Following the Quebec’s Bill 21, which prohibits certain public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols at work, Amira Elghawaby had stated that “the majority of Quebecers appear to be swayed not by the rule of law, but by anti-Muslim sentiment”.
After negative reactions came from the government, Amira took to social media and wrote:
“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.”
Who Is Amira Elghawaby?
Amira Elghawaby is a Canadian journalist, and human rights activist, who recently became Canada’s first special representative in the fight against Islamophobia.
She is expected to serve as an advisor, expert and representative in the government’s fight against Islamophobia, racism, and religious intolerance”.
With a degree in journalism and law from Carleton University, Amira served in “Canada’s labour movement in communications and human rights”, promoting the civil liberties of “Canadian Muslims at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM)”, for a period of five years.
As a freelance journalist, she writes columns for The Toronto Star, and has experience working for notable organizations such as CBC News, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, and Canada’s National Security Transparency Advisory Group.
Amira’s current appointment comes with a budget of $5.6 million.
Her new role was described by the National Council of Canadian Muslims as a “historic moment for Muslims in Canada”.
However, barely four days after, the Quebec government called for the federal government to terminate Amira’s appointment, following a publication she made in 2019 in The Ottawa Citizen, where she stated that “Quebeckers seem influenced by anti-Muslim sentiment.
Amira has received pressures to declare her stand on Quebec’s secularism law.