Much negativity and outrage has erupted out of Montreal — and rightly so — over a tax accountant’s plan to build a housing project in the borough of Brossard strictly for Muslims.

In other words, he wants to build a modern-day ghetto.

There is no other way of putting it.

Nabil Warda, an Egyptian-born Christian who converted to Islam, claims his motivation is to help devout Muslims avoid sinning under Sharia law, which purportedly prohibits the paying of interest on loans.

He claims that, if enough potential buyers sign on the dotted line to make the 80-home project feasible, he can arrange alternative financing that will save their Sharia-devoted souls.

Well, too bad. This cannot be allowed to fly.

Such a project will immediately create an Us vs. Them that will undoubtedly become a crucible for division and intolerance.

How could it be otherwise if Sharia-based?

Sharia law, first and foremost, has no place in this country. It is extreme Islam at its ugliest and its supposed opposition to paying interest on loans, while not involving the stoning of women or so-called honour killings, is nonetheless an unacceptable concession that would set a door-opening precedent for the worst to come.

The law of unintended consequences screams out here, with no crystal ball needed to predict any inch given would become an untenable mile.

An editorial in the Montreal Gazette imagined the outcry if a developer had proposed a housing project strictly for pure laine Quebecers where home purchase depended upon buyers agreeing to speak only French, fly the Fleur-de-lis proudly and prominently, and decorate their homes for Christmas.

The merde would surely hit the ventilateur.

Nabil Warda’s plan is different only in that it caters to hardline Muslims rather than French-only tribalism.

He would demand all potential residents of his ghetto-by-any-other-name respect certain moral codes demanded by Islam, including dressing modestly and, if breaking Islam’s law against alcohol, at least do it indoors and out of sight.

“We don’t want women living there going half-naked down the streets,” he told Radio-Canada.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, off in Morocco at the UN climate-change conference, told reporters Warda’s proposal goes against the province’s policy on integration.

This had his health minister, Gaetan Barrette, who represents the riding of Brossard upon which Warda has his sights, having to do a quick back flip after originally supporting the idea. Now he suddenly thinks basing home sales on religious affiliation is wrong.

Barrette’s biggest mistake, of course, was saying Warda’s proposal is no different than ethnic enclaves in Montreal, and across this country, representing a Little Italy or a Chinatown.

The difference, however, is huge.

Warda’s project is singularly purposeful. It does not involve Muslims migrating over years to a certain area of a city, as Italians and Chinese have done over generations, but a slam-bam pop-up of a Muslim-only community.

There is no question, however, that if he builds such a development that they will come.

Not to a field of dreams, but to a field of division.

markbonokoski@gmail.com