QUEBEC – The Quebec government demanded that the federal government withdraw its support of Amira Elghawaby, the new representative to combat Islamophobia, because of her willingness to identify its Islamophobic Bill 21 as Islamophobic.
“It is outrageous that someone appointed to fight Islamophobia is able to notice when something is Islamophobic!” exclaimed Jean-François Roberge, CAQ minister responsible for the French language. “Law 21 is thinly-veiled Islamophobia because that is the only kind of veil we will allow in government!”
“Sure, we claim the law is about laïcité and prohibits all religions, but who are we kidding? The only people we stop from having jobs are Muslim women. That’s why we need an anti-Islamophobia representative who accepts our obvious bullshit about secularism at face value. For example, the white pundits invited on Quebec news shows to discuss matters of race. Any of them will do.”
One abiding concern is that the appointment of someone to combat Islamophobia who can tell what it is when they see it is a slippery slope to other unreasonable appointments.
“What’s next?” asked Premier Legault. “A minister for immigration who understands that even people who don’t speak French could be valuable additions to our country? Not on my watch.”
The Quebec legislature reconvened to hold a vote reaffirming its objection to religious symbols and clothing, apart from the fig leaf of secularism it puts over its racist laws.
