Latest news with #Islamaphobic
CBC
12-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Muslims rallying voters have a message for party leaders: avoiding important issues could cost you votes
Social Sharing Every Friday afternoon, Mustapha Ramadan stands outside the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) mosque in Mississauga, Ont., organizing a long line of cars arriving for prayers. He's one of many Muslims who say they plan on voting in the upcoming federal election, but haven't decided who will earn their ballot. One reason for this indecision is what many Muslims say is the lack of attention party leaders have been paying to the community and the issues that matter to them during this campaign. As the chair of ISNA, Ramadan has welcomed many politicians to the mosque, which is one of the largest in Canada — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended their summer Eid festival in 2023, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was at the mosque in 2022, serving food for iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal during the holy month of Ramadan. ISNA is a popular stop during election campaigns, but this time around, Ramadan says, things are different. "We haven't seen anything yet," he said, noting none of the federal party leaders have visited the mosque during the campaign so far. This lack of attention concerns Ramadan and other Muslim leaders who say they want politicians to engage with the community on issues that matter to them, like the ongoing war in Gaza, Islamaphobic attacks or Quebec's secularism law. One expert suggests that because these topics are often seen as controversial, politicians steer clear for fear it could cost them at the ballot box, but those working to mobilize Muslim voters warn that avoiding these issues could have the same effect. Pushing Muslim issues to the forefront More than 100 Muslim organizations across the country have signed a joint statement urging Muslims in Canada to vote in the upcoming election, make their voices heard and push politicians to address what they see as crucial issues. Reem Sheet, with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), says Muslims here have been watching the horror of war unfold in Gaza, as well as witnessing Islamophobia closer to home, like the 2021 truck attack that killed four members of the Afzaal family in London, Ont., and an unprovoked attack on a hijab-wearing woman at an Ajax, Ont., library late last month. "I think our community just wants to see that Canada is taking the right steps forward to make sure that these horrors don't continue for our community," said Sheet. CBC News reached out to the three main parties for comment. The Conservatives did not respond in time for publication. The NDP said it has taken the strongest stance of any major party on defending human rights and international law by calling for a permanent ceasefire. Singh himself sponsored a motion in March 2024 calling for the federal government to recognize Palestinian statehood that passed after the Liberals introduced amendments. In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for Liberal Leader Mark Carney said he has regularly met with Muslim communities, called for the completion of the ceasefire agreement, and "the return of all hostages, and a safe resumption of humanitarian aid at scale so that Palestinians in Gaza can rebuild their lives." In a statement, NCCM acknowledged that Carney had met with their organization and many others to discuss issues that matter to Canadian Muslims, but they urged him to take more concrete actions to address their concerns. Sheet says those concerns include the fact that Muslims are still waiting for federal leaders to present a national strategy on combating Islamophobia, and to make clear their stances on the war in Gaza. WATCH | Muslim voters discuss their concerns during the federal election: Some Muslim Canadians want a clearer idea of where the federal parties stand 2 days ago Duration 2:01 More than 100 Muslim and Arab organizations signed a letter calling on political parties to take a principled stance on the conflict in the Middle East, among other things. Aisha Sherazi, a community volunteer in Ottawa, says while voters want to hear from the party leaders on issues that matter to them as Muslims, there are other things that affect their daily lives, too. "We're regular citizens," she said. "So of course, you know, affordable housing is important … what happens with the economy is going to impact everyone." Balancing act Many politicians view talking about the war in the Middle East as a divisive issue, especially during an election, according to Ruby Dagher, an assistant professor in international development at the University of Ottawa. "I think if you're looking for votes, it is absolutely dangerous territory," said Dagher. "It's the need to win certain votes, but at the same time the fear of losing other votes that makes it … difficult to find that balance." That balancing act was on full display at a Calgary rally for Carney on Tuesday, when a protester shouted, "Mr. Carney, there's a genocide happening in Palestine!" In the moment, Carney responded, "I'm aware, which is why we have an arms embargo." Later, asked to clarify if he saw genocide in Gaza, he said it was noisy, so he "didn't hear that word," and said he meant he was aware of the situation in Gaza. