The Canadian Muslim Network Tribute to Civil Liberties in Canada: In Honour of Maher Arar and Monia Mazigh Statement Delivered on behalf of the Canadian Muslim Network by Dr Tyseer Aboulnast, O.ONT, Parliament Hill, Feb 14, 2007

Abstract

The Honourable Mr Stephane Dion, Leader of the Liberal party of Canada,
M. Gilles Duceppe, chef de la Parti Bloc Quebecois, The Honourable Jack
Layton, Leader of the NDP party, senators and parliamentarians, Mr. Arar
and Dr. Mazigh, honored guests, or in likely more appropriate terms for this
event, friends and fellow Canadians:
Assalamu Alaykum. May you all be in Peace.
Let me welcome you all with the greeting of Islam on behalf of the
Canadian Muslim network; a network of Muslim organizations across
Canada from BC to Alberta all the way to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
The network was put in place to create an environment of collaboration
and communication between Muslim organizations on issues of interest
to Muslim Canadians nationally as well as to enhance communication and
collaboration between Canadians of Muslim faith with Canadians of all other
faiths.
The list of names of the organizations in the network is at the back of
your program (attached here as appendix), and I invite you to look at it in
detail to appreciate the breadth of representation here tonight. This initiative
is also supported by a multitude of other organizations that are also listed at
the back.
As you may expect civil liberties is high on our agenda. The Canadian
Muslim Network is proud to have organized this incredible event to pay tribute
to our cherished civil liberties in Canada, to recognize the massive effort
that many in this room exerted to ensure we restore our civil liberties and protect
them for the future of our children and to remind ourselves that while we
have reasons to celebrate our recent successes, the road ahead is still long.
We are here today to pay tribute to civil liberties in Canada. Canada is a
country that was never defined by the colour of the skin of its people or their
religion, rather Canada was always a country defined by its values. Canada ...