Salam and well done.
Otman

Re: Dr. Elmasry's op-ed in the Globe and Mail
Well written, and good arguments. Hopefully it will contribute to galvanizing the Muslim community to action. Take care.
(name withheld)

Please extend my congratulations and compliments to everyone who worked on that Report. It was EXCELLENT, innovative and badly-needed. It was well-written with great credibility and I believe a commendable public service to all Canadians. I have sent a link to the Report to two columnists whom I particularly respect.
Leyla

Assalamu Alaikum,
I hope all is well, insha'Allah. For the last decade, Muslim organizations acting in the public domain have always felt the need for such a tool to wisely channel the Muslim vote. This type of research definitely announces a new era in dealing with the electoral process. No doubt that this type of research will soon be emulated not only by other Muslim organizations, but also by Canadian society at large. Congratulations, and may Allah (SWT) reward the officers of CIC for delivering such a pioneering service.
Wassalaam,
Mohamed

I read the MP-Research. I am so impressed at the idea I don't know what to say! Now this is leadership -- it is going out to everybody I can think of in Canada, including my department, as well as many in the U.S.
Wow! -- To teach people how to think about civic duty, to educate them, to help them become informed and active citizens. I think this will be useful for many people, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. I come from Quebec and I am in one way surprised to see the Bloc rating so high... but, after having grown up there and having understood the paradoxical consciousness of French-Canadian nationalism, I am in another way not so surprised.
Congratulations.
Ruth (Ph.D)

Tres bon travail de fond. Que Dieu vous recompense. [Very good in-depth work. May Allah/God reward you.]
Adel

I cannot say enough how important this initiative is.
(name withheld)

Elections federales 2004 -- Canada
Pour la premiere fois dans l'histoire de la communaute musulmane du Canada, le CIC publie un rapport de recherche sur 101 circonscriptions electorales ou les musulmans detiennent un pouvoir de vote allant de 1.8 % a 13.5 % de la population.
Le professeur Robert Williams (Director, Centre for Election Studies, Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo) parle d'un "rapport de recherche innovateur qui apporte une solution au deficit democratique au Canada."
"Durant la derniere decennie, les organisations musulmanes agissant dans le domaine public au Canada ont toujours ressenti le besoin d'un outil pour canaliser de maniere informee le vote Musulman."
http://canadianislamiccongress.com/election2004/Election 2004.pdf

Greetings Professor Elmasry;
I read your comments in the Globe and Mail this morning, and I thought I would drop you a quick line just to let you know that in addition to a high profile Muslim running for the NDP in Ottawa South, you have a connection to the Green candidate -- yours truly. You may not recognize my name, but you would have to think back to the graduating class of EE 1982. You taught a few of the semiconductor courses I took.
Certainly one of our goals as a party is to try to reconnect people to their government. In addition to the overall low voter turnout, youth voting is incredibly low in the 18-24 age range. That is going to be a much bigger issue if we fail to address it soon. We are working towards having proportional representation implemented, which I think will help people vote with their conscience rather than simply strategically. It will bring a much wider range of views to government -- which we are going to need to solve some of our new 21st-century problems.
Here in Ottawa South, 26% of the population list a language other than English or French as their first language. That is also a barrier to their participation. The election campaign will be quite a challenge for us in terms of communicating our message. Anyway, I hope you keep an eye on the Ottawa South ticker during the election to see how well one of your former students does!
John

I would like to congratulate you on the recent research on election issues and performance of MPs. It is an excellent study that brings quantitative measures and ranking methodology to an area that is traditionally has been based on [narrow] perceptions and single-issue platforms. I also congratulate you on the media coverage that this study has received. Jazak Allahu Khairun for all the hard and excellent work.
Mohamed

Assalamu Alaikum;
Masha'Allah, this new effort you've undertaken will really help create political awareness among Canadian Muslim and non-Muslim communities. There are too many Canadian Muslims presently who do not utilize their right to vote.
Farooq

Assalamo Alaikum;
I heard that you were working on this report [about Muslims and voting]. This is Masha'Allah wonderful and I hope Muslims will take the oppurtuinity to benefit from it. I will forward this to members of my mailing list.
Farzana Hassan Shahid,
Muslims Against Terrorism.

[excerpted]
Dear Prof. Elmasry;
I would like to reprint your editorial on Canadian Muslims and voting on http://uwstudent.org a news and information website for current and former UW students. There is a section of called Reader-directed Content and I would like to reprint the article in there.
Your editorial gets at an important point -- democracy is not about numbers, but commitment. Young voters, like Canadian Muslims, have a low turnout rate (25% in the 2000 federal election, according to Elections Canada). I think current and former UW students will be interested in your editorial for its particular subject -- Canadian Muslims and voting -- as well as its more general content. Our site allows readers to comment on stories directly, without moderation. I expect that your story would generate many comments. Best regards,
Jesse

Salamuo Alikoum;.
Our thanks, gratitude, acknowledgment and appreciation should be directed from us -- as Muslim Canadians -- to all of you at CIC for this great job. Jazakoum ALLAH Khairn. Best Regards,
Falah

I read Dr. Elmasry's op-ed in the Globe and Mail and the following sentence struck me: "As well, we are very concerned that the Liberal Party has allowed a group of MPs (including some ministers) to form an official lobby group for a foreign country (Liberal Parliamentarians for Israel) as a recognized caucus committee." What ?????!!!! Where, oh where have I been? How could this have slipped by me? What in the world is the Liberal Party thinking?
R.

Salaam:
Dr. Elmasry's G&M article was fantastic! I hope and pray that the apathy of Canadian Muslims can be overcome. The article certainly hit all the points. The MP Report Card was a great idea, MashaAllah! May Allah SWT reward you and guide you in your efforts and the collective efforts of the CIC.
I did note that MP Andy Scott (the MP from my area) received an "F". In fact, he has tried to do a lot with our community and we have discussed many other local, national and international issues. I didn't agree with the "F" rating for his performance.
wa Salaam,
Naveed Majid,
(Fredericton, New Brunswick)
* * * *
[CIC's reply:]
We did our evaluation of each MP based on his / her official track record in government and / or parliament over 4 years for the CIC's 20 issues. But the final judgment is up to the people in a given riding -- taking into account our research results. Voters should meet with the MP and candidates of their riding to discuss the 20 issues and our report and the views of how they can serve the country in the future. Then the local voters can make up their minds.

