Whatever political and ideological motivations compelled 27-year-old Alexandre Bisonnette to step into the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec last Sunday, one can be sure that it’s deeper than just the political rhetoric of Donald Trump and his copy cats. The inconvenient truth is that Canada has politicians who benefit directly and substantially from Islamophobia. The climate in which Bisonnette was incubated goes deeper than mere words. It’s ultimately about power.

Canadians have shown a beautiful sense of support to the Muslim community, which has touched Muslims across the country. But is the solidarity with Muslims that exists in society today going to last?

The truth is that there are Canadians who want to see Islamophobia develop. Thursday’s Montreal mosque vandalism is case in point. Canada is in no way immune from anti-Muslim nativism, as demonstrated when Parliament couldn’t even pass something as innocuous as a symbolic motion to condemn Islamophobia last year.

Today, the fact that political hopefuls like Kellie Leitch and others are still dog whistling to those on the fringes of Canadian society show that the exploitation of anti-Muslim sentiment remains a useful tactic. Only the legislation of anti-Islamophobia policy can truly disrupt this enterprise. Whatever other solutions – such as protests, acts of kindness, solidarity, surveillance cameras and so on – are important and appreciated but amount to nothing more than band-aid remedies.

Most Canadians seem to have negated right-wing demagoguery when they voted in Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in 2015. But public opinion is fickle and relative. Today we have a seemingly united front against Islamophobia, but as soon as another administration takes over the country’s climate may change. The media, which both reflects and generates public opinion, plays a big role in this always-shifting dynamic. Coverage shifts, depending on which segment of the political spectrum gains traction.

So, ultimately, there are no permanent gains for anti-Islamophobia activists until their aims are enshrined in laws. This is where all levels of government need to step up to protect the physical safety of their citizens.

A huge out-pouring of good faith and anger swept across North America in the form of mass demonstrations after President Donald Trump issued his so called “Muslim ban” on seven Muslim-majority countries. Many of these protests sadly became vigils in the wake of the Quebec shooting. Just as there are those who want to see the marginalization of Muslims, Canada is full of people who want the exact opposite. These citizens are galvanized right now by what they see as a fearful callousness and hateful politics.

The Quebec City shooting is not an isolated incident. It’s not an inexplicable act that developed out of nowhere. It comes out of more than a decade and a half of fear, division and political exploitation. Fear is the most profitable emotion in politics and Canada’s social landscape has been full of it in the post-9/11 era.

The Muslim community and its allies need to consider the tragedy in Quebec as a major wake-up moment. No amount of inter-faith dialogue, no matter how useful and necessary, is going to permanently stifle the political exploitation of anti-Muslim ideas and sentiment. And no amount of mosque security will completely prevent the bloody act of someone who has planned and determined to methodically circumvent all the safety barriers.

History does not measure moments of crisis in isolation, but for what subsequent effects these incidents have on the societies where they took place. What history will record about the Quebec City shooting and the unfortunate lives lost to this terrorism is what society decided to do about anti-Muslim bigotry and how those in power decided to act.

The Muslim community and the families of those who lost their lives deserve more than support, solidarity and memorials. They deserve action and a solution from their government.

Ahmad Attia is an activist specialized in crisis and risk management. His experience includes community mobilization and human rights advocacy.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Read more about: