MONTREAL – Sada Online

With Quebec’s election only days away, Sada Online spoke with the CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) Stephen Brown about the choices facing Muslim voters, strategic voting and political participation, as well as the controversy surrounding Liberal candidate Valérie Assouline in Saint-Laurent.

In the interview, the NCCM CEO says many community members are “puzzled” by the Liberal Party’s response to concerns raised over Assouline, adding that the issue is being discussed “well beyond” Saint-Laurent.

Here is the interview in full:

With the election only days away, what should Muslim voters consider when deciding between their traditional party preference, evaluating the individual candidate in their riding, or voting strategically?

That's a great question, and it gets at a dilemma many voters face. Some like their local candidate but not the party's platform, or the reverse. Others vote strategically, backing whichever candidate has the best chance of defeating the one they want to keep out. In the end, every riding is different. What matters is that people weigh the parties' policy positions and decide which party or candidate best represents their concerns.

Can we speak of a unified electoral preference within Quebec's Muslim community, or are the community's political priorities and choices too diverse to speak of a single “Muslim vote”?

There are roughly 500,000 Muslims in Quebec, about the same as the population of Laval. Within that population are people of different backgrounds, professions, and personal and family circumstances who live and express their faith differently and vote differently. So while Muslim Quebecers share common concerns around freedom of religion and social cohesion, the population is far too large and diverse to be described a single unified voting bloc.

When the community faces issues of common concern, how much coordination currently exists among Muslim organizations? Is there a need for greater consultation and coordination?

From what I have seen, the community institutions tend to be highly attuned to the concerns of the community and have a habit of working with each other to solve common problems.

Political parties may sometimes benefit from divisions or differing views within any community. How can Muslim organizations preserve the community's political diversity while building a stronger collective voice on issues of common concern?

The most important thing is to encourage people to participate in civil society.  The more people vote, volunteer, donate, and participate in all political parties and institutions, the stronger our voice will be.

Why doesn't an organization such as NCCM directly tell Muslim voters which electoral option to choose? Where do you draw the line between civic education and mobilization and partisan endorsement?

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots human rights and civil liberties organization. As such, we work across all sectors of society and with all political parties to address our community's concerns and combat Islamophobia. Our role is to ensure community members have the information they need to make their own informed choices, and to encourage as many people as possible to get involved, wherever they choose. Who to work with or support is ultimately up to each individual.

You participated in discussions with the Quebec Liberal Party regarding concerns surrounding Valérie Assouline's candidacy. Following those discussions, did you receive answers or commitments that you considered sufficient to address the concerns that had been raised?

We did take part in discussions with the party alongside a number of active community members and leaders, who had the opportunity to raise their concerns about some of the troubling statements and views expressed by Mme Assouline. We leave it to community members to decide for themselves whether the steps the party has taken adequately address those concerns

Despite the concerns that were raised, the Liberal Party maintained Ms. Assouline's candidacy. Has that decision affected the level of trust or the relationship between the party and parts of the Muslim community? Do you believe the party leadership fully understood the concerns that were brought to its attention?

I can confirm that many members and leaders of the Muslim community have raised these concerns with the party through many different channels, including directly with party leadership, so the party is well aware of the breadth and depth of the concern. That being said, i think it is fair to say that many in the community are puzzled by the party's response. We leave it to them to decide whether that response adequately addresses their concerns

Regardless of the election result in Saint-Laurent, how do you see the future relationship with the Quebec Liberal Party following this episode? Are there steps you believe are necessary to build or strengthen trust?

That will depend largely on the steps the party takes to address the concerns of Muslim Quebecers in that riding, particularly in combating Islamophobic stereotypes and moving immediately to ensure the fundamental rights and freedoms of all Quebecers, including freedom of expression and freedom of religion, are respected and protected.

Do you see the Assouline controversy as an issue limited to voters in Saint-Laurent, or could the party's handling of the matter affect its relationship with Muslim voters in other ridings as well?

This issue has members of the community talking about it well beyond the riding.

For a Muslim voter who feels that none of the available options fully represents their priorities, what is the practical impact of casting a blank ballot or abstaining, compared with participating and choosing among the candidates?

We always encourage people to participate as much as possible in the electoral process. That means voting for the candidate they feel best represents them, volunteering and encouraging others to vote.  Whether an act of support or of protest, the important thing is to take a stand for whatever you believe in. 

Once the election is over, what should Muslim communities and organizations do to maintain engagement with elected representatives and hold them accountable for their positions and commitments throughout their mandate?

Continue to stay engaged and stay active.  Volunteer in your local riding association, learn about the party platforms, and join a political party as a member.  Those are tangible ways of both staying involved and ensuring that your voice carries throughout the political cycle.

*Photo credit : Sada Online