The Journal of History     Summer 2004    TABLE OF CONTENTS

The World's
Concerns

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

 

All International news articles and news are available at

http://lists.riseup.net/www/arc/internationalnews/2004-07

Messages before 2004 are available at (this site is an archive only, so please do not try to add your address) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/internationalnews/

Please visit also:  www.apm-ram.org

Please see also http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/

International News

[Zionism is Racism, Anti-Zionism is not Anti-Semitism]

 

Please read and feel free to forward, print, and publish.

We would like to apologize for any repeated messages, and any typing or grammatical errors.

We act because we believe in this quote: “ You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time”

Disclaimer

We are committed to free knowledge, unless otherwise indicated, the opinions, personal articles or news analysis expressed on this e-mails are not necessarily those of the sender. This e-mail has been compiled in good faith. It is our condition that, in exchange for this free information, you the receiver accept that we will not be liable for any action you, the user take based on the information in this e-mail. It is essential that you, the user verify any and/or all information contained herein before making your final decision. This e-mail does not necessarily endorse the ideas or presentation of ideas of the sites it links to and with. We make no representations about any linked web site's accuracy, completeness, and authenticity. We firmly believe in the Freedom of Speech. We believe in civilized exchange of ideas and thoughts. We will hold any one trying to damage our image legally responsible before the courts and will keep ourselves the right to pursue the perpetrators to the maximum law limit. If you do not agree with this disclaimer or would like to stop receiving our e-mails, please unsubscribe, if you find that this e-mail is a good source of knowledge and would like to invite any others, please feel free.

 


PREVIOUS ARTICLE | NEXT ARTICLE

The Journal of History - Summer 2004 Copyright © 2004 by News Source, Inc.