A Delicate Mosaic: The Future of Muslims in Canada

Abstract

Islam has had a long and, recently, contested history in Canada. Studies after 9/11 show an increasingly negative view towards Islam and Muslims in Canada.  Supposed clashes between Islam and the West, the advent of Canadian Muslim diaspora with an increase in Muslim immigration after World War II, and the rise of Islamophobia and counter anti-Islamophobia movements have strained Muslim integration efforts and challenged Islam's place in Canadian society, testing long-standing Canadian values and beliefs about multiculturalism, democracy and pluralism. This paper addresses the question of Canadian-Muslim integration, looking briefly at the history of Muslims in Canada, the issues they face, and some recent events including Bill 94 and the niqab debate to examine the state of Muslim Canadian integration in Canada today. The paper also proposes a process where Muslim communities, the Canadian government and the public can work together to build understanding and resolve differences in order to move forward as a country.