canadian way of life" and "our values" and promised to "jealously guard these things from being overtaken, from being overthrown."
Controversy has dogged the church since Jan. 11, when McKay arranged a lecture by 49-year-old Lebanon-native Zachariah Anani -- billed as a man who had "killed hundreds of people in the name of Allah" before converting to Christianity.
Under the title The Deadly Threat of Islam, Anani accused Islamic doctrine of advocating violence against non-believers, especially Christians and Jews. McKay himself described Islamic doctrine as "vicious" and "oppressive," and warned of its spread in Windsor.
The second lecture of the series was scheduled under the title Could Jihad Be Coming to Your Neighbourhood?
But on Thursday night, McKay announced that Anani would not speak as planned, citing "distressing comments made in the media about his citizenship."
"We certainly would not want to put his citizenship or any other person's citizenship -- Canadian citizenship -- in jeopardy," McKay said.
Instead of Anani's speech, McKay launched into a sermon on the Christian faith.
In speaking of jihad, McKay recited a list of attacks made by Islamic terrorists in the last 25 years. "There is a militant form of jihad that all Canadians -- irrespective of ethnicity, irrespective of their background -- should be concerned about."
But McKay followed by stating his focus as the "internal kind" of jihad, and the nature of man as a sinner.
"There's a lot of things we could talk about tonight," McKay said. "The issues that are ultimately important in life are spiritual issues, and eternal issues."…….
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=1433fa89-6a7f-4c59-a984-4d8d0fbac50a&k=66722
CAIR Bulletin – January 13, 2007
CAIR-CAN and Windsor Muslims ask police to
investigate possible hate speech
OTTAWA, CANADA, JAN 13, 2007 - The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN), Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), Windsor Islamic Association, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), and Al Hijra Mosque and School, are asking the Windsor Police in Ontario to investigate the lecture series, "The Deadly Threat of Islam," as a possible forum for hate speech.
The talks, sponsored by Windsor's Theological Institute in association with the Campbell Baptist Church, are taking place each Thursday until February 1.
CAIR-CAN has received complaints based upon the first talk entitled "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: The Frightening Facts About Islam." In response, CAIR-CAN yesterday asked the Windsor Police to investigate the lecture series and be on the alert for any hate speech that may be taking place at the talks.
Under Canadian law hate speech is prohibited. Investigations into hate speech fall under local police departments. "If hateful speech is indeed being propagated in Windsor, it must be dealt with promptly under the law. We are asking the Windsor Police to take the matter seriously and conduct an investigation.
"Freedom of speech is a cherished Canadian value, however it is not an absolute. Hateful speech only succeeds in creating an atmosphere of fear, where divisions within Canadian society are made," said Karl Nickner Executive Director of CAIR-CAN.
"We are asking Canadians of conscience to speak out against hatred and sensationalist campaigns. Groups that spread lies about a faith or people simply act to harm innocent citizens.
"We are proud of the diversity exemplified in Windsor and the thousands of Muslim Canadians, from doctors to auto-workers, that have helped build our city and country," stated Dr. Nabil Asfour, MAC Windsor Chapter Head.
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