Quebec calls for resignation of federal government’s anti-Islamophobia representative

By The Canadian Press on January 30, 2023.

MONTREAL – The Quebec government is calling for the resignation of the federal government’s special representative to combat Islamophobia.

Quebec Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge says Ottawa should fire Amira Elghawaby immediately if she chooses not to resign.

The journalist and activist was appointed to the role last week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Elghawaby co-wrote a 2019 opinion piece in the Ottawa Citizen linking “anti-Muslim sentiment” to Quebec’s Bill 21, which bans certain government employees from wearing religious symbols at work.

Roberge says Elghawaby needs to apologize for those comments.

Elghawaby said last week on Twitter that she doesn’t believe Quebecers are Islamophobic and that her opinion piece was about a poll indicating a strong majority of Quebecers with negative views of Islam supported Bill 21.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2023.

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