Thanks. Both the CIC's report and Dr. Elmasry's op-ed piece in the Globe and Mail are masterly... Congratulations. Looking forward to more of similar work.
Regards & salaam.
Hussan,
Montreal

I think you are doing an excellent job with this. After all, the Sikhs are [also] becoming active in Canadian politics... For other people to get used to Sikhs in politics is one way of preparing [them] to get used to Muslims. In general, I think it is an excellent idea to stimulate the imagination of Canadians so that they can imagine what Muslims are like. For this reason, all the material you can get into the press, or onto the radio, about normal Muslim life helps.
Best wishes,
Prof. Sheila M., Montreal

Dr. Elmasry's [Globe and Mail] op-ed is a very good article, bringing awareness on how to empower Muslims in this country and register our message in the right places. We are significant and our numbers count, but we are not yet in the position to act on our own: we must build strategic alliances with Canadians of other backgrounds who share similar values with us. That is key to our effectiveness in this country. The current political climate is somewhat conducive to building such alliances, based on matters as Bill C-250, same sex marriages, Middle East issues, wars, etc. Let us work with what we have. Blind or irrational allegiance to the old Liberal wing may be harmful to us as Canadians. We need to reexamine our choices in the political dynamics in this country. We could make a difference, inshaa Allah, but first we must act appropriately and in coordination.
Dr. M. Ali, Toronto

Wa ailikum assalam wa rahmatulahi wa barakatuh:
I read [Dr. Elmasry's] Globe and Mail article. I found it very insightful, JazakAllahu Khair. May Allah make some positive change in this country through your hard work. I will take a look at your Election Research Report now. I hope this will make it easier for uninformed brothers [and sisters] such as us to understand the candidates and make an informed voting decision. Thank you very much.
Abdullah, Toronto

I have thoroughly read CIC's major Election 2004 Research Report. Ma'shallah, it is an excellent project and much needed for informed voting. I have sent copies to other Muslims I know. CIC is doing some really important work.
K. Ahmed, Regina

Asalaamu Alaikum:
I read the report and it is very good... Thanks a lot for sending me the information. I try to stay in touch with what is happening in Canada, but sometimes the pressure of work is too much. So this information will be very useful for me.
Best Regards,
Maryam, (A Canadian in the United Arab Emirates)

Thanks for sending this to me. I have printed a copy of the research report and Dr. Elmasry's article. I compliment you on these works. I see that the Muslim population for Hamilton and Oakville adds up to close to 12,000 but the population for Burlington is not listed. Is this information available for Burlington? Could you also tell me why Paddy Torsney was given a B rating and not an A ?
Thanks again,
Bob H., Burlington
* * * * *
[CIC's reply]

• Burlington has more than 1,000 Muslims - about 1% of the riding.

• We did our evaluation of each MP based on his / her official track record in government and / or parliament over 4 years for the CIC's 20 issues. But the final judgment is up to the people in a given riding -- taking into account our research results. Voters should meet with the MP and candidates of their riding to discuss the 20 issues and our report and the views of how they can serve the country in the future. Then the local voters can make up their minds.

Assalamu Alaikum:
First of all, congratulations on a very thorough report pertaining to Election 2004. It is clear that a great deal of effort has gone into it. I sincerely hope Muslims, as well as other Canadians, will study it carefully and absorb its findings. It would be particularly useful for Muslims to understand the issues and realize where their strength lies in terms of numbers in various ridings.
Having glanced through the grading system, I was perplexed, based on my personal experience, regarding the grades of some MPs. For instance, I believe Aileen Carroll should not have been given "B"; she deserves an "F". Sheila Copps should have received a higher grade, while McCallum and Karygiannis do not deserve A's. McCallum is my area MP and I have dealt with him a few times but he does not take our concerns seriously, even though he knows that we had helped him during his election campaign: we had invited him to the Centre, turning down requests from other party candidates.
John Cannis, as you know, has recently made outlandish remarks about the Khadr family. While I do not subscribe to their views and agree that they are repulsive, nonetheless, they cannot be denied their rights under the law. If they have violated any laws of Canada, they should be charged and prosecuted. I do not believe that [15-year-old] Karim should be punished for the crimes of his father. It is also clear to me that Karim was shot in the back by Pakistani troops when they raided a house where his father was hiding. This was done to appease the U.S.
Perhaps you might also wish to consider whether in the A category there should be A-Plus and A-Minus to indicate who is closest to our position. Similarly, there should be a category below F as well -- there are some who need to be sent right to the bottom of the chart!!
Overall, the report is very thorough and should assist Muslims in evaluating their MPs. Thank you for the great effort you have put into it.
Best regards, Wassalam.
Zafar, Toronto

Thank you for the information; I have just returned from Florida and was pleased to read your report. As a humanist/atheist I do agree with most of what I read, with the exception of coursem to some references to an "Almighty God." However, humanists do respect every religion as long as politics are not influenced by it. We like to treat religion for what it is -- ancient tradition and faith -- yet there seem to be at lot of similarities in our goals and those of the Muslim community in Canada. I have forwarded your report to the members of the Humanist Association of Canada listserve; I hope it is acceptable to you.
Best regards,
Horst Klaus
(President, Humanist Association of Niagara, St. Catharines ON)

Assalam-O-Alaikum:
I was very interested to read your detailed report after watching a clip about it on TV. I checked CIC's website earlier, but I guess it wasn't there at that time. Jazakallah Khair for doing all this. I'll read it myself, inshallah, and share it with others as well.
Fauzia, Waterloo

