Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sparked controversy by blaming the “American right-wing” for the Canadian Muslim community’s opposition to gender ideology and LGBTQ curriculum in K-12 education. The statement came after hundreds of protesters rallied against these educational policies at the Baitun Nur Mosque in Calgary, Alberta, last week.
During a conversation with the Muslim community, Trudeau addressed concerns raised by Muslim individuals about protecting their culture and beliefs. In response, Trudeau pointed out that misinformation and disinformation, particularly fueled by the American right wing, were being spread about the curriculum. He emphasized that there was no aggressive teaching or conversion of children into being LGBT in Canadian schools. Trudeau argued that right-wing forces were exploiting fears to drive a wedge between the Muslim community and the government’s commitment to defending their rights.
“First of all, there is an awful lot of misinformation and disinformation out there [from] people on social media, particularly fueled by the American right-wing are spreading a lot of untruths about what is actually… in the curriculum,” Trudeau said.
“If you look at the various curriculums…, there is not… aggressive teaching or conversion of kids into being LGBT. That is something that is being weaponized by people… of the far right who have consistently stood against Muslim rights,” he continued.
Trudeau’s comments received mixed reactions, with some left-wing commentators in the United States raising concerns about the ideological alliance between Christians and Muslims on education. Michelle Goldberg, an opinion columnist at The New York Times, described it as “strange new political bedfellows,” highlighting the right’s purported phobia of Muslims. MSNBC also propagated a similar narrative, suggesting that the right was “recruiting” Muslims, a claim disputed by an executive at the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Edward Ahmed Mitchell, the national deputy director at CAIR, called on liberal commentators to recognize that Muslim parents are independent and intelligent individuals capable of speaking for themselves. Mitchell argued that it was insulting to portray Muslims as lacking agency or intelligence and highlighted the importance of respecting their perspectives.
Meanwhile, activists such as Sameerah Munshi of the Coalition of Virtue expressed disappointment with the school board in Montgomery County, Maryland, for allegedly mocking their values. Munshi emphasized that their faith was not partisan and that passing on values to their children was an integral part of the American dream for their community.
Tonight, Fox News featured our photojournalist @BethBaisch’s coverage of Canadian Muslims protesting against Justin Trudeau’s indoctrination of their children.
Bizarrely, Trudeau blames American conservatives for the protests. pic.twitter.com/4xyTnGVPrA
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) July 17, 2023
