By Lloyd Mackey

How often have you heard, from a Christian or Jewish individual or group, that Christians and Jews are unfairly discriminated against by others in society?

Well, a few days ago, a group known as the Canadian Muslim Forum (CMF) had a different story to tell. And telling the Forum's story on Parliament Hill were Sameer Zuberi and Nermine Barboche.

The media conference called by the CMF was sparsely attended. It drew fewer journalists than those who usually attend the annual B'nai Brith assessment on the state of anti-Semitism in Canada.

The stated purpose of the CMF presentation was to provide some research and statistical data regarding 'Islamophobia,' and to outline the organization's planned campaign against such discrimination.

Of course, many journalists (both Christian and otherwise) have been hearing much about the extent of discrimination against Christians -- not only in Canada, but in other nations that produce potential immigrants to Canada.

Usually, the findings of such Christian groups seems every bit as well-researched as what is available through the CMF. Only the conclusions differ.

I won't attempt to dispute what the CMF is saying. My point, today, is simply to suggest to OttawaWatch readers -- most of whom are likely of some Christian stripe or another -- that some Muslims want to tell the rest of us that they, too, are victims of discrimination.

In fact, the CMF report cites two sources to back up its Islamophobia contentions.

The first is a recent CBC-Environics poll which found that Canadians believe Muslims and aboriginals are the groups most discriminated against in this country.

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The other was the 2008 Reasonable Accommodation Commission findings, particularly pertaining to Quebec. There, commission co-chairs Gerard Bouchard and Charles Taylor found that Muslims and blacks are, in the CMF's words, "hardest hit by discrimination."

It is worth noting that the CMF saw fit to provide the information that two other specific groups are seen to be discriminated against.

The Forum media conference handout cited four sets of statistics on Canadian Muslims and Islamophobia:

• A total of 45 percent of Canadian Muslims hold a university degree, compared with 23 percent of all Canadians.
• Some 31 percent of Canadian Muslims have had unpleasant experiences due to race, ethnicity and/or religion.
• Some 66 percent of Canadian Muslims worry about discrimination and unemployment.
• Among employers, 35 percent apparently refuse to hire "Arabs."

CMF is described, in its promotional literature and on its website (www.fmc-cmf.com) as "a non-profit organization promoting active civic participation and representing the concerns of the Canadian Muslim community . . . [and] an umbrella organization active in the areas of public policy, civil liberties and human rights."

The organization was founded in 1993 and has, through the years, operated mostly in Quebec -- although it is trying to strengthen its links to other parts of Canada where Muslims have significant percentages of regional population.

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Lloyd Mackey is a member of the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa and author of Stephen Harper: The Case for Collaborative Governance (ECW Press, 2006), More Faithful Than We Think: Stories and Insights on Canadian Leaders Doing Politics Christianly (BayRidge Books, 2005) and Like Father, Like Son: Ernest Manning and Preston Manning (ECW Press, 1997). Lloyd can be reached at lmackey@canadianchristianity.com.

June 23/2010