International Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada coordinator Homa Arjomand welcomed today the Quebec National Assembly’s May 26 vote opposing the introduction of Sharia courts in the province.
“Quebec has taken a brave, bold and necessary step, a step that assures all Quebecers will now enjoy not only fair and equal treatment under the law, but also the right to be governed by the same laws as other Canadians” said Ms. Arjomand. Arjomand, a Canadian who fled her native sharia-ruled Iran, also expressed concern at Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty’s statement that his legislature, “will not be unduly influenced by …our provincial counterparts…” and that his government would take its decision regarding sharia courts “in keeping with the values and aspirations of the people of Ontario”.
“Is Premier McGuinty suggesting that the values and human rights in Quebec are different from the values and human rights in Ontario? If that is truly the case, how is it so different?”, asked Arjomand who believes “the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is the standard to guide all our decisions on these legal matters”.
Arjomand, who is campaigning against the use of all forms of faith-based arbitration strongly disagrees with the former Ontario Attorney General Marion Boyd report released late last year recommending the introduction of Islamic courts in Ontario’s legal system.