Salaam:
Thank you for sending us this very important research report. We will be printing it out and leaving copies at Niagara mosques and elsewhere. The hard work of the Canadian Islamic Congress never ceases to amaze me. Thank you. I encourage all Canadians to review the Report Card on Canadian MPs and to consider its findings when voting later this year.
Jazak allah khair. Wa sallam, in peace,
Susan

I forwarded this e-mail to our MP, who got a B mark. He will probably be interested in knowing the evaluation criteria. Through his campaign manager, I previously passed what the Canadian Muslim electorate expects. On the national front, cherished Canadian values of fairness, equity, and social justice must be preserved. Internationally, Canada should continue its peacekeeping role and resist taking a free ride on the troubled "war against terror" Anglo-American wagon. A Canadian honourable representative has a chance to later win a Nobel Peace prize if (s)he succeeds to rid the UN from the American siege. Or in cooperation with Blair's successor, declare the death of the UN and establish a new global body for real peace, if the UN cannot regain its credibility because of miserable failures in Iraq and Palestine. Thankyou indeed for your efforts in voicing the nearly-marginalized Canadian Muslims' concerns about the socio-political course of their beloved country. Look forward to closer cooperation for the betterment of life of our fellow Canadian citizens.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ahmad Al-Hashimi, IHSAN MUSLIM HERITAGE SOCIETY, Toronto

I read the reserch report and Dr. Elmasry's op-ed in the G&M and it is a good start on badly needed research; however, I expect that you will receive some criticism that the grading process may not have included an interview with the appropriate MPs. Perhaps that... can be addressed the next time. It would provide them with an opportunity to correct any misperceptions that the grading system may have left with their constituents.
Wishing you the best, Wasalam
Adnan Habib, LLB, Vancouver
* * * * *
[CIC's reply]
We did our evaluation of each MP based on his / her official track record in government and / or parliament over 4 years for the CIC's 20 issues. But the final judgment is up to the people in a given riding -- taking into account our research results. Voters should meet with and interview the MP and candidates of their riding to discuss the 20 issues and our report, and the views of how they can serve their country in the future. Then local voters can make up their minds.

Alaikum assalam:.
Mashallah, this is an extraordinary piece of work, which must have consumed numerous hours, jazakallah. The information about the individual MPs will undoubtedly enable us to make an educated and informed decision at the time of elections.
Thanks,
Mazhar, Toronto

Thank you so much for the great work you are doing. I always pray for you. I know one day soon your efforts will start bearing fruit. We are [supportive of] any effort to advance Islamic and Muslim causes. I always look forward for your e-mails.
Best Islamic wishes,
Nazih Mroue, Toronto

I read the Election research report.. It is well done and factual and makes a good point. It is time for most of our ethnocultural groups to use some of their political clout, but more important for the Muslim community because of the current vicious anti-Islam propaganda. Democracy can work if it is supported and used. Keep it up. I am glad the G&M used your piece. It is an indication that respect for the ideals of a free press still exists in some of our media, even when dismally absent from the Asper papers. I enjoy your Bulletins. We in the Slovak community should do the same.
Jan George Frajkor, School of Journalism, Carleton University, Ottawa

"EXCELLENT IDEA..."
A report like this is an excellent idea. With input and constructive feedback, this can be further improved. I think education should have figured in the top ten domestic issues. I would count it among the top five issues, along with: Health; the Economy; Civil liberties, law, order and justice; Immigration; and Multiculturalism.
I illustrate the importance of education with a personal example: When I moved to Canada more than three years ago, I was considering putting my daughter in a Catholic school. The Catholic school curriculum theoretically allows the substitution of subjects related to Christianity with subjects like Philosophy of World religions. However, when I asked the Vice Principal of the school if my daughter could take these alternate courses, he said something like, While the curriculum allows this option, in actual fact there are no students taking these courses. People from all religions take the Christianity courses. I will not recommend to the principal that he make an exception -- or your daughter will become the odd one out.
Ideally, I would like people from all faiths to have an option to attend either: - public schools which are secular, with no faith-based teaching - alternate schools, where the same school gives some faith- based teaching, a lot of which is general and related to philosophy of major religions.
If alternate schools are not possible, then either public funding for Catholic Schools be stopped, or similar funding be made available for schools serving other faiths. However, my preference is that the alternate schools become multi-religious, and not serve only one religion.
Masud Sheikh
*****
[CIC's eply]
We strongly agree with you regarding the importance of education. However, education at the public elementary level is not among the responsibilities of the federal government. We would encourage you to make your concerns known to your school board trustees, as you have raised importance issues.

ASK A DIFFERENT QUESTION?
I know Canada seems to be more about promoting our differences then what we have in common but don't you think the question should be -- "Why don't Canadians vote? "Your religion should have nothing to do with it. But I do like the points raised in your report in regards to informed voting. The shift towards the right of all western parties is likely a result of who votes for them. Perhaps someone can find it, but I am guessing the average age of those who vote has increased steadily.
J.

"IGNORANT PEOPLE MAKE BAD DECISIONS"
People who are too ignorant to vote should not vote. Ignorant people make bad decisions. Also, young people aren't as experienced as older voters. Obviously, Canadian society believes that 17-year-olds are not capable of voting, so why should we expect 100% of them to be capable the year after? If it takes them some time to develop fully-formed opinions and experience, than give 'em some time instead of pressuring them into making bad decisions.
People who don't vote are trusting someone else to make their decisions. I prefer self-determination; many people do not. I'll take it up with them personally, but I won't use taxpayers' money to start stupid "you should vote" ad campaigns. In fact, slavishily believing what you are told (i.e. "you should vote") is exactly the kind of attitude that hampers democracy.
Lastly, the government doesn't need to invest more resources into promoting youth to vote, as we have 3 national parties who are trying very hard to do that themselves.
M.

"KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK"
It is very good that CIC continues to position itself as a Canadin organization that is commenting on mainstream issues from a Muslim perspective.Keep up the good work!
Prof. Karim Karim

CIC REPORT "GIVES AN ALTERNATIVE TO CANADIANS .. IT IS EXCELLENT"
General: The decision to carry out a report like this and to present it to Canadians is a splendid idea. It gives an alternative to Canadians on what to consider when exercising their franchise, an alternative that is more believable and more credible than those offered by politicians. It also sends a message to politicians that the views of Canadian Muslims matter, while setting the pace for others to follow. Indeed, the CIC deserves commendation from all, especially Canadian Muslims.
i) Item 3 (page 6): I would have loved it to read "Digest of Canadian Muslims's Position on Twenty Canadian National and International Issues." This would send the message that it is a research report and not the opinion of officials of the CIC. It is not really wrong having it as it is now. But for many who might want to undermine the validity of the research, it may serve as their basis to argue that it is the sole handiwork of the CIC.
ii) Gay Marriage: I have tried to be very careful with my comments since this report took some time to prepare, and those behind it are better-informed than I and understand the issues. Yet it still does not go down well with me that the issue of gay marriage does not feature in the report. I do not know how the research was carried out, but I think that the debate on gay rights is among the obvious social issues that will influence the decision of many Canadian voters in the coming elections. This is why I think it is necessary for us to present our opinion on it.
iii) Social programs and Care for the aged: I think it is necessary for us to present an opinion on the condition under which most senior citizens live in elders^Ò homes across Canada. I have heard of cases in Edmonton where many live in solitude for decades without ever being visited by a relative -- as if they are being punished for being old. Although I am not well informed about existing policies (Federal or Provincial) regarding care for the aged, I think more need to be done towards improving their lot. We are the best people to present to policy makers sound alternatives that are based on Islamic values. As to what the appropriate alternatives could be, I may not be the best person to suggest them, since my stay in Canada has not been long and my knowledge regarding the depth of the problemis incomplete.
iv) U.S. - Canada Relations. I like it this section -- it is excellent! I think Canada should be applauded for its firm opposition to the exemption of the U.S. military from being tried for war crimes by the international criminal court.
Fusheini Hudu, Department of Linguistics, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta

I think Prof. Elmasry's question can be put to young voters as well. Elections Canada claims that voter turnout for young voters was 25% in the 2000 federal election, far worse than the 49% cited by Prof. Elmasry for Canadian Muslims. In 2003, there were 2.18 million Canadians between the ages of 20-24 (StatsCan). Any ideas how to increase voter turnout for young Canadians?
John

Re: Stern's Column on CIC's Research Report Election 2004 (The Ottawa Citizen, May 18, 2004)
While columnist Leonard Stern is entitled to his views, it is regrettable that he has expressed them through disappointment with the Canadian Islamic Congress's research.
We can only reiterate that the methodology used in grading MPs is clearly and fairly stated in the report to which Mr. Stern objects. Far from being a "one-issue" instrument, our report promotes enquiry and leaves the final decision up to individual constituents.
The most frightening aspect of Mr. Stern's views on our research is his ideological stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He seems to believe that Muslims and Arabs have no right to participate in a democratic process and should be discredited for having the temerity to include the Israeli-Palestinian question (under Canadian foreign policy) in the 20 issues listed in our report.
Since its inception, the Islamic Congress has always encouraged the Muslim community to become better-informed, committed and multi-issue voters. The debate arising from this report will help to reduce Canada's alarming "democratic deficit" and give all Canadians something to think about and act upon. We encourage all Canadians to study the report by clicking on the link, Towards Informed and Committed Voting, on the website .
The Islamic Congress and its members, like most fair-minded Canadians, have always condemned violence on both sides and supported our federal government in its efforts to seek a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. We also believe that peace will happen only if Israel gives up the occupied lands and recognizes the legitimate struggle for Palestinian autonomy and the freedom to live in safety and dignity and to build a secure future for the children of a shattered people.
Wahida Valiante, National vice-president, Canadian Islamic Congress

Assalamu 'Alaykum:
I wish to congratulate you and your staff for taking the effort to conduct such comprehensive research. I think many Muslims in Canada are slowly realizing how important and necessary this kind of initiative is. May Allah help you in your endeavours.
Niaz Ahmad, Montreal

'Assalamu 'Alaykum:
I would like to congratulate you on the great work and on the inspiring article by Dr. Elmasry in the Globe and Mail.. I believe that you are on the right track to make a big difference for Muslims in Canada and I sincerely pray for Allah to help you and your staff.
Actually, the article made me re-think my Ph.D. thesis topic in Political Science. I am now contemplating changing the topic to something like "assessing the political potential of Muslims in Canada." That should discuss the causes and consequences of Muslims' passivity, possible remedies, the role of Islamic organizations in Canada, Muslims' political capabilities ... so forth.
Omar, Montreal

Asalamalykoom:
I have looked through the elections 2004 research report... First of all, it is an excellent idea, and a huge and complex undertaking. I applaud you. Congratulations. Second, the grading methodology is good in principle, but I feel that it would be difficult to apply properly, based on the stated criteria, mainly because some of the stated positions of the CIC are too open-ended and vague. In the ones I read through, some are really more instructive in nature rather than discrete statements of policy.
By instructive, I mean you are teaching the reader about the issue rather than stating a clear, objective position about it. For example:
3.1.2 The Economy
e) We believe that economic competition can be ethical and advantageous, but not at the expense of workers^Ò wages, benefits, and job security. When competition -- chiefly motivated by increased profit margins -- results in unnecessary and socially destructive plant closures, relocations, hostile takeovers and workforce reductions, we all pay the ultimate price in social unrest, extremist movements, public anger and crime.
But you did not state what the CIC's objective is. End market competition? put government controls on monopolies? put actual limits on profit margins? prevent mergers? -- what exactly does the CIC call for? You may feel it is redundant to articulate those points, but it makes it definitive and unequivocal.
Or for example:
3.1.4 Defense
3.1.5 Immigration and Multiculturalism
3.2.4 The Israeli Occupation
The points need to be clear on both what they object to, and what they support, in terms unburdened with extraneous comments... In other words, the points, as critieria for a pseudo-empirical research project should constitute two parts: a) Policies opposed and b) Policies supported by the CIC on each point, in clear, unequivocal terms. That is not easy to do, I realize that, but I believe the CIC should work out its positions on all those points clearly before writing the next report. Overall, it is a great job, a great effort, and for the first attempt, it is very commendable and praiseworthy. I am sure the next issue will be even better. Thank you for the great effort. JAK
Hesham, Kitchener

