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Such indoctrination is supposed to be foreign, not Canadian. It is in the more fractious parts of the Islamic world, such as the Palestinian territories and the madrassahs of Pakistan, where homes and schools endorse hatred for non-Muslims and a constant parroting of the notion that there is a conspiracy against Islam and Muslims.

Also troubling is why, if Muslim women in North America are harassed and attacked as often as is sometimes claimed, an incident like this needs to be orchestrated. It certainly undermines the credibility of genuine victims. But it also suggests that the problem of racial and religious tension, particularly “Islamophobia”, is not as severe as it is made out to be.

This is not the first stunt. What are the political objectives? Why would a hijab-wearing woman make a false claim of ill-treatment and, if it is not her own idea, at whose behest?

This non-incident certainly garnered sympathy for a young child and, by association, others who are visibly Muslim, like Khawlah’s niqab-wearing mother. Even after discovering that the child had fabricated the outrage, the PM said her behavior was probably due to “extreme intolerance”.

In fact, from one end of the country to the other, expressions of sympathy have poured in from Canadian politicians and the public. This sympathy serves many strategic purposes. Islamist advocates seek to garner more support for liberals who would afford them special attention as the most harassed of religious groups.