Source: globalnews.ca | BY CONNOR O’DONOVAN
Member of Regina mosque, site of a poppy box for weeks, responds to Don Cherry
Dr. Habib ur Rehman, President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Regina Chapter
“I was disappointed.”
Those were the first words spoken by Dr. Habib ur Rehman, the president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Regina chapter when asked by Global News how he felt about Don Cherry’s controversial Saturday night comments.
“I think Don’s comments are designed to create disharmony and misinformation,” he said. “He should have done more research before opening his mouth. We should remember that in World War I, more than 2.5 million Indians fought for the British Empire. More than 90,000 people died. That was an effort from this so-called immigrant population.”
Cherry is facing backlash for comments he made during Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. During his weekly Coach’s Corner segment, Cherry complained that he’s less frequently seeing people wearing poppies to honour fallen Canadian soldiers — and he singled out those he believes are immigrants in the Toronto area.
Rehman says many of those who attend his mosque are immigrants. He said his, and Ahmadiyya Muslim mosques across the country, have been the site of poppy boxes and collected donations for the Royal Canadian Legion for weeks now.
“We have been doing the poppy drive for the past month. Form Toronto to Vancouver — everywhere,” he said. “That is to remember the veterans who sacrificed their lives for this country. It’s important for keeping their memories alive and letting our youth know they were the people who sacrificed their lives for their sake.”
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