The leader of the third ranked political party in Quebec has suggested that a public body be created to investigate before mosques are allowed to open anywhere in the province.
Francois Legault of the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) made the comments following a ban on an application for a mosque in the city of Shawinigan. He defended the mayor of the city saying the mayor was only doing what citizens wanted, and that there were no guidelines from the province so mayors were left to their own devices on such issues.
Legault said such investigations would show if the Imams have consistently denigrated Quebec values.
He also urged the Liberal government of Philippe Couillard to amend the provincial charter of rights and freedoms to include so-called “Quebec-values” to include principle such as equality of the sexes, and respect for people’s sexual orientation.
He also cited the case of two Imams, identicated in La Presse and other Quebec media as “radical”, representing the Montreal branch of the Islamic university Miskaw who had handed out some 250 diplomas in Islamic studies.
Translated from French, he is quoted in La Presse saying, “There were 250 people getting diplomas in Sharia from a Sharia academy. In my opinion, we can’t repeatedly allow that in Quebec to have people who deny the equality of men and women and even object to western laws
(“Samedi soir, il y avait 250 personnes qui recevaient des diplômes de la charia d’une académie de la charia. À mon avis, on ne peut pas permettre ça au Québec à répétition, d’avoir des gens qui nient l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes et même, contestent le fait qu’on doit accepter les lois occidentales”)
Premier Couillard clearly rejected the propositions by the CAQ, saying that laws exist and should be used in cases where needed, but limiting rights only plays into radical and criminal hands. Referring the the Shawinigan case, he also called on city mayors to reflect and use their judgement when making such decisions
Earlier this month the Montreal borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve in Montreal denied an application for a Muslim Community Centre .
The applicant, Morrocan-born Imam, Hamza Chaoui, had openly expressed opinions that men and women are not equal. He has also said stoning and cutting off people’s hands can be appropriate punishments for crimes, and that democracy is incompatible with Islam.
In that case, the Premier agreed with the borough and city of Montreal saying that Chaoui’s comments were not acceptable. Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre is reported in the CBC saying that Hamza Chaoui’s radical views make him a safety risk
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