Thirty influential Quebecers unite for Amira Elghawaby

Thirty influential Quebecers signed a declaration on Friday supporting Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s special representative in the fight against Islamophobia. Among them, there are as many lawyers, activists as columnists.

« The challenge she must take up is considerable and we are of the opinion that Ms. Elghawaby must be given the chance to exercise and fulfill the mandate for which she was appointed », they explain jointly.

They recall that Mrs. Elghawaby apologized « sincerely » and that she showed her desire to exchange and learn from Quebecers, she will meet several political leaders in the coming days.

Recall that she created controversy when she obtained her post, because she had written in an article that “the majority of Quebecers” seemed “influenced by anti-Muslim sentiment” following the adoption of Bill 21.

The signatories of the declaration are:

Charles Taylor, philosopher, professor emeritus, McGill

Jack Jedwab, President, Association for Canadian Studies

Julius Grey, lawyer, constitutional and human rights expert

Samira Laouni, Founding President, COR

Michel Seymour, philosopher

Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder and spokesperson of the Mosque of Quebec

Linton Garner, activist and community worker

Ehab Lotayef, community activist, poet, IT manager

Anne Lagacé Dowson, freelance journalist and commentator

Frank Baylis, President, « No to Bill 21 »

Eric Maldoff, CM, Ad. E., Partner, Lapointe Rosenstein, Marchand, Melançon

Joel DeBellefeuille, CEO, Founder, Coalition rouge inc.

Alain Babineau, Director, Racial Profiling and Public Safety, Red Coalition

Eve Torres, Community Activist

Fareed Khan, founder, Canadians United Against Hate

Ndeye Marie Fall, former Senior Official at UNESCO and President, Collective for the Promotion of Intangible Heritage in Francophonie (CPPIF)

Miriam Taylor, Independent Researcher, Special Advisor in Community Relations, Metropolis Institute

Lori Schubert, Executive Director, Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF)

Nargess Mustapha, activist and community organizer

Samaa Elibyari, Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Montreal

Toula Drimonis, freelance columnist and author

Hassan Guillet, retired engineer and lawyer

Geoffrey Chambers, community activist

Kerline Joseph, Vice-President, International Orientation Committee-CIO, Unesco Chair Women and Science for Development in Haiti

Moayed Altalibi, Islamic organization AHL-ILL BAIT

Andrew Caddell, Language Policy Working Group

Eric Pouliot-Thisdale, researcher UdeM history department

Éric Émond, philanthropist, interviewer

Mohammed Labidi, Muslim community leader of Quebec City

Susan Pinker, psychologist, columnist