Canadian Islamic Congress just doesn't get it:
Canada's politics revolve around political parties, not personalities

TORONTO - After endorsing the Liberal Party in the 2004 elections, the Canadian Islamic Congress has come out with a hodgepodge recommendation using voodoo statistics that rate candidates instead of political parties. Niaz Salimi, President of the Muslim Canadian Congress, while commenting on the CIC statement said, "it reflects more of the personality cult prevalent in overseas dictatorships and absolute monarchies, rather than the parliamentary system of democracy in Canada."

Reacting to a report released by the CIC that urges Muslims to support the Liberal Party in 37 ridings, the Conservatives in 12, the NDP in 23 and the Bloc in 12, the President of the Muslim Canadian Congress said it is time the CIC stopped embarrassing the Canadian Muslim community with with such convoluted methodology and equally useless, as well as contradictory recommendations.

"We are not voting in a beauty contest where individual traits account for points. Elections in a parliamentary democracy are about platforms and policies put forward by political parties. The CIC recommendation demonstrates their complete lack of understanding of western parliamentary democracy, the role of political parties, the role of the party leader, the parliamentary caucus as well as the whip," added Niaz Salimi. "Free votes are the exception rather than the norm in Canadian parliamentary tradition," she said.

The CIC report contains glaring contradictions. It gives a failing 'F' grade to two Muslim NDP Candidates, Gary Dale and Ali Naqvi because of their support for same-sex marriage legislation, but gives an 'A' grade to Svend Robinson and Mary Woo-Sims, both leading advocates of same-sex rights and both belonging to the same party; the NDP.

"Both Gary Dale and Ali Naqvi are members of the Muslim Canadian Congress, have been active members of the anti-war movement and are vigorous advocates for marginalised communties. For the CIC to award them failing 'F' grades, speaks of a new low level in pettiness that should have no place in the Muslim narrative. It seems the only reason these two outstanding Muslim candidates were given a failing 'F' grade is because of their vigorous opposition to Islamic extremists and their association with the Muslim Canadian Congress," remarked Niaz Salimi.

El-Farouk Khaki , Secretary General of the MCC said the Canadian Islamic Congress should come clean on which party platform it feels best represents its own principles. "By trying to keep a stake in every political party and attempting to please every party in Ottawa, the CIC is using methods adopted from the bankrupt political culture of dictatorial regimes in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Such sycophancy and unprincipled politics has been practised across the Muslim world, from Pakistan to Egypt and Iran, for decades. These tactics, inherited from colonial times, always benefit the leadership, which bends over backward to associate with those in corridors of power, but never serve the interests of ordinary citizens," Khaki added.

Khaki said the CIC report was at best amateurish, but largely convoluted and unprincipled in its content. "How could anyone with any insight into Canadian politics endorse the Bloc and the Liberal Party, simultaneously, and in neighbouring ridings? How could the CIC endorse Jack Layton on the one hand and oppose NDP's Olivia Chow on the other?" he asked.

The Muslim Canadian Congress, while endorsing the NDP in this election, urges Muslim Canadians to vote on the basis of party platforms closest to their own principles. The role of individual parliamentarians is significant, but in a multi-party democracy, members of parliament are part of a party caucus and vote according to partly policy.

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