Re: "Racist rally in Prince George."
Now what might that be on about? If you read slightly further below the fold, the truth emerges that the rally opposes Bill 103. I'm not sure if The Citizen has actually read the text of Bill 103, but I'll quote Andrew Furey of the Toronto Sun:
"Scratch below the surface and it's immediately clear this is hardly about religious discrimination in general. It singles out Islamophobia by name and nothing else. There's no mention of, say, anti-Semitism."
We have seem similar anti-Islamophobia laws throughout the West. We've moved well beyond the era of sacred cows and lese majeste - where one could be arrested for criticism of the king. In the West, papers like The Citizen rely upon freedom of speech to report the news.
If Bill 103 were to pass, we would see criticism of Islam and Sharia face harsh penalties similar to how other countries operate under Sharia.
I am not sure why The Citizen is feeding the crocodile. Sharia law is not compatible with a pluralistic and democratic society. The sooner we recognize this, the better off we'll all be able to oppose those who would wish to transform Canadian society to one more of their liking. Need I refer The Citizen to Theo Van Gogh, who was beheaded in the Netherlands for expressing opposition to Sharia Law?
If it can happen there, it can and will happen here.
Sean Ollech
Prince George
Editor's note: The full text of MP Iqra Khalid's private member's motion (not bill) M-103 is available to read online here: pgc.cc/2mPVtEo. The motion calls for the government to "condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination" and requests the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage collect data on hate crimes, examine ways to reduce discrimination and assess the needs of effected communities.
