Thank you.
We'll go to Monsieur Jacob.
Evidence of meeting #58 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was indonesia.
Evidence of meeting #58 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was indonesia.
2:05 p.m.
NDP
Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you for your testimony, Mrs. Manji.
I would like to know since when you are interested in religious freedom, and whether you agree with me that the exercise of this freedom is a very complex issue in Indonesia.
2:05 p.m.
Director, Moral Courage Project
My answer to the second question is that yes, of course it's complex, but it does not need to be overly intellectualized. When it comes to religion and culture, we, in trying to be good global citizens, wind up, I think, in the paralysis of analysis. On this one, I think, action should be pretty easy for us to undertake, precisely because the values for which this country is supposed to stand are themselves not simple. They too are complex, but they ought to be clear.
As for when I became interested in religious freedom, I would suggest that it was as soon as I knew what freedom was. My family and I are political refugees from East Africa. We came from Uganda. I was born there. We were expelled under the dictatorship of General Idi Amin, who himself is a Muslim. We wound up on the precious soil of Canada. I remember, as I was growing up, being thoroughly enthralled by my ability to ask questions at my public school. I remember thinking to myself how unbelievably fortunate I'd been to wind up in a place where, through no taking up of arms, through no letting of blood, we had been given our freedom, my family and I.
Without at all wanting to sound corny about this—this comes from a place of absolute sincerity—I will tell you that every day I wake up thanking God for helping us wind up in an open society and then asking God to help me stay worthy of being a citizen of an open society. That means earning my freedom every day, first and foremost by using it as best I know how, but making sure that I've earned it, rather than taking it for granted.
2:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
Thank you.
We unfortunately don't have any time to pursue further questions.
I have one procedural matter for the committee. We were supposed to have an in camera session on Thursday to discuss a report on the situation of the Copts in Egypt, but there have been a number of changes in Egypt. Anybody who hasn't been living under a rock is aware of this. It makes it difficult for us to prepare a report at this time.
As an alternative, it had been suggested that we could invite John Sifton to speak to this committee. He would be available by video link on Thursday, if it is the will of the committee to accept him as a witness. Would that be acceptable to members?
2:05 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
2:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Scott Reid
All right. That's what we'll do.
In that case, this gives me the opportunity to thank our witness today.
Ms. Manji, we very much appreciate it.
In particular, I wanted to express my appreciation. I've only read one of your books, and I'm very much looking forward to the second one. I want say with regard to it that although I know you address it as an open letter to fellow Muslims, it was very helpful to me, and I suspect that it would be to others because of the fact that I think we suffer from an unusual information vacuum. Although everybody is happy to talk about Islam, I find that there's a combination of sort of meaningless political correctness and a nudge, nudge, wink, wink stereotype. We all say that Islam is part of the family of the Abrahamic religions and is civilized and so on, but the nudge, nudge, wink, wink is that it's the problem child.
I find that our media does that a lot. They actively search out—it's not as if you catch them or can see it—the craziest-looking people to put forward as if they're representative. I think it goes without saying that it's actually hard to put together that many crazy people in the world, but the media likes to portray that. So I appreciate the way in which you explain things to those of us who are not perhaps the primary intended audience. It was very helpful. Your testimony here today was similarly helpful, so thank you.
2:10 p.m.
Director, Moral Courage Project
Thank you for caring. I appreciate that very much.
[Applause]