Thank you very much for your letter concerning the Canadian Islamic Congress report on Informed and Committed Multi-Issue Voting.
As an MPP and someone who studies social demography, I was interested to learn that Canadian Muslims represent a swing vote ranging from 1.8% to 13.5% in more than 100 ridings. My own riding of London North Centre includes over three thousand Muslims.
I too believe that informed voting is very important, and I wish you much success in your goal of having more than 80% of eligible Canadian Muslims vote. Achieving this goal will serve as an excellent example to all Canadians.
Deb Matthews, MPP London North Centre

Hello Prof. Elmasry:
Thankyou for the information on Muslim voters. As you probably know, I represent a riding with a large number of Muslim men and women so I am very aware of the importance of this group of voters.
I certainly agree with you that an informed electorate is essential if we are to have the type of government that truly reflects the will of the people. I believe that the voter turnout rates at election time must be higher and in order to preserve our democracy, an informed person is more likely to vote.
Thank you for providing me with this information. All the best,
Kathleen

Thank you for sharing this with me. This is the first time in Canada that the Muslim community has taken an initiative in encouraging our members to participate in the political process. Being the first Muslim elected official in British Columbia, I must say that your initiative in commendable. It is time that our community bring our interests to the forefront and share our ethical values and cultural strengths. If there is anything I can do to further promote the awareness, please let me know.
John Nuraney

Dear Dr. Elmasry:
Mr. Peterson would be happy to review your report. He is at Queen's Park for the majority of this week while the Legislature sits, however I will make sure he has time to review it as soon as possible.
Thank you very much for sharing your report with our office, I know Mr. Peterson will appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback.
Erin McCloskey, B.Sc., Constituency Assistant Office of Tim Peterson, MPP Mississauga South Riding

Dear Prof. Elmasry:
I share your desire that all Ontarians eligible to vote cast an informed ballot at all levels. It has been said that bad governments are elected by people who don't vote. I know you will urge all who hear you to vote as Canadians and Ontarians in the best interests of their countries.
Bob Delaney, Member of Provincial Parliament, Mississauga West

Dear Brothers / Sisters :Assalamu Alaikum Wr. Wb
The Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC), in its advisory to Muslims says: "Voting is both a civic and religious duty. Not voting really IS voting; it is denying your vote to a deserving candidate."
Muslims are in a crisis situation. The most powerful assets we now have is the democratic process and the ballots. In many electorates, Muslims are in a position to tip the results in favour of candidates who are committed to social -justice, international peace and national issues which are of concern to Muslims and other faith groups, such as education, healthcare, homosexuality etc.
But what strategies should Muslims adopt to make sure the election process truly meets our objectives?
It goes without saying that the grassroots level Muslim community leaders will have to critically analyse the qualifications and past records of each of the candidate (http://canadianislamiccongress.com/election2004/) and the political platform of the parties they represent, and advise or encourage Muslims to vote for candidates passing the set criteria. The two parties which are most popular among Muslims are the Liberal and the New Democratic Parties. We must however, be vigilant that our votes are not divided in such a way that an unintended party candidate becomes the winner.
It is also absolutely necessary that we make political (financial) contributions and ensure several Muslim volunteers work at each candidate's campaign office. Visibility and 'putting our money where our mouth is', give Muslims, the right to demand that our candidates deliver their promises.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE LEADERSHIP MUST MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY GOES OUT AND VOTES.
Meer Sahib

Why I will not be voting on June 28th
Yahya Abdul Rahman
http://www.montrealmuslimnews.net/vote.htm
Montreal May 26, 2004 (MMN): So the federal election in Canada has been called. From now until June 28th Canadians will be bombarded with a variety of grandiose promises and disaster scenarios of what will happen if we don't vote for a particular party or candidate. She said this, he said that. She will do this, he will do that, etc....
To this I reply: Z Z Z Z Z!!!!!!!
Every election introduces the same set of promises (jobs, healthcare, education, environmental protection, tax cuts, more responsible government, etc) and after every election all those promises are broken by the winners. These talking heads who purport to speak on behalf of Canadians will carry on with their original agenda - i.e. protecting the interests of power and privilege and systematically ripping off the Canadian people. All these promises are merely smokescreens which delude us into thinking that the promiser is the best person for the job and that they have our interests at heart.
I for one will not be voting on June 28th. All this talk about making a democratic choice in the upcoming election is a bunch of hogwash. Democracy is much deeper than choosing a party or candidate. It is about grassroots participation in the social and political evolution of our nation in order to bring about real change which will have a positive impact on the future or our country.
Our current voting system creates the illusion that we have an actual say in the direction our country is heading. We are lead to believe that if we don't exercise our "obligation to vote" that we are "undemocratic" and rescind our right to complain. More hogwash. Our right to speak out on the issues of the day is a human right which cannot be taken away by anyone and is not based upon whether we vote or not.
Hundreds of thousands of people in this country - I being one of them - will not vote based on principle. The present party system does not represent the interests of Canadians, and those who hold the real power in this country - i.e. corporate interests and other elites- are not elected by anyone. These interests are not answerable to the people nor do they have any concern for the interests of the people. Their only goal is the pursuit of profits and to hell with annoying issues such as human rights, environmental protection, erosion of civil libeties etc (although they will refer to the these issues to promote themselves). It is these special interests who elected officials are beholden to.
By voting, we bestow legitimacy to the farce that we are living in a democracy where those elected into office represent the interests of the people. In fact, they work against us to restrict our civil liberties, steal more of our hard earned money and ensure that the rich get richer and the poor remain in their impoverished condition. Why would a sane rational person want to support that?
In addition, those running for political office do not reflect the diversity of today's Canadian society. For the most part federal politics in this country is still the domain of an ole white boy's club.
No doubt there are well meaning political candidates who desire to make real positive change in this country, but alas, once they get into office they will be expected to follow the party line 100% which makes it hard for them to represent those who voted them into office in the first place.
We should not equate "not voting" with political apathy. Hundreds of thousands of people in this country will not vote in June 28th yet they are very active politically and are making diligent efforts to bring about real social and political change in this country. They are working within community grassroots organizations - anti-war, anti-proverty, anti-racism, faith based groups etc - and they are fully engaged in the political and social issues of the day.
Sadly, many people think the only democratic option they possess is voting for some person who they don't even know and who will not even listen to their concerns, or joining some political party. But we do indeed have options. Get involved in your community and the grassroots organizations which I mentioned. Voting every four years and then allowing those elected into office to work against our interests is just laziness on our part. Actually getting involved, however, takes much more effort.
Only when we see that the current political system as actually hostile to the interests of the people and beholden to un-elected and unaccountable corporate and economic elites will we come to the realization that real change begins with the people at the grassroots level and not in some morally bankrupt political party.
Yahya Abdul Rahman is the Editor Of Montreal Muslim News. His parents, grand-parents and great-grandparents were born in Canada. He can be reached at montreal@montrealmuslimnews.net

