Vancouver Imam Younas Kathrada has made headlines for all the wrong reasons and a troubling October 30th post on his personal Facebook page is just the latest example.
Responding to an invitation for a Halloween related gathering at Victoria’s Masjid al-Iman mosque, Kathrada described Canadian holidays and traditions, from Halloween to Remembrance Day, to Thanksgiving and Christmas as “reprehensible” and “based on falsehood”.
Is this the kind of multiculturalism we want, or an example of tolerance in this country?
One can only hope not, yet, digging into this Imam’s past, we find all too familiar stories.
Watch as I share some of that history with you and provide samples of anti-semitic remarks that led to a police investigation for a hate crime and drew condemnation from other Muslim leaders.
Canadians take pride in the fact that we don’t force immigrants to conform to Canadian culture, but historically, almost all immigrant groups take to Canadian culture quickly.
But why is it that Imams like Kathrada insist on driving a wedge between their communities and Canadian culture?
Surely this is the very problem sweeping across Europe, one that we've documented in the UK where self-segregated Islamic enclaves pose real concerns.
Canadian's shouldn’t be blinded by our own tolerance. Imams like Kathrada may be exercising their religious beliefs, but when it’s accompanied by the rejection of Canadian traditions, holidays and societal norms, its not what's best for the nation.
Responding to an invitation for a Halloween related gathering at Victoria’s Masjid al-Iman mosque, Kathrada described Canadian holidays and traditions, from Halloween to Remembrance Day, to Thanksgiving and Christmas as “reprehensible” and “based on falsehood”.
Is this the kind of multiculturalism we want, or an example of tolerance in this country?
One can only hope not, yet, digging into this Imam’s past, we find all too familiar stories.
Watch as I share some of that history with you and provide samples of anti-semitic remarks that led to a police investigation for a hate crime and drew condemnation from other Muslim leaders.
Canadians take pride in the fact that we don’t force immigrants to conform to Canadian culture, but historically, almost all immigrant groups take to Canadian culture quickly.
But why is it that Imams like Kathrada insist on driving a wedge between their communities and Canadian culture?
Surely this is the very problem sweeping across Europe, one that we've documented in the UK where self-segregated Islamic enclaves pose real concerns.
Canadian's shouldn’t be blinded by our own tolerance. Imams like Kathrada may be exercising their religious beliefs, but when it’s accompanied by the rejection of Canadian traditions, holidays and societal norms, its not what's best for the nation.
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