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Muslim & Sikhs: Principal terrorist threat to Canada
12-26-2018
The Minister of Public Safety Canada, Honourable, Ralph Goodale, issued their 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada. Although, it may seem like a routing annual report, or as Jerry Seinfeld might say, it is no more like “Yada, Yada, Yada.” However, a closer look, from the opening paragraphs onwards, its articulated in a manner that is intended to vilify two very large minority ethnic minority groups in Canada – Muslims and Sikhs – as the central focus of counter-terrorism activities by the law enforcement agencies and Public Safety Minister’s top priority.
There is absolutely no doubt Public Safety Minister is obligated to protect all Canadians. However, to articulate a report which simply paints individuals of followers of two major religions of Canada – Islam and Sikhism – with blank generalization is wrong and not very Canadian.
We shall let our readers review the language and tone to assess why Muslim and Sikh Canadians might be outraged at the 2018 published report.
The report’s Executive Summary states: “Canada's terrorist threat environment remains stable. The principal terrorist threat to Canada continues to stem from individuals or groups who are inspired by violent Sunni Islamist ideology and terrorist groups, such as Daesh or al-Qaida (AQ). Canada also remains concerned about threats posed by those who harbour right-wing extremist views. The April 2018 van attack in Toronto is a reminder that violent acts driven by extremists' views are not exclusively-linked to any particular religious, political or cultural ideology. Furthermore, Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain of concern because while their attacks in Canada have been extremely limited, some Canadians continue to support these extremist groups, including through financing.”
The begging question is, was such harsh language even justifiable, “violent Sunni Islamist ideology” and “Furthermore, Shia and Sikh (Khalistani) extremism also remain of concern” necessary to highlight threats with such blanket generalizations in a report, issued by a government minister?
Other begging questions would rightfully be, is the ministry trying to paint entire communities, Muslim and Sikh Canadians with the same brush due to their religious affiliations?
Especially, because, little further the report states, “In 2018, no terrorist attacks have been committed by terrorist groups or their followers in Canada. In fact, the rate of terrorist attacks in the West has decreased overall; statistics show a decline in the rate of terror attacks since early 2016, after having peaked in late 2014 / early 2015.”
The South Surrey MP, Mr. Gordie Hogg issued a statement of on the Report, expressing his concerns as, “As an adjunct Professor in Criminology and a Member of Parliament, I have for years looked at terrorist acts and been concerned that they are often reported using the name and religion or culture of the proponent. We know that all cultures have some extremists yet not all cultures are attached to the names of the extremist acts when they are reported. I am sorry that the “2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threats to Canada” connected the terms Sikh and Muslim to terrorism. I have spoken with Minister Goodale and he too is concerned and has asked officials to conduct a review and make the appropriate changes to the language used throughout government to describe extremism.”
Another begging question from the report raises concerns why only certain communities are being targeted, especially in light of the court cases which clearly spell out that RCMP allegedly engineered the terrorist plot which can be attributed to Muslims, such as the case of the attack on the BC Legislature.
Oddly enough, the report also mentions the “Key Plots or Attacks Conducted in Canada.” June 2006, “Toronto 18.” The case has its own controversy including Crown’s Key witness, an RCMP Mole who infiltrated the group and the payments he and other witness received.
However, more poignant case would be the recent vindication of John Nuttal and Amanda Korody – Canada Day Bomber – listed as Key plots in the report.
On December 18, 2018, same time when the Report was being released, B.C.'s Court of Appeal will handed down a decision, upholding an earlier decision by the BC Supreme Courts against the couple where A jury found John Nuttall and Amanda Korody guilty of terrorism offences in 2015. But a B.C. Supreme Court judge stayed the proceedings in 2016 after finding the pair had been entrapped by police in an investigation that amounted to an abuse of process.
In a unanimous ruling released Wednesday, the three-member Court of Appeal agreed with B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bruce's finding that the RCMP had manipulated the couple into going through with the plot.
"The RCMP knew early on that the accused did not have the ability to commit an act of terrorism. They pushed the accused to create a workable plan when they were unable to do so on their own," Justice Elizabeth Bennett wrote in their decision.
"The overall conduct of the investigation was a travesty of justice and a stay of proceedings must issue."
"I can find no fault with the trial judge's conclusion that the police manufactured the crime that was committed and were the primary actors in its commission," Bennett wrote.
Considering this decision, the begging question is, does the Minister of Public Safety not obligated to protect all Canadian citizens from such an abuse of process at the hands of very law enforcement agencies created to protect all Canadians.
What actions, if any, the Public Safety Minister intends to take to protect Muslim and Sikh Canadians from such an abuse of process in future by law enforcement agencies which may results is victimizing the entire community that needs protection and not labelled as terrorist in the eyes of fellow Canadians?
At the very least the Minister for Public Safety must consider is revising the report, rephrasing it such, so that the entire communities – Muslims and Sikhs – are not being labelled as possible terrorists by fellow Canadians. That’s the least we can expect.
At the end we wish all our readers, contributors, our supporters and our advertisers a happy new year, and all the best in 2019.
The report can be viewed here:
https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/pblc-rprt-trrrsm-thrt-cnd-2018/index-en.aspx
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