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Carney's words "irresponsible" in a post on X. Carney clarifies Gaza comments during recent rally 3 days ago Duration 1:15 Liberal Leader Mark Carney, speaking from Calgary on Day 18 of the election campaign, is asked about his interaction with a protester at a recent rally who yelled, 'there's a genocide in Gaza' and Carney responded, 'I'm aware.' Carney said it was noisy at the rally and that he 'didn't hear that word,' referring to genocide. Sherazi, who's already decided how she'll vote, says though the leaders naturally command a lot of attention, people should also focus on their MPs. "A lot of the coverage is on the leaders themselves, and you're not really voting for them," she said. "When you vote, you've got to vote for your local individual whose responsibility is to advocate for you, and I think that people forget that." Though the party leaders may not have visited ISNA, other politicians have turned out. Charles Sousa, the incumbent Liberal candidate for Mississauga-Lakeshore where ISNA is located, was at the mosque during Eid prayers this year. Dalia Hashim, the mosque's public affairs manager, says he received a round of applause when he vowed to support the Muslim community. The power of the Muslim vote The power of the Muslim vote is not something that should be taken lightly, according to Umair Ashraf, the executive director of Canadian Muslim Votes, a nonpartisan organization that focuses on political education and civic engagement. During the 2024 U.S. election campaign, many Arab American and Muslim voters in Michigan who helped Joe Biden win in 2020 told CBC News they wouldn't support Kamala Harris's election bid due to the administration's response to the crisis in the Middle East. In the end, Michigan flipped for the Republicans and ultimately helped send Trump back to the White house. Ashraf says that power exists in Canada as well. "There are almost 1.8 million Muslims across Canada, and at times there can be anywhere between 60 to 80 ridings where there can be a Muslim swing," he said, referring to ridings where Muslim voters make up a significant portion of the population. Dagher says that while that may be true, a Muslim voting block here may not be as powerful as those in the U.S., partly because issues like the war in Gaza have been overshadowed by Donald Trump's tariffs and threats to annex Canada, but also because Muslims don't all vote the same way. She notes that the community's support appears to be spread out enough that Muslim voters are unlikely to tip the scales in any one direction. "I'm not saying it's nothing, but I also don't see it as a major factor that's going to influence, given that each group has been able to attract some Arab electorate specifically." When it comes to courting the Muslim vote, Sherazi suggests that politicians should take a strong stance about what's happening in the Middle East and be deliberate about using language that unifies rather than divides. "It's incumbent upon our leaders to really speak up and kind of reassure people that as Canadians, we feel passionately about international law, that those things matter, that humanity matters," she said.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pentagon nominee and Arizona GOP lawmakers spoke at an alien conspiracy conference
Mel Carmine, the organizer of the Quantum Summit 2 conspiracy theory conference, in the event's opening video showing the alleged logo of a cryptocurrency in the clouds that he claims God is telling him to encourage people to buy. Screenshot via Rumble Two Arizona lawmakers and President Donald Trump's nominee for a top Pentagon job spoke at a conspiracy theory convention over the weekend, appearing alongside a man who claims God is telling him to sell cryptocurrency. Arizona lawmakers Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, and Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Lake Havasu, each spoke on multiple panels at the Quantum Summit 2 event, a convention for a fringe conspiracy theory that claims extraterrestrials are helping shape national and global policy. