Amid the controversy, leaders of Quebec’s Muslim community contacted Amira Elkhawabi, the new Canadian special envoy in charge of combating Islamophobia, asking her to apologize for portraying Quebecers as “anti-Muslim.”
Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder of the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec, revealed in an interview with 98.5 FM that some of those who gathered in the National Assembly on Tuesday to present a motion by the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) to commemorate the victims of the attack on the Great Mosque of Quebec contacted him to express their opinion.
Photo by Frances Vachon, Canadian Press
Boufeldja Benabdalla, co-founder of the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec
Joined by Pres On Wednesday evening, despite past controversial statements, the latter emphasized the importance felt by these representatives of the community to take action in an effort to calm the discontent with the appointment of Amira Elqawabi to this new post.
We don’t say “explain yourself”. No, we’re not into explanations anymore. It should be one sentence: “I apologize to the people of Quebec”, period.
Boufeldja Benabdallah
He later insisted that he did not view Quebecers as Islamophobic and wanted to “live peacefully as a Quebecer.”
“Like everywhere, it’s a small minority that cries out loud against Muslims, but it’s not the whole population. [du Québec qui est islamophobe] “, emphasizing the outpouring of support and love he received from people after the tragic attack on January 29, 2017 in which six people lost their lives to bullets.
Give the runner a chance
“She shouldn’t be in vague discourse, she should be [qu’elle] Make it clear: “That’s not what I wanted to say, what I’m saying is that Quebecers are not Islamophobic,” he explained.
Earlier on Wednesday, Amira Elkawabi finally apologized to Quebecers after a meeting with Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet. However, the words were not enough in the eyes of the Legault government, which continues to demand his resignation.
For his part, Boufeldja Benabdallah judges that we must “give the runner a chance” and wants Amira Elkhawabi’s balance sheet to determine whether he succeeded in “delivering the goods”.
Remember that the latter has been at the center of a controversy since his appointment last Thursday, especially for writing in an earlier column that “the majority of Quebecers” are “suffering from anti-Muslim sentiment.” The executive order confirming his appointment states that he will receive a salary ranging from $162,700 to $191,300 and is scheduled to begin Feb. 20.
