Immigration Minister Sgro Targeting
Muslims, CIC Says
THE
CANADIAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS MEDIA
COMMUNIQUE
August 11, 2004
The Canadian Islamic Congress has accused Judy Sgro, Canada's Immigration
Minster, of trying to dramatically curb the number of Muslims admitted to
our country as immigrants or as refugees-turned-immigrants.
Sgro's recent demand that churches cease the time-honoured tradition of
harbouring failed refugee claimants is "in reality targeting Muslim refugee
claimants," said Dr. Mohamed Elmasry, national president of the Canadian Islamic
Congress, "It is part of the Minster's agenda to defy Canada's moral traditions."
"The hidden goal is to deny Muslims' fair access to
our country. The timing is very suspicious. The motive is very suspicious.
We are living in a post 9/11 era, and the Canadian government is under pressure
to bow to U.S. policy - Muslims-are-our-enemy is their message."
A spokesman for Sgro's office said the minister is
planning an overhaul of the entire immigration and refugee process. "To achieve
what? - I must ask," added Dr. Elmasry.
But sanctuary is a symptom of a severely limited appeals
process that leaves those facing deportation with no other choice, said Mary
Corkery, executive director of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiative.
"The churches and refugee activists don't want sanctuary
to continue," Corkery said. "We want to put in place something to end the
need for refugees to seek sanctuary."
Refugee advocates and clergy were alarmed four months
ago when 10 police officers in Quebec City stormed Eglise Unie St. Pierre
and took away 35-year-old Mohamed Cherfi, who had taken refuge in the church
basement.
"Only about a half-dozen individuals, most of them
failed refugee claimants, are being sheltered in churches across this country,"
said Mrs. Wahida Valiante, CIC national VP, "The way Sgro is talking you'd
think that Canada is invaded by refugee claimants who are sheltered by the
churches.
Mosques in this country can not dare to shelter any
Muslim refugee claimant. Now Sgro is going after the churches. What a sham!
Sgro's actions violate the sanctity of religious freedom
in our country. The separation of church and state is a fundamental concept
in democracies, and for our government to violate the Churches' right to makes
independence decisions and particularly to retain a time-honoured tradition
such as sanctuary is really an issue of more than just civil liberties. It
violates a very fundamental, core issue in democracies which respects the
separation of church and state."
CONTACTS:
Dr. Mohamed Elmasry,
(519) 888-4567 Ext. 3753 (O),
(519)746-7928 (H),
(519) 577-2267 (Cell),
e-mail: np@canadianislamiccongress.com
Mrs. Wahida Valiante,
(905) 881-8024,
e-mail: nvp@canadianislamiccongress.com
For French media:
Dr. Mohamed Nekili,
(519) 885-8140
e-mail: mohamed.nekili@sympatico.ca
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