Please read today's Montreal Gazette (May 27, 2004) about ethnic votes. We refer to your electoral initiative.
Mr. Fo Niemi, Executive Director, CRARR, Montreal

as-Salaamu 'alaykum,
Insha'Allah, I hope that the CIC will distribute electronic versions of Brother Elmasry's khotbas (regarding Election 2004) so that those who can not attend them in person will still be able to benefit. May Allah reward you for your efforts.
Dan, NDP

Reg: Yahya Abdul Rahman's letter to CIC re voting
AA Yahya,
re Why I will not be voting on June 28th (letter to the CIC)
I hear you. I dislike the whole party system. It seems to me that having a government like Nunavut (by consensus) might work better. More Shura-like too, imho.
But what do you do when confronted by the present party system? You suggest one option, boycotting the whole process, and working solely at the grassroots level. You also point out that many people just vote every 4 years, and then do nothing. But is it not a little Hollywoodian, to divide the options in such a black and white way? Is real life not a little more colourful?
For instance, what do you think of Joe Clark's proposal to vote according to each individual candidate, rather than by party? Might this not bring us a little closer to a better government?
You argue that this is supporting the present system, that candidates will have to toe the party line, anyway. And in general, alas, you would be right. But what if no party wins decisively? Would this not give individual MPs more leeway? I remember hearing that the way we got medicare (in spite of elite opposition) in this country was when the government had a weak majority and the NDP had a kingmaking role. So might we not get a government more open to listening if no one party gets a majority?
Might it not be useful to analyze each riding and see which candidate seems most suitable, as well as assessing how strong the party that candidate belongs to, and how many seats they are likely to win. And then choosing to vote in such a way as to ensure that as many good candidates are elected, while ensuring that no one party dominates?
Also, in the longer term, if Muslims in each riding get to know their MP and are willing to support him/ her as needed, might we not have greater clout? When someone does something that's risky for their job, it helps having friends to offer support. An MP might hazard to take more controversial positions if they knew they'd be backed up on the home front. After reading Paul Findley's Silent No More, it would seem to me that this strategy has worked very effectively in both the US and Canada.
I totally support your grassroots initiatives (I am engaged in grassroots actions myself). But is it necessary to completely ignore voting and the electoral system as it now stands? Would not a more middle path (using both levels) be more politically useful?
I don't think the elites really care all that much whether a majority of Canadians vote or not (sure its nice, but...). After all, George W. wasn't elected by anything near a majority of Americans, but he still gets to get his trigger-happy fingers on the world's greatest stockpile of weapons. If we lived in a true democracy, not voting in order to shame people to change might work. But the oligarchs have little sense of shame. And a multinational corporation has none at all.
Keep up the good work (I read your MMN too), JAK
Astrid.

Reg: Yahya Abdul Rahman's letter to CIC re voting
Assalamu Alaikum Yahya,
Thanks for this useful analysis and for providing a different angle on how to practice democracy. I have learned from your article.
I have seen your article as well on the CIC website, Friday Bulletin list and Waterloo Muslim Study Group list.
However, I can detect some exaggeration in parts of your analysis, such as:
"By voting, we bestow legitimacy to the farce that we are living in a democracy where those elected into office represent the interests of the people. "
In fact, you cannot deny that, voting in an informed and committed and multi-issue way is no different to the solution you are recommending.
It helps filter out all the weaknesses of democracy.
"Only when we see that the current political system as actually hostile to the interests of the people"
then how about the political system in Third-World, arab world, muslim world?!!!
On the human level, the canadian system has some mechanisms in place to prevent the extreme injustices such as those elsewhere in the world.
You need to live in a Muslim country during elections to feel what i mean.
Mohamed

Assalamu alaikum, Dr. Elmasry,
May Allah give you strength and courage. Sometimes I think how you work for this Ummah, and if one-tenth of Muslims in world could commit so much effort, we'd be in a different world. It's not easy to balance work-load at an academic institution and commit time for Khutbahs and other Islamic work. Haya'akumullah,
wassalam,
farooq khan

