IN Canada's multicultural society, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, followers of other faiths and those without faith, live in peace, harmony, respect and friendship. Intermarriages are also increasing, to the chagrin of people who feel that their traditional values face erosion. Some extremists are now trying to promote divisions and Islamophobia in Canada. They aren't having much success. But given Canada's racist past, incitement by European and American bigots and the hate-mongering of Canada's own racists, Canadians need to insulate themselves from the virus. Florida's Pastor Terry Jones, who was fined $277 for burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an in April 2012, has been invited by the Canadian Hindu Advocacy and Canadians United Against Terror – some people think the two organizations are really one and are the work of a few people - to visit Toronto. Canadian Hindu Advocacy is also trying to screen the anti-Muslim film, “Innocence of Muslims”, but so far without success. Ron Banerjee, leader of Canadian Hindu Advocacy, describes Jones as an elder statesman of the anti-Islamic movement. But Banerjee is being shunned by fellow Hindu groups and ridiculed by the media. Banerjee was born in France and moved to Canada when he was two. He greatly admires Hindu civilization and its rich contributions to the world. His website lauds Hindus as a huge asset for Canada and says Canada owes them immense gratitude. The website is less eloquent about the opportunities Canada offers to outsiders. Banerjee seems, however, to hate Muslims and Sikhs. He wrote to Quebec's Bloc Quebecois party supporting its policy of placing restrictions on kirpans and the niqab. He wrote that the Sikh turban has been used for violence, robberies and concealment by terrorists. A Sikh retorted that it was Sikhs who led the movement to prevent Canada from deporting Asians to British Honduras in 1908 and that Sikhs' long struggle ultimately won voting rights and citizenship for South Asians in Canada, including Hindus and Muslims. This September the Canadian Hindu Advocacy Group organized a “Walk your Dog in front of a Mosque Day” and did so in front of the Salahuddin Islamic Center in Scarborough. Urging people to join, it said that at a Jerusalem Day rally in Toronto, Muslims abused Allan Einstoss, who was protesting against the rally, and kicked his dog. However, the media reported that it was Einstoss whom the police arrested for creating a disturbance. The rally flopped when people failed to join. Some Muslims patted dogs. One Muslim brought two dogs to refute the allegation that Muslims mistreat dogs. Muslim scholars asserted that while Muslims regard dogs as unclean, Islam prohibits them from mistreating dogs or other living beings. Last year Banerjee tried to team up with other groups to prevent Muslim students from offering Friday prayers at a school cafeteria as had been done for three years. School administrators decided that rather than having Muslim students miss some classes on Fridays because they had to go for prayers it would be better for them to pray in a school cafeteria and not miss class. Banerjee saw the prayers as a threat to education and told the media: “In its entire history, Islam, the Islamic civilization has invented and contributed less to human advancement than a pack of donkeys.” Pandit Roopnauth Sharma, priest of the Ram Mandir Hindu temple in Mississauga, lauded the school authorities for the sensible arrangement. Assailing Banerjee's bid to screen the anti-Muslim movie, he said Banerjee “does not represent the Hindu community” and is trying to provoke a conflict between Hindus and Muslims in Canada. Member of Parliament Deepak Obhrai, a Hindu who is parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said screening the film contravened Canada's tolerance and respect for all faiths. “This is not about freedom of speech, it is about sowing the seeds of intolerance. I therefore urge Mr. Banerjee not to become an advocate of intolerance.” Said the Toronto Star in part: “Why on Earth, then, would anyone go out of their way to screen this obnoxious product here, unless it is to inflict further hurt on Muslims and inflame more anger? However all this is dressed up as an attempt to defend ‘Canadian values' such as free speech and respect for cultural differences, people should see it for what it is: a campaign to provoke Muslims, stir anger and set people against each other. It's not something this community needs.”
– Mohammed Azhar Ali Khan is a retired Canadian journalist, civil servant and refugee judge. He has received the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario and the Queen's Diamond and Golden Jubilee Medals for his work as a journalist and as a Muslim leader and for promoting understanding between Canadians of different backgrounds
