Canadian Muslims Cautious Over Poll Results

[sonz]

TORONTO, January 25, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – Canadian Muslims' reaction to the Conservative victory in the parliamentary polls has generally been mixed and cautious, with the record turnout of the minority being hailed as evidence of more involvement in the country's politics.

“I am worried about the new anti-terrorism measures that the Conservatives might put in place,” Abubakar Kasim, a Toronto resident, told IslamOnline.net Wednesday, January 25, in his comment on the Conservatives' rise to power in this North American country.

“I am also curious about the reaction of our new Prime Minister to a request from U.S. President, George Bush, asking for support to ‘liberate’ another country,” he added.

The Conservative victory brings to power Stephen Harper as Prime Minister of this G8 country that has experienced strong economic conditions for a number of years.

Harper, 46, moved his party to the center toning down the rightist positions that cost him the last election.

The Conservatives won 124 seats, the Liberals 103, the Bloc Quebecois 51 and the New Democrats 29.

The new government will hold a slim minority of the seats in the new Parliament and will have to work with other parties to pass legislation.

Intense Presence

The record turnout among Canadian Muslims reflected a growing sense of participation.

Despite their relatively small number, Canadian Muslims have managed to speak louder this time.

Their voter turnout was higher than that of national numbers in the federal elections, according to the Canadian Islamic Congress.

“Early election Exit Polls show a majority of eligible voters (more than 70%) among Canadian Muslims cast ballots,” reported the Canadian Islamic Congress Political Action Committee (CICPAC).

Canadian Muslims make 1.9% of Canada's some 32.8 million people, according to the CIA Factbook.

Sixty-five per cent of all eligible voters went to the polls and voted in the minority conservative government sending the previous Liberal government packing after 12 years in power.

In the run-up to the polls, the Canadian Islamic Congress had encouraged the minority to be discriminating in casting their votes.

“We have determined that the best strategic voting option for Election '06 is to vote for the candidate, not the party,” a Congress communiqué advised Muslims.

“A "good" candidate running for a "bad" party is better than a "bad" candidate running for a "good" party.”

The eight week campaign saw an intense battle by all political parties for the votes of Canada’s growing Muslim population.

The Liberals, who traditionally have won the majority of Muslim votes, faced competition from the other parties for the minority’s support.

Muslims, however, were frustrated by the perceived persecution of Canadian Muslims by the federal Anti-Terrorism Act introduced, by the Liberals, in 2001 as well as by the security certificates, which allow non-citizens accused of terrorism to be detained without formal charges.

Many Muslims looked at other parties with the New Democratic Party attracting much of the minority’s attention for its immigrant-friendly policies and for its stance on security and foreign policy issues.

Participation

Canada's new Conservative leader Stephen Harper.

The elections also saw greater participation by Muslims in the political process with all-party debates being held in community centres and mosques during the election campaign.

Wasim Parkar, a university student, felt that the elections provided an opportunity for Muslims to become involved in the democratic process and make a difference.

“I am an active volunteer for the Young Liberals at the University of Waterloo,” Parkar told IOL.

“I felt it was my civic responsibility to be involved in the electoral and political process of this country. Living in Canada, gives Muslims the rare opportunity of being involved with their government - an opportunity that we are deprived of in pretty much all existing Muslim countries,” he added.

In addition, a number of Muslim candidates ran for all parties but a few of them have won parliamentary seats.

Liberal incumbents, Wajid Khan and Yasmin Ratansi, were re-elected in ridings in the Greater Toronto Area.

They will be joined by Liberal rookie, Omar Alghabra, who easily won the suburban Toronto riding of Mississauga-Erindale to the surprise of many people, says IOL Correspondent.

“I'm extremely humbled by the vote of confidence the people of Mississauga-Erindale have given me," Alghabra told his supporters at his victory party.

Alghabra, 36, was born to Syrian parents in Saudi Arabia and came to Canada as a teenager. A mechanical engineer, he previously served as the national president of the Canadian Arab Federation.

"I believe strongly I can make a difference, have an impact," he added.

The second election in eighteen months was called when the Liberal minority government was defeated in a no-confidence vote last November, after the Paul Martin government was unable to overcome a corruption scandal involving the misuse of funds for a national unity program in Quebec.

The scandal cost the Liberal Party its majority in the 2004 election. An investigation cleared outgoing Prime Minister Martin of wrongdoing but accused senior Liberal party members of taking kickbacks and misspending tens of millions of dollars in public funds.

In conceding defeat, Paul Martin, announced that he will step aside as leader of the Liberal Party.

"I will not take our party into another election as leader," Martin, 67, told his supporters.