Those who support the fanatical anti-Semitic group that wants to deny national self-determination for Jews have disingenuously framed the issue as one of free speech, when in fact it is one of allocation of public funding.
Last year, City Council instructed the City Manager to revise the Anti-Discrimination Policy since the one that was utilized, and of which al-Quaia was not considered to be in violation, was unsatisfactory to a majority of Councilors.
One of the major contributors to the City's Anti-Discrimination Policy is the Office of Equity, Diversity and Human Rights, which is headed by a person named Uzma Shakir. As well as being an advocate of the application of Sharia Law in family courts, Ms Shakir has expressed anti-Israel views in her blog for the neo-Marxist website rabble.ca.
On rabble, which is the media sponsor of "Israeli Apartheid Week" and the Sea Hitler "Canada Gaza Boat," Shakir wrote:
“when we adopt a partisan policy stance towards conflicts that are unresolved like Palestine and Israel when both Arabs/Muslims and Jews are Canadian citizens and deserve our 'equal' consideration, it is hard to be grateful or indeed hopeful. No! Immigrants do not owe their loyalty to Canada unquestioningly -- Canada needs to earn that loyalty..."
The obvious question is whether someone who has expressed such views should be involved in forming policy related to anti-Israel, anti-Semitic discrimination. A larger question is how it makes the City of Toronto look to have a senior position held by an individual who thinks immigrants' loyalty to Canada is something that should be qualified to particular, subjective circumstances.
UPDATE: Toronto Council has deferred the vote of Pride funding until tomorrow at 2 pm
3 comments:
I live in Israel and cannot understand where these people get their info~Unless they are confusing Gaza with Israel! Arabs, (including from PA territories and Gaza) who are gay, come to Israel where it is safe. Usually the only problem is that they are here illegally and may get sent back.In their own countries they would be brutally beaten and killed. What is being touted is so gob-smacking wrong there are just no words.
There are morons all over the world, but for some reason, they seem to be inclined to organize themselves into groups here in Toronto. Fortunately, while there are a lot of such groups, such as al Quaia and OCAP and No One is Illegal, they all appear to share the same few members.
Uzma Shakir and the city should face a human rights complaint
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