Viewpoint: Canadians should learn about all cultures and religions

By Rosa Saba

When newly crowned federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was heckled during a campaign event in Brampton last month and accused of supporting Islamic extremism, he chose to retaliate by denouncing the hate that fueled the attack.

He could have begun by reminding the aggressive event-crasher that he is Sikh, not Muslim. But Singh explained in a later statement that he felt this would have been more divisive than anything: “I purposely didn’t go down that road because it suggests their hate would have been OK if I was Muslim.”

Singh went on to win the leadership — in part, some observers have said, because of his deft handling of that heckler. Now that Singh is the head of a major national party, his example matters more than ever.

October is Islamic Heritage Month. As Canadians, we often talk about our multicultural population with pride, comparing our “mosaic” to the so-called “melting pot” south of the border. But we often forget that multicultural doesn’t just mean a variety of cultures or ethnic backgrounds. It also means a variety of beliefs: atheist, Christian, Sikh, Muslim and more.

Whatever your opinion on religion as an institution, you can’t ignore the fact that for many Canadians — including those who have been here for just a year or two and others whose families have been here for many generations —  embrace religion as an important part of their lives and identities.

This is to be celebrated — not ignored or reviled. We can’t be proud of one facet of our diversity while deriding another.

As Canadians, we have a responsibility to learn about the people around us – their culture, their background, their religion. We don’t have to agree; nobody is forcing us to do that.

All we need to do is learn. And in today’s political climate, when Muslims in North America face fear and distrust because terrorists have used Islam to further their hateful aims, the need for learning about others is more important than it has ever been.

So this month and every month, when you encounter someone you don’t know much about, take the time to ask, to listen, to try to understand. Following Singh’s example, ignorance can only be fought with curiosity, hope and courage. This is especially important now, when the question of Canadian values has become central on our political stage.

What are Canadian values? If we want to call ourselves Canadians, we should be proud to learn about our fellow citizens.