There were dark days in Ontario this past week as the reality of a mass, premeditated murder in London sank home. At the very least, it was a hate crime, an attack on a peaceful Muslim family out for a walk, minding their own business, and then mowed down, killing four of them and badly injuring a nine-year-old boy, robbing him of his entire family.
In his Toronto Star column, Martin Regg Cohn points out that, “the Muslim family killed in London this week had immigrated to Canada from the Islamic State of Pakistan in search of sanctuary. They thought they had found it here, only to be blindsided by bigotry and intolerance, police say, on the streets — on the sidewalk — of an Ontario city.” He goes on to say, “Hate crimes are rising, not falling, but there is a way for us to insulate and inoculate ourselves.”
It is inconceivable that we will tolerate this. But we will, as we have other tragedies in the past. When the vigils are over, when the speeches are done, we will find a way to distance ourselves from this, to put it down to one more senseless act by a crazed individual, to see no pattern here and to believe there is not a visible thread of intolerance, violence, and indifference worming its way into our society.
We speak up against Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Indigenous indignities, and other forms of racism when the indefensible occurs, when it is politically expedient to do so, or when it just makes us feel better.
But in this day and age, when we are actually responsible and accountable for what happens, what do we actually do about it?
I was struck by the speeches of our three federal leaders at a vigil for the family murdered in London on Tuesday. All of them — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Opposition leader Erin O’Toole and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh — said the right things, condemning Islamophobia, other forms of racism, and hatred, and wrapping themselves around the flag of inclusion and diversity. They did the same thing earlier that day in the House of Commons. That is all well and good.
But not one of them have had the backbone to exercise their leadership and call out Québec for Bill 21, which forces Muslims to relinquish clothing including the hijab, required by their religion, if they work as teachers, nurses, or in any other public service position.
Why? Because it might affect their political fortunes in that province. So, does that mean it is okay to condemn forms of racism in the rest of Canada but just not in Québec?
Former Liberal strategist, Warren Kinsella, summed this up nicely: “Every federal leader is silent when Quebec enacts its anti-Muslim legislation, and then expect us to listen to their pious speeches after the mass murder of Muslims in London this week.”
Their silence is hypocrisy at its best.
Another veteran journalist, Susan Delacourt, noted, “What makes this silence so breathtaking is that all of Canada’s political leaders have just emerged from two weeks of hard talk about how governments in the past did too little about racism toward Indigenous people. They are all collectively, retrospectively sorry that an entire culture suffered at the hands of successive politicians who were not courageous enough to stand up to the widespread racism of the time.”
Where is that courage now? Where is the leadership now?
Where are the steps being taken today, in this time, in our time, to really combat racism and violence against the vulnerable? How long do we put up with politicians, including the one who is currently prime minister, speaking out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to equality and racism?
Why are so many First Nations communities still without potable water? Surely, there is no excuse for that. And why is the federal government continuing to attempt to limit their responsibilities in relation to Indigenous child welfare?
It is completely understandable that we lament the terrible consequences of some decisions made by our forebears, along with other more positive contributions they made to build a strong and vibrant Canada. We should forget neither and learn from both.
As former Senator Hugh Segal has said, “History tells us whenever we pay justified tribute to a great and good politician, no politician, however great and compelling his or her achievements, is only great and good. There is always another side. History always seeks to reflect accurately on historical events and times.”
However, as we reflect on the past, we must not be sanctimonious or self-satisfied about our present time. And most importantly we should not become complacent. Our generation is far from perfect, and our politicians are not unblemished when it comes to courageously dealing with inequitable and dangerous issues that continue to exist, albeit, in a different form. As poet Robert Frost opined, we have miles to walk before we sleep.
In my view we should look upon the tragedy that unfolded this past week in London as a wake-up call. To paraphrase Hugh Segal, Canada is a great country (and I am proud to be a Canadian) but no matter how great and compelling we are, there is always another side.
Whether or not it is systemic, or just that visible, venomous thread creeping into our society, we need to be very aware of and pay close attention to “that other side”. History will judge us harshly if our political leaders fail to speak up and, when in power, actually take action.
This is no time for any of us to turn a blind eye.
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc. and enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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A look at the perpetrator’s family roots and upbringing may help us understand the origins of intolerance in this particular individual. Factors considered -but not in and of themselves alone – may prove to be some kind of markers. Religious intolerance, mental illness/disorder, social isolation from home schooling & the pandemic, social conservatism, the free hate speech of social media, and family & relationship dysfunction/discord.
Do you think our parliamentarians can come to some decision concerning motions identifying Islamophobia?