Dear Brothers / Sister: ASA
The Association of London Muslims (ALM) has asked our community to prepare questions to be asked at the All Candidates Meeting to be held on Friday June 2, 2004 at 6:30 pm at London ISLAMIC centre (Pond mills Rd).
Here are some questions I have prepared.
QUESTION #1
We believe that our nation, Canada, as a bastion of world peace, must play a lead role in the elimination of the WMD threat, similar to the admirable role it played in the International Campaign to ban anti-Personnel land mines.
It is now clear that Iraq did not possess any WMDs. Iran has agreed for strict inspections of its facilities by the United Nations Nuclear Agency and Libya has agreed to dismantle all its WMD facilities. The rest of the Middle Eastern Arab nations are ready and willing to make the area "nuclear free".
The American journalist Seymour Hersh, quoting Israeli nuclear scientist Vanunu, says in his book that Israel possesses several hundreds nuclear warheads, including hydrogen and neutron bombs and delivery capabilities. Israel is also known to posses huge stock piles of chemical and biological weapons and is engaged in further research and development of new and deadly germs, toxins, convulsants etc., including the development of the so called "ethnic weapons" to identity genes carried only by Arabs that could be used to develop a biological weapon that would harm Arabs but not Jews.
Nuclear race in the middle east was triggered by Israel. It is amazing that one country was invaded and decimated on mere speculation of possessing WMDs, while Israel proven to posses WMDs is not only spared, but financed and helped to continue the dark operation.
What will your party do to bring real and effective International pressure to bear on Israel to destroy its stock piles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, dismantle its production facilities and to join the rest of the civilized nations in signing disarmament treaties to make the Middle East a truly a WMD free zone?
QUESTION#2
CHARITY, like Prayers, and Fasting, is one of the five pillars of Islam and an irrevocable religious obligation upon Muslims. Many Islamic Charitable organizations have come under strict scrutiny or some have been closed down all together, especially in the United States, preventing Muslims from fulfilling their Islamic duty to help the less fortunate. Humanity under dreadful occupations and those who are ravaged by war and famine are being denied of this important and life saving source of help.
Our government quickly banned Hezbollah, under pressure from Jewish groups and based on a false report written by a Jewish freelance writer in London, using a false Muslim name, quoting Hezbollah leader Sheikh Nasrallah as having advocated the export of suicide bombings worldwide. Our own well respected Canadian journalist Neil McDonald, after detailed investigations, proved this report was a fabrication. Hezbollah (a legitimate Resistance Movement under International laws, and which has Political and Social wings providing much needed social services to a long suffering population) was banned, but flow of funds fueling Israel's state sponsored terrorism continues unrestricted.
What actions will your party take to remove the ban on Hezbollah and to ensure that Islamic Charities are not unreasonably targeted and that funds flowing out of Canada do not go to support terrorism, both state-sponsored and otherwise?
QUESTION #3
Many Canadians are homeless, a large percent of our children are growing up in poverty and quite a number of Canadian families depend on food banks to get by, yet our government seems to have no difficulties finding funds to send troops and warships in support of America's war efforts.
What will your party do to divert such funds towards social programs, health care, education etc., instead of allowing hard earned taxpayer money to be used to kill innocent and defenseless people overseas?
QUESTION #4
Living close to the world's most powerful nation, is both a blessing and a curse. While it is our duty to maintain good relations with our neighbour, we will put our nation and our people in great danger if we get involved in our neighbour's unjustified wars and empire building overseas. Instead of addressing root causes of the so called "terrorism", America's blind anger and its misguided foreign policy dictated by pro-Israeli lobbies and the neo-con insiders, has resulted in creating many more injured parties and America-haters and hence created a larger pool of people determined to fight back America's terrorism. So, instead of eliminating 'terrorism', America has multiplied it many folds.
What will your party do to ensure that our nation will not be dragged into America's misadventures, by such threats as "You are with Us or with Them" or the threats of cross border trade etc.?
QUESTION # 5
We wish to see Canada remain an oasis of safety and security. By joining America's Space War program, not only will Canada waste its resources on a system which most scientists believe will be useless, but will also put Canada on the map of potential targets to be attacked. Experts believe that far less sophisticated means of terrorist attacks could be launched against which the highly sophisticated Space Wars program will prove ineffective and provide no security, despite the huge investments in the system. Further, the proposed Star Wars program will give rise to another new and deadly weapons race, which humanity can do without.
What assurance will you give Canadians that our nation will not be dragged into this destructive program?
QUESTION #6
Most of the newly enacted laws purportedly to counteract terrorism, in fact target Arabs and Muslims. Many Muslims are now targets of racial profiling and arbitrary arrests. Several innocent Muslims have been victims of such unwarranted arrests and their lives have been torn apart as a result. Any Muslim can now be thrown in jail based on secret information and without the due processes guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. These hastily enacted draconian laws are reminiscent of the dark ages and a blight on our enlightened and civilized nation. The legal system available prior to these laws were quite adequate to meet the needs of fighting terrorism.
What action will your party take to revoke or abolish those laws enacted under hysteria and undue pressure from the US, and what assurance will you give that in future any such Bills will take into consideration inputs from Canadian Muslims and that the civic and citizenship rights of Muslim Canadians will be protected?
QUESTION # 7
According to a recent national survey, violence against Muslims has increased dramatically after 911. The Media has to bear much of the responsibility for this rise in hate against Muslims. A recent example is the huge publicity given to the decapitation of Nick Berg. All Muslims were devastated by such a horrendous crime. However, after many medical experts questioned the authenticity of the video and others who investigated the video came to the conclusion that the murder was not committed by Iraqis, but may have been 'staged', as a 'black operation' by US psychological warfare specialists, these facts were not given any publicity by the media. The damage was done to the image of Muslims.
Moreover, while crimes by non-Muslims are (rightly) not reported as Hindu, Christian or Jewish terrorism, crimes by Muslims are almost always given an Islamic identity. Additionally, many evangelical TV and radio programs spread anti-Muslim sentiments and the videos they show supposedly as 'documentaries' are filled with inaccuracies and mistruths. Letter writings and protests by Muslims fall on deaf ears. Hence it is necessary to legislate measures against such anti-Muslim propaganda, similar to anti-Semitic propaganda.
What initiatives will your party take in this regard?
Meer

