(Ottawa) Restricting freedom of expression is exacerbating the pain Canadian Muslims are already feeling over the tragedy in Gaza, Canada's special envoy to combat Islamophobia said.
Posted at 4:07 p.m.
Dylan Robertson The Canadian Press
“People are muzzled,” Amira Elghawaby said in an interview with The Canadian Press. Many members of the Muslim, Arab and Palestinian communities in Canada do not really feel safe expressing their views on what is happening in Gaza. »
Annual data is still being compiled, but police forces across the country have reported a significant increase in the number of crimes against Muslims and Jews since the conflict began escalating in October.
According to Ms. Elghawaby, this is in addition to the trauma resulting from the ongoing horrors in the Middle East, in which many Canadians' relatives have been killed.
Appointed a year ago, Elghawaby oversees issues and policies impacting the lives of Muslims in Canada and advises governments on how best to prevent anti-Muslim hatred.
The tenor of his work changed radically after October 7th.
That's when Hamas militants launched a brutal attack on civilians in Israel, who responded with a series of intense bombings in the Gaza Strip. Protests broke out across Canada, some particularly violent.
In Ottawa, a mosque was covered in feces. Near Vancouver, a rabbi's home was vandalized and marked with a swastika. There were clashes between students in Montreal. Protests in Toronto were marred by death threats.
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she has never seen an international issue cause so much division in Canada.
“The tensions, violence and anti-Semitism we are seeing in Montreal and Toronto are heartbreaking,” Ms. Joly lamented earlier this week. We must be able to trust each other because we must be able to live in a country where we are not afraid of our neighbors. »
The federal government has made more money available to install surveillance cameras and guards at places of worship. His conservative rivals say it's too little, too late.
According to Amira Elghawaby, better government coordination would enable more precise measures that would stop criminal acts of hate against any community while preserving everyone's right to freedom of expression.
She is working with Deborah Lyons, the former Canadian ambassador to Israel and now special envoy to combat anti-Semitism, to propose a multi-sectoral approach.
“People have the right to express their opinions on issues without fear of reprisals,” says Amira Elghawaby. At the same time, people have the right to feel safe, and if speech turns into hateful rhetoric, there will be consequences. »
Deborah Lyons' office declined an interview request.
Of the many demonstrations that have been organized so far for a ceasefire in Gaza, only a few have broken the public peace, and yet the participants are often accused of supporting terrorism, complains Amira Elghawaby.
“With any topic, there is always the risk that a line will be crossed. And when that happens, individuals will face consequences, she said. But it is completely unfair to describe the protests as an expression of hatred or to assume support for a particular ideology. »
As a result, Muslims and other Palestinians face hostile comments when they express concerns about Israel's actions in Gaza, which have left thousands dead.
The University of Ottawa has suspended a resident doctor over pro-Palestinian social media posts that a colleague described as anti-Semitic. The doctor was eventually reinstated. A similar case occurred with a nephrologist at a hospital in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Hundreds of law students, lawyers and professors across Canada have signed a petition denouncing a “widespread suppression of expression” in which those who express solidarity with the Palestinians or criticize Israel call their superiors for suspected anti-Semitism are displayed.
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warned last November of a “global wave of attacks, reprisals, criminalization and sanctions” against victims of the conflict. Artists, academics and athletes were blacklisted because they showed solidarity with the Palestinians, the statement said.
“There is real trauma in our communities due to the terrible loss of life we have experienced,” says Amira Elghawaby.
“A very worrying aspect of this trauma is the fact that we are seeing a rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, which is affecting people’s sense of belonging and safety. » Not to mention her ability to express herself publicly.
According to Carmen Celestini, a lecturer in religion and social theory at the University of Waterloo, the growing cultural divide is only making things worse, especially when it comes to social media.
“We are already busy with what we are going to say,” says the woman, who deals with the intersections between religion, extremism, conspiracy theories and politics.
“But it can also push the narrative: 'Well, we can't talk about that.' And somehow people are silent because of it. »