As I walked into the local mosque for Friday prayers, I was surprised by the presence of a security detail outside. Knowing that Muslims aren’t organized enough to actually, you know, handle parking, I was expecting a bigwig. I correctly guessed that Jacques Saada, the local MP for La Prarie, might make an appearance. I did not, however, expect the Prime Minister to make an appearance and a speech. When I walked inside, and saw a stage with a huge sign for “The Right Honourable Paul Martin”, I was completely and utterly shocked. My friend Abu Bakr, who was next to me as we entered, couldn’t believe it either. What was the Prime Minister doing here – and how come I didn’t know?! The benefits of having a father who is almost a hermit in the local community I suppose.
Following prayers, we sat through a speech by a local brother who talked about Mr. Martin and Mr. Saada, and about the local community. I witnessed the outright bizarre scene of the Prime Minister entering to applause from the populace (normally people say “Allah Akbar” in a mosque instead of clapping) and then him sitting on the ground (as is Muslim tradition). Saada spoke about how the Muslim Community had spoken out against the racist comments made on his signs in the previous election, and both Saada and Martin spoke about the Muslim Community’s struggle to build a mosque, and a better life, in Canada. They congratulated us on its completion, and Martin spoke about both the earthquake in Pakistan and the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and the need to stabilize the Palestinian Authority.
It is a great day for Muslims when we are seen as being important enough to warrant one of these political campaign visits. The question is, who is next?
