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Reader comment on item: Canada's Muslims Provide "Strategic Advice on Relations with the Muslim World"

Submitted by Sheri (United States), Apr 14, 2006 at 13:46

I just received Mr. Pipes' weblog. He is a rare beacon of light and we cannot allow him to be alone without becoming involved in his support. His weblong about DFAIT included a link to their main website and I've just sent them the following e-mail (and you should do the same):

Dear DFAIT,

David Mulroney is misguided in his placing strategic importance in the FMCG and allowing this group to have major input in the decision-making process governing Canada's relations with Muslim communities for the following reasons:

1) Muslims will from now on have a special say with regard to Canadian foreign and trade issues touching on Muslims.

(2) The privileging of Islam proceeds apace, with Muslims in at least four Western countries giving "strategic advice on relations with the Muslim world."

(3) This is a terrible mistake. Belonging to a certain group should not give one special authority in dealing with that group, and especially not in a governmental context.

(4) The only person yet to be charged with an offense under Canada's new Anti-Terrorism Act is Mohammad Momin Khawaja; and he was, at about the time of his arrest, a computer consultant for DFAIT.

(5) One can only guess at the intellectual environment of FMCG but one of the individuals mentioned as a player in it, Crystal Procyshen, wrote a strident article against Israel in 1997, "JERUSALEM! What is the TRUTH? Travel and Truth:A Volunteers' Experience in Palestine."

I've always thought of Canada as a country of common sense but the recent decisions by Mulroney appear ominous. The mandate for FMCG continues to be: to serve as a clearing house and focal point within the Department for issues concerning relations with the Muslim world; build the Department's policy capacity on this subject; and take the lead in providing timely, strategic advice on relations with the Muslim world, and the lead in creating a policy framework for our overall approach to this subject. As such, the FMCG should be consulted at headquarters and by posts on the broad range of issues affecting Canada's relations with Muslim communities, including public diplomacy efforts, and will take the lead in coordinating the Department's response to many of them.

Canadians, be careful.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Sheri Whalen

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (16) on this item

Title By Date
With friends like Canada... [61 words]TedApr 22, 2006 05:50
Sent to Stephen Harper, PM of Canada [476 words]Katherine McleanApr 17, 2006 21:04
Figures...a special anti-semite group to give "advice" to the PM? [51 words]J.S.Apr 18, 2006 15:03
It is time for all Christians to take a stand for Christ [125 words]Bev RoseApr 24, 2006 22:53
Ok OK [249 words]Katherine McLeanApr 17, 2006 19:02
Tell us about Mecca [26 words]Melvin A. FechterApr 16, 2006 19:24
Canadian Crystal Procyshen - more Canadian than we realize [219 words]Nabil ShwarmaApr 16, 2006 09:29
⇒ Canada's DFAIT [364 words]SheriApr 14, 2006 13:46
DFAIT [22 words]KamApr 16, 2006 08:32
And when I thought Canada was waking up... [151 words]van der LeyApr 13, 2006 00:05
HISTORICAL DECISION BY CANADIANS- HISTORY WILL BE WRITTEN IN GOLDEN WORDS [67 words]Iraqi BoyApr 10, 2006 02:20
Bienvenue a Canada Welcome to Canada Salam Aleykum fi Kanada [247 words]Nabil ShwarmaApr 9, 2006 12:22
Good Point [197 words]VijayApr 9, 2006 07:44
Great Decision by canadian Govt. [45 words]Muhammad_jesus_moses_adamApr 9, 2006 04:26
Muhammad_jesus_moses_adam [67 words]Anubhav SinghApr 10, 2006 04:47
Where is the... [49 words]AlanApr 9, 2006 03:45

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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