The call for Amira Elghawaby's dismissal references a 2019 article where she said Quebecers seem to be "influenced" by anti-Muslim sentiment.
Quebec’s minister of minister responsible for Canadian relations on Monday called for the removal from office of the Trudeau government’s first special representative on combating Islamophobia on the grounds of “odious” statements she had posted about Quebec.
“In the name of the government, I asked her to withdraw her comments and apologize. However, she has only tried to justify her odious comments,” Jean-François Roberge said in a written statement, referring to Amira Elghawaby. “This will not do. She must resign and if she does not do so, the government should remove her without delay.”
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On Friday, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for Elghawaby’s removal for having made “anti-Quebec, anti-Jewish and anti-police” remarks.
Trudeau again chooses to divide Canadians by appointing someone who has made anti-Quebec, anti-Jewish, and anti-police remarks.
He must appoint someone who can unite all of us in the fight against racism and Islamophobia. pic.twitter.com/ZnL2RNmPsK
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 27, 2023
However rather than withdraw the remarks, Elghawaby on Friday took to social media to clarify her remarks, saying that she did not believe Quebecers were islamophobes and that she had been referring to the findings of a poll conducted in Bill 21, the provincial law that forbids some civil servants from wearing religious symbols while on duty.
I don’t believe that Quebecers are islamophobic my past comments were in reference to a poll on Bill 21. I will work with partners from all provinces and regions to make sure we address racism head on.
— Amira Elghawaby (@AmiraElghawaby) January 27, 2023
Elghawaby attended the memorial service on Sunday commemorating the deadly attack six years ago on the mosque in Quebec City.
Speaking outside the event Québec solidaire MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois firmly condemned Elghawaby’s comment.
“Put all Quebecers in the same basket, as Madame did, is not acceptable,” he said. “These are hurtful words for Quebecers. You have to fight islamophobia in a unifying manner and that’s what I expect from the people named by various levels of government.”
Nadeau-Dubois did not take a position on whether Elghawaby should resign.
Parti Québécois MNA Joël Arseneau on Monday blamed Trudeau for causing the controversy by naming Elghawaby to the job. “Did he do his due diligence to find out the inflammatory statements that she had made, including texts published in certain media in English Canada and which tend to show that her anti-Quebec prejudices are quite deeply rooted?
“The responsibility for this fiasco must be borne by the prime minister. He has to explain this.”
In an interview with 98.5 FM Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet said Trudeau’s naming Elghawaby to the post displayed a lack of understanding and of consideration of Quebec.
Blanchet it would not have been possible for Trudeau not to have checked Elghawaby’s background and missed her published comments. “They knew what she had said. They decided with full knowledge of the facts to try it anyway.”
“I want her to explain to me that she’s here to build bridges, not to dig extra ditches,” he said, adding that Quebecers are “fed up” with being labelled as racists and islamophobes.
During Sunday’s commemoration ceremony Trudeau noted the presence of Elghawaby, describing her a “friend to all Canadians.”
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