Despite apology, calls renewed for Amira Elghawaby to resign as Canada’s s special rep to combat Islamophobia

Quebec politicians are still calling for the resignation of Canada’s new special representative on combating Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, a day after she apologized for hurting Quebecers for comments made in a 2019 op-ed where she criticized the province’s Bill 21.

The secularism law bans certain public-sector employees, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols on the job.

“I was really sad and shocked that the government would attack a Muslim women, especially at this time when we are commemorating the lives of six people that were killed because of Islamophobia,” says Fatima Ahmad, a Niqabi teacher targetted by Bill 21.

She’s one of the Muslim Quebecers that say they’re disappointed by the backlash surrounding Elghawaby’s appointment.

“The reality is that there is a very much negative perception of Islam and as a result, Islamophobic rhetoric is increasing,” she said. “That’s not to say that Quebecers are racist, but most Quebecers and Canadians have to see how they perceive Muslims.”

Ahmad says she knows first hand the effects of Islamophobia. She’s a qualified teacher but isn’t in her profession because of the secularism law. She’s also been physically attacked three times because of what she wears.

“I faced hundreds of verbal comments because of I wear the Niqab and I’m also being attacked by the government because I cannot work because of what I wear and what I choose to wear,” she said. :I feel that the government should apologize and step down because he’s the one that’s discriminating against us.”

Elghawaby said in the 2019 piece that “the majority of Quebecers appear to be swayed by anti-Muslim sentiment, holding negative views of Islam if they support Bill 21,” to which she now has said she is very sorry for the way her words have carried.

“I understood what she meant that Islamophobia is on the rise, so I’m guessing she’s apologizing because some Quebecers maybe did not realize where she was coming from.”

“I felt a level of of just kind of a disappointment because I feel like it’s a real important role,” said Idil Issa, founder of Muslim Women Against Racism. “I think she’s very qualified for the role and I think we have to get beyond all of this finger-pointing and we really have to just focus on that work.”

After meeting with Elghawaby, Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet, still wants her to step down.

“Because of what she said and thought before, it does not qualify her for being this bridge between not only Quebec but anybody who is not Muslim because there are tensions on these issues, and because there have been fingers pointed at Quebec and at Bill 21, and there’s been an association between Bill 21 and Islamophobia. All of these things put together, whatever her personal qualities might be, disqualify her for the function.”

“I hope that the politicians will look them up in the mirror and stop pointing fingers like this, especially to a Muslim woman,” said Ahmad.