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX During one presentation, Finchem was joined by retired Gen. Anthony Tata, Trump's nominee for under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness at the Pentagon. Tata had previously been nominated by Trump during his first presidency, but his past inflammatory remarks referring to President Barack Obama as a 'terrorist' and a series of Islamaphobic tweets scuttled his appointment. Tata has appeared at a Quantum Summit event before, speaking at the inaugural event in 2024; photographs of his participation were posted on the event website and in other promotional materials. The White House did not respond to a request for comment or answer questions if they were aware of Tata's planned attendance. In a program for the event posted to BlueSky by anonymous independent extremist researcher Arizona Right Watch, Tata was listed as speaking on a panel with Finchem and two individuals who frequently post videos with QAnon related themes. Both Biasucci and Finchem also held their own presentations separately, with Biasucci speaking about his legislation and Finchem about his work with a former Tennessee cop in which Finchem has pursued spurious fraud claims. 'We are a very small team,' Finchem said, alluding to a nonprofit he created that has spread debunked election fraud claims and whose 'head researcher,' a former Tennessee cop named Shawn Taylor, was also present at the event. Finchem suggested that those in attendance should donate to help fund his nonprofit's work. Quantum Summit 2 was put on in Cape Canaveral, Florida, by believers in the NESARA/GESARA conspiracy theory. In its most basic form, NESARA/GESARA is a conspiracy theory that revolves around a proposed piece of economic reforms from the 1990s called the National Economic Security and Recovery Act that conspiracy theorists believe was enacted in secret by President Bill Clinton but was covered up by the U.S. Supreme Court via a gag order and suppressed by the 9/11 attacks, which were orchestrated by President George W. Bush. GESARA refers to a supposed global version of the economic reforms that adherents similarly believe were instituted and then hidden. In the early 2000s, the conspiracy theory gained popularity in the early internet days as Shaini Goodwin, calling herself the 'Dove of Oneness,' made bold predictions about NESARA and world events with dubious claims of 'insider knowledge.' Goodwin is a 'graduate' of a New-Age school whose leader often goes on homophobic and antisemitic rants and has teamed up with QAnon. It is also tied to the NXIVM cult that was investigated for sex crimes and much more. The conspiracy theory has regained traction in recent years, as QAnon adherents have flocked to it due to its many similarities. NESARA/GESARA has often also been called the 'grandfather' of the QAnon conspiracy movement. Goodwin initially promoted it as part of a larger scam that defrauded investors of millions of dollars, with promises of the erasure of all debts and the eventual abolishment of the Internal Revenue Services. Believers often claim that extraterrestrials have been in communication with them or leaders within the movement and are working to promote the NESARA/GESARA agenda. A promotional video for the Cape Canaveral event that Finchem and Biasiucci spoke at mentions discussions around encouraging the U.S. Space Force to work with the 'Galactic Federation.' The idea of a Galactic Federation is often discussed in the context of UFO religions and New Age movements. The event was the brainchild of a man named Mel Carmine, who believes that Trump, using the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is ushering in the NESARA/GESARA plan. Carmine also has violent beliefs as to what the government should be doing to Trump's perceived enemies. 'Everything you buy, everything you touch, has a tax,' Carmine said in a Feb. 11 interview with Finchem and Biasucci. 'People are tired of the thievery…I believe I'm speaking for the American people. I'm pissed off and I know the American people are pissed off. I know I wanna see guillotines and I'm very sure the American people want to see the guillotines and people hanging from ropes. Are we going to see these people perp walked? Are we going to see these people taken care of?' Neither Arizona lawmaker responded to the statement, and instead spoke about legislation they're running about taxes in Arizona. In that same interview, Finchem claimed that Attorney General Kris Mayes had sent a 'threatening' letter to lawmakers regarding cryptocurrency. A spokesperson for Mayes said they were unaware of any letter and noted they were working with Republican lawmaker Rep. Jeff Weninger, R-Chandler, on a cryptocurrency bill. Neither Biasucci nor Finchem responded to repeated requests for comment. In an opening video for the event, Carmine also claimed that God showed him the logo of a cryptocurrency in the sky that he is now pushing as the currency that will be backed by NESARA/GESARA. That cryptocurrency was featured prominently throughout the event and is pushed heavily on Carmine's social media. The event included a