Some are dismissive of Nenshi's position on CPC campaign tactics because he's not in federal politics, but I am very glad that he's speaking out. It should be concerning to Canadians that these politics are making muslim Canadians who are stand-up community members feel threatened. This read on the Globe and Mail speaks to this as well.
50 years in Canada and now I feel like a second class citizen
I live in a country with a lot of bigotry and I really appreciate what Canada offers to immigrants in terms of opportunities for integration. At the same time, I feel that Canadians tend to very quickly shy away from discussions of the racism and bigotry that is in Canada. Urban Canadians especially tend to dismiss the topic or deflect discussion onto issues in other places such as the US while restating how Canada is a country that really values multiculturalism and plurality. Again, I really appreciate what Canada does offer, but it's also true that Canada still has plenty of bigotry. Confronting it in an honest and thoughtful manner is a positive action and I think Nenshi is being a real community leader in doing so.