I am deeply concerned if the Conservatives win the federal election on June 28 and run the country.
What would happen to the Canadian sovereignty, I wonder. Would Canada be the 51st US State?
What concerns me the most about the party is its commitment to support the United States unconditionally, whether it is right or wrong.
True friendship in the eyes of the Conservatives is to stand behind your friend whether he is right or deadly wrong.
If Stephen Harper were the Prime Minister, our troops would have now been in Iraq looking desperately for the weapons of mass destruction.
They would have been there participating in creating chaos, instability and destruction in Iraq.
Stephen Harper would not have the courage to say 'no' to the United States even though the majority of Canadians opposed the war.
I wonder if Mr. Harper wins the election and receives a phone call from the White House the next day advising him that the US is now going to "liberate" another nation, what would his reaction be as the Prime Minister of the country.
May God Have mercy on Canada if the Conservatives run the affairs.
Abubakar Kasim

As-Salaam-Allaykum,
I would like to commend the CIC for its efforts in trying to keep Canadian Muslims informed about issues surrounding the federal election. However, I believe that Muslims also have a duty to try and inform themselves about the issues, get involved in the political process, and to make every effort to cast a ballot. Not voting should not be an option!!
As a Muslim who has never missed the chance to vote during an election since I became eligible, I read with some interest the comments made by various writers to the CIC with regards to the election, the effectiveness of voting, and Canada's political system. It is not unexpected for the public to be cynical about politicians and the political system given the record of politicians with respect to their promises over the past decade or so. However, if we decide not to participate then we strengthen the voices of those who do, we do a disservice to the Muslim community by diluting the limited influence we have within the system, and as a result we have no right to complain if government policies affect us negatively.
The way Canada's political system works, real power within a party lies at the top with the leader and the close circle of advisors that surround him or her. Next in line to influence the leaders are the big financial donors to the parties. Politics can't operate without a lot of money, and in the case of the (neo) Conservatives and the Liberals a very large part of this money comes from wealthy individuals and corporations (those with vested interests to protect). And if you don't believe that large donations give better political access to the donors, then it's time to deal with reality because it does. The only party that does not accept large corporate donations is the NDP, and to a certain extent their structure does allow for input/influence on policies from the grassroots.
If you have problems trusting any of the leaders, then look at the individual candidates in your area and make sure to attend all-candidates debates where they can be compared side by side and you can hear them in person. After the debate, make sure you go up and meet them and ask them questions on issues that are important to you. Don't be afraid to ask them tough questions because this is one of the few times that they will want to talk to you directly in order to convince you to vote for them. If they don't answer your question to your satisfaction, or if they leave quickly after a public meeting without interacting with the voters, then that is an indication of how you would be treated by them and their party after an election.
If Muslims do want to have more of an impact on the political system there are several key ways to do it:

1. The easiest way is to makes sure that you go out and cast a ballot on election day if you are eligible to vote (or before election day at one of the advance polls in your constituency);

2. The next is to get involved in the local campaign of a candidate you like and to maintain contact with that individual afterwards if he or she gets elected;

3. The third takes a little bit more effort, and that is to get involved in local community associations or groups who tend to have very strong relationships with the local politicians between elections. This would give you regular access to information that is not always available to the public and it would allow you to build a long-term relationship with the politicians and within the broader community;

4. Next, if you believe that a politician or party is not living up to their committments, or they are undertaking policies that you disagree with, then it is incumbent upon you to communicate with that politician IN WRITING, expressing your disagreement or dissatisfaction to that politician on the issue. You can even write to the prime minister or premier. If you write to them, you will usually get a written response. And if you don't hear back from them then follow up your letter with a phone call. A politician is always more interested in the voters who call and participate than those that don't.

5. And finally, if you have strong roots within the community and you are willing to put yourself through the process, run for public office yourself. In this federal election there are a number of Muslim men and women across the coutry who are candidates with different parties. If they have the fortune of being elected then they will have some chance of helping to improve our country, as well as the place of the Muslim community in Canada.

These are just some of the most basic things that individuals can do to effect politicians and government policy. I realize some of this may be more work than a lot of people are willing to do. However, we have to remember that it's the people who get seen and heard who affect the way government works.
These days fewer and fewer people are deciding to cast a vote because they have become cynical about the process. However, this means that the people who do cast a vote have more value to their vote because someone else decided not to.
One can only imagine how different things would have been in the United States in 2000 if out of a voting age population of 150 million, a hundred thousand more people had decided to cast a ballot. If that had happened, then George Bush would not have been president and the lot of Muslims in the world might be somewhat better than it is today.
So if you are cynical about the system, rather than not voting become more involved and participate. Work to elect a good candidate or defeat a bad one. Because if we don't participate and let bad candidate get elected by default, then our political system will deteriorate further.
Now is the time for all good Muslims to come to the aid of their community and their country by making sure that we are seen and that our voice is heard in this election, and in years between this election and the next.

F. Khan (Ottawa)

dear sir,
I am writing regarding the present election in Canada.
The conservative party under Stephen Harper is great threat to the well being of Muslims in this country.
He was the the first member of predecessor of Reform Party when it was formed. At that time every statements from Stephen Harper was racist and full of prejudice against the minortity specially east asians.
He repeatedly taken stand against muslims and has openly sided with the Israel against the Palestinians.
He was in forefront when various muslims charities were being shut down on flimsy reasons.
In the past he has refused to visit the mosque yet he had time to go to Synagogue.
If he is elected, he'll take this country closure to U.S. and practically hand over the country to U.S.
He'll target muslim more than the present Government and I am convinced Muslims would be persecuted more and subject to much more harassment under his leadership.
He was very very supportive of U.S.Invasion of Iraq and had been very critical of the stand This government took. But Now he is trying to wiggle himself out
by either not saying anything about Iraq or denying anything he said in the past.
I would strongly urge C.I.C. to take stand on this issue and come out openly against the policies of Stephen Harper specially in regards to Muslims and ethnic minorities.
C.I.C. should ask Muslims NOT to vote conservative and muslim should take a collective stand against reform policies.
m.ali.

Assalamu alaykum,
I have read your report "Election 2004" and I am impressed with it. What I really liked was thE fact that your report avoided controversial issues such as abortion and homosexual marriage. Although Islam has a clear stand on these issues, it is not beneficial to discuss them in such a report. Jazakum Allahu khayran for your efforts.
Yaman Dakhel
Edmonton, Alberta