litany of speakers with conspiratorial ties and beliefs ranging from UFOs to a man who claimed that he was the original author of The Matrix movie, a claim that was rejected in court. On Telegram during the conference, Carmine interviewed a person who claimed the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which left 20 children and 6 adults dead, was faked by the government and claimed 'anti-gravity tech' and the scam technology known as 'med beds' would be forthcoming. Biasiucci and Finchem are not strangers to conspiracy conventions. In 2021, both spoke at a QAnon convention full of conspiracy theories and antisemitic propaganda. Finchem has also fundraised with QAnon adherents and had major support from the QAnon community during his failed bid for statewide office in 2022. One of those major supporters, Juan O. Savin, was also a speaker at Quantum Summit 2. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
CBC
18-02-2025
- Health
- CBC
Chandra Pasma 'not taking anything for granted' in latest bid to represent Ottawa West-Nepean
The weather outside may be frightful, but Chandra Pasma is using that to her advantage when knocking on doors in the provincial riding of Ottawa West-Nepean. "You have to be brief because people don't want their door open long, but that's also not bad for us because we need to keep moving in order to keep the blood circulating," the incumbent candidate says. Pasma won the seat for the Ontario New Democratic Party in the 2022 general election, but only by about 900 votes over the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidate. Now she's seeking a second term in a tight winter campaign window against a slate of first-time rivals, and the clock is ticking. "We are not taking anything for granted," she said last Tuesday. "We have 17 days to keep making that case to people." Pasma, who introduced Marit Stiles to the stage when the NDP leader visited Ottawa early in the campaign, cited health care and affordability as the top issues she's hearing about. "People are really concerned about the fact that they can't access a family doctor or that they're going to the Queensway Carleton Hospital and they're waiting 14, 16 hours to see a doctor," she said. "We have an aging population. People need access to health care when they need it." State of health care 'unacceptable' Brett Szmul, a teaching assistant at Carleton University, has never run for office and is doing so in this election for the Liberal Party of Ontario. He got his first glimpse at his newly printed campaign material last Tuesday during a round of door-knocking near Fisher Heights Park, where he filmed a promotional video. On one doorstep, he modestly left a leaflet featuring his face tucked underneath the resident's Amazon parcel. Szmul also cited the state of the health-care system as a major concern — and one of the reasons he decided to take a run at provincial politics. "Right now [it's] unacceptable," he said. Later, he described a memorable exchange with a woman who told him through tears about how her grandmother waited for care in an emergency room for about 18 hours. "This is an elderly woman we're talking about who is in pain," he said. 'We need strong leadership' Like Szmul, Husein Abu-Rayash has not run for MPP before, and like Pasma, the PC candidate appears to be keeping a close eye on the clock. Last Tuesday, when CBC caught up with Abu-Rayash in the Carlingwood area and asked if he rang at a door a second time after not getting an initial response, he said with a chuckle: "We have a 20-second policy," before moving on to another address. Husein originally intended to run in Nepean and faced backlash from that area's outgoing MPP that some criticized as being Islamaphobic. "My background is to serve this country," the former Canadian Armed Forces member told CBC last week. Like PC Party Leader Doug Ford, Husein was sporting "Canada Is Not For Sale" headwear on top of a "Protect Ontario" hoodie. "A lot of people are concerned [about] protecting their jobs, and we need strong leadership," he said when asked if people have brought up the threat of U.S. tariffs. Asked about whether issues like health care, affordability and education have also come up during his travels, Husein returned straight to the topic of leadership. "A lot of people's main concern is they wanted someone who's able to protect their jobs," he said. "There is ... a gap in the federal level." The Green Party of Ontario declined to make its candidate for the riding, Sophia Andrew-Joiner, available for an interview. According to her campaign bio, Andrew-Joiner has worked on Parliament Hill as a volunteer for federal Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and as a parliamentary assistant. Her priorities in Ottawa include good public transit, affordable housing and increased supports for halfway homes and emergency shelters, according to the bio.
