Stephen Harper (left) seated with Worldwide Ahmadiyya leader Mirza Masroor Ahmad(right) at the grand opening of Baitun Nur, the largest mosque in Canada. (July 5, 2008)
Source: Canada.com
BY LEE BERTHIAUME, POSTMEDIA NEWS
February 15, 2013
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper will unveil the government’s long-awaited Office of Religious Freedom and name Canada’s first religious freedom ambassador at a Toronto-area Ahmadiyya Muslim community centre on Tuesday.
The announcement at Tahir Hall in the Toronto suburb of Vaughan will fulfil a two-year-old promise that has seen its fair share of controversy since it was first proposed during the 2011 federal election.
The government has pointed to a growing body of literature linking religious freedom with democratic rights and societal well-being to justify making the safeguarding of religious minorities abroad a key tenet of Canadian foreign policy.
But critics have worried about the government picking and choosing which religions the $20-million office defends, and using the institution as a tool for domestic political gain.
The government has not officially confirmed the prime minister’s presence at Tahir Hall, which was opened by the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim community last July and can hold 800 people.
Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s spokesman Rick Roth would only say the office “is a priority for our government, and is a part of our principled foreign policy.”
However, numerous organizations have confirmed receiving invitations to the prime minister’s event, which was first reported by Ottawa-based foreign policy newspaper Embassy.
Those interviewed expressed cautious excitement about the religious freedom office’s official launch. Read further.
Quoting Sun News
OTTAWA – The Conservative government is expected to unveil its long-awaited office of religious freedom – and its ambassador – next Tuesday.
A raft of invitations went out last week to religious groups across Canada for an event at an Ahmadiyya Muslim – an often-persecuted Muslim minority sect – community centre in suburban Toronto.
The office was first promised during the 2011 election campaign.
Despite meeting with numerous religious stakeholders, the department struggled to nail down the details of the $5-million project meant to promote human rights and encourage protection of religious minorities worldwide.
Now it appears it’s a go.
On Friday, the Ahmadiyya Muslim organization referred all media questions on the event to the feds, but earlier in the week its national spokesman told Embassy newspaper: “It’s a whole announcement of the office of religious freedom.”
Don Hutchinson, vice president of the Evangelical Fellowship Canada, said he was invited and expects the ambassador to be introduced.
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/02/20130215-154245.html
“But critics have worried about the government picking and choosing which religions the $20-million office defends, and using the institution as a tool for domestic political gain” To avoid such criticism why not to have an office on rotation basis where each religious group can have the chance to head the office for a specific period.Just an idea!
I think that a Muslim group is most suited because of the acceptance of truth of all faiths and among Muslims, Ahmadiyya Muslims group is the most suited because of how the persecution and prosecution has been handled. They have diving knowledge, leadership of the Khalifa and an organisation to understand religious freedom and no freedom. It will be great if a person from this community is nominated to this office.
Brother Zubair’s idea might be the best one, because, who so ever is chosen, will not be the ideal candidate for everyone.
ahmadi——-non-muslims-dont-say-them——“muslim”
Amjad: Do you know the hadith where a Muslim soldier came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him that he had just killed one enemy soldier, even though he did recite the ‘Kalima’, because he thought he might have recited the ‘Kalima’ only as he was afraid to die. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) became very angry, and shouted at the soldier: “Did you tear open his heart to see his intention”? In fact the Prophet repeated that so many times that the soldier got very afraid and wished that the Prophet (peace be on him) would stop being so angry. (I am recounting the hadith in my own words, not exact translation, any mistakes are mine). Dear Amjad: You should also be afraid to call anyone ‘non-Muslim’ who states that he is in fact a ‘Muslim’. May Allah have mercy on you.
amjad is a non-Mslim do not say him Muslim.
@Amjad!
Did you see how easy it is to call anybody non-Muslim.