Pettigrew quoted teachings of tolerance from the Qur'an and spoke of reaching out to Muslim communities through educational and economic development initiatives.
"Societies where governments are unable to create gainful employment, (to) allow freedom of expression or (to) provide equality of opportunity ... are societies that create the dismal mix of conditions that incubate violence," he said.
"We must focus our efforts on good governance and economic development as a long-term solution to preventing extremism."
About 100 Edmontonians of Arab descent were in attendance for Pettigrew's speech.
Some voiced worries their civil rights could be trampled if a terrorist attack occurred in Canada and asked the minister what he'd do to protect them from racial persecution.
"We understand government needs to draw a balance between security and individual rights," said Mazen Chouaib, executive director of the NCCAR.
"The minister has assured us Canada will not give up our civil rights in the name of security."
There are about 600,000 Muslims in Canada. That number is expected to double to 1.2 million by 2015.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2005/08/19/pf-1179472.html
Note: http://www.edmontonsun....
Diplomats To Study Muslim Culture
Posted on Monday, August 22 at 08:01 by jensonjContributed By
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JesusMaryJosephX3
Must we have suicide bombings on Canadian soil before our government pulls its collective head out of its....???
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<a href="http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060112/polygamy_060112/20060113?hub=TopStories">http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060112/polygamy_060112/20060113?hub=TopStories</a><br />
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I seem to vaguely recall some mention of a "slippery slope" theory from someone some time back....hmmmm...naw...just my imagination (eh)...lol...<br />
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And some quotes from same...<br />
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* "Canadian Press<br />
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OTTAWA — A new study for the federal Justice Department says Canada should get rid of its law banning polygamy, and change other legislation to help..."<br />
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* ""Criminalization does not address the harms associated with valid foreign polygamous marriages and plural unions..."<br />
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* "three law professors at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., argues that Sec. 293 of the Criminal Code banning polygamy serves no useful purpose and in any case is rarely prosecuted. <br />
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Instead, Canadian laws should be changed to better accommodate the problems of women in polygamous marriages..."<br />
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* "Currently, there's a hodgepodge of legislation across the provinces, some of whom - Ontario, for example - give limited recognition to foreign polygamous marriages..."<br />
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* "Chief author Martha Bailey says criminalizing polygamy, typically a marriage involving one man and several wives, serves no good purpose and prosecutions could do damage to the women and children in such relationships. <br />
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"Why criminalize the behaviour?" she said in an interview. "We don't criminalize adultery. <br />
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"In light of the fact that we have a fairly permissive society. Why are we singling out that particular form of behaviour for criminalization?" "<br />
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* "the project was also intended to provide the Liberal government with ammunition to help defend its same-sex marriage bill last spring. <br />
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Opponents claimed the bill, now law, was a slippery slope that would open the door to polygamy and even bestiality."<br />
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* "The Bailey report, consistent with other research for the project, also concludes the courts might well rule that Canada's law banning polygamy is a violation of Canada's constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion."<br />
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* "Canada is also faced with a rising tide of immigration from Africa and the Middle East, where polygamy is legally and religiously sanctioned. Immigration officers can refuse entry to individuals practising polygamy. <br />
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Bailey said Canada should nevertheless offer some recognition to polygamous marriages that are legally valid in foreign countries"<br />
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More goodies on Canada's line of reasoning (eh)...<br />
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<a href="http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050227/study_polygamy_050227?s_name=&no_ads">http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050227/study_polygamy_050227?s_name=&no_ads</a>=<br />
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Excuse me, but I'd like to see polygamy in effect in progressive, enlightened Canada...I want to see one woman with a harem of twelve hot and horny guys...ooo baby...oh, yeah (eh)....and I want my goldfish to be allowed to marry my Clydesdale...and both of them should be able to legally adopt my nephew...and we can all smoke some weed together...and then we can go to those heroin injection sites funded with our tax dollars for some of that really GOOD shit in VanHoover man....like duuuude..whoa..yeah...wait...gerbiling..I LOVE my gerbil man...oh, dud...but..we wanna get MARRIED man...but wait...myabe more than ONE gerbil would be better....hey, yeah...a whole BOX of gerbils!!!! WOO HOO!!! Get the vaseline pal...oh yeah...and hire someone to plan the wedding too...like...dduuuude (eh)...like...whoa..cool, man...cough, cough....eh...like....pass it over here, man...<br />
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