True North reached out for comment from the MAC, and the Islamic Circle but had not heard back by the time of publishing.
Update: Shabir Ally from the IIDCI provided comment after the article had been published. It has since been included in the article.
Several controversial Islamist organizations have been awarded with a new round of funding from the Trudeau government’s Canada Summer Job program, True North has learned.
The Trudeau government’s handling of the grants has been mired in controversy and mismanagement since they announced a values attestation, which initially required organizations to sign a pro-abortion pledge or be deemed ineligible for funding.
Because of the controversial pledge, several organizations with Christian values — including summer camps and soup kitchens — were denied funding last summer.
Several organizations, however, which were awarded funding from the Trudeau government have had worrying links to Islamist ideology and terrorist groups in the past.
Once again this summer, the Trudeau government’s funding is raising eyebrows. The feds awarded the Islamic Society of North America-Canada (ISNA-Canada) with $25,787 in Canada Summer Jobs funding despite having its charity status revoked by the Canada Revenue Agency for allegedly funding a militant terror group.
However, True North has discovered that four other organizations with controversial beliefs have also been granted funding by the Liberal government this year.
Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)
According to official records, seven chapters of the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) were listed as approved for funding. These chapters are located in:
- Kitchener Centre
- Two in London North Centre
- Mississauga-Lakeshore
- Ottawa West-Nepean
- Scarborough Centre
- Windsor-Tecumseh
As reported by True North founder and fellow Candice Malcolm in the Toronto Sun, the RCMP conducted a search warrant on MAC’s Mississauga headquarters in 2015 for allegedly funding a terror organization with links to Hamas.
Despite the group not facing charges, it was discovered that MAC provided $296,514 in funds to the International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and Needy-Canada (IRFAN-Canada), which has been designated a terror entity in Canada.
Islamic Information & Dawah Centre International
Another controversial group Islamic group to receive funding in 2019 is the Islamic Information & Dawah Centre International (IIDCI).
According to official records the group was approved for funding for the Davenport branch in Toronto. Currently the Dawah Centre has three advertisements for youth summer jobs, including a Youth Activities Coordinator, a Junior Faith Leader, and counsellors for Summer Day Camp.
A video released of the group on Youtube shows IIDCI President Dr. Shabir Ally claiming that homosexuality is wrong and comparable to pedophilia and murder.
According to Ally, the comments were taken out of context from the rest of his sermon.
“Homosexuality is not comparable to pedophilia and murder, said Ally. I lectured at length to Muslims a very long time ago for a more inclusive view of the rights of persons of varied sexual orientations than most Muslims, especially in that traditional setting, were accustomed to hearing.”
“I believe that we qualify for the Canada Summer Jobs grant, since the core mandate of our organization respects the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Human Rights, and the rights and freedoms that the said charter grants to all persons without discrimination.”
Islamic Circle of North America
The Islamic Circle of North America has been accused in the past of having links to the radical Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
The organization’s website also has several alarming pages, which includes an entire article on the “diseases related to homosexuality”, and another page which defends Shariah law in America.
According to the website, the group launched a campaign called “Defending Religious Freedom — Understanding Shariah” to educate the American public about Sharia law.
Two of the group’s chapters have received funding from the government and are both located in Mississauga.
AlMaghrib Institute
The AlMaghrib Institute has centres throughout Canada, the U.K and the U.S.
Canadian Imam Abdullah Hakim Quick has courted controversy with his radical statement that homosexuals deserve death according to Islam.
“So they said, ‘what is the position of Islam on homosexuality?’ They asked me this, a newspaper, right? So, I said, ‘put my name in the paper: The position is death,” said Quick in a Youtube video.
When asked about Quick’s past comments, the AlMaghrib Institute told True North that he has since changed his views.
“Dr. Abdullah is one of our contracted instructors and has stated his views have changed over time, taking into consideration those hurtful statements were made over 20 years ago,” said a spokesperson for the institute.
“We as an institute embrace multiculturalism and diversity, and would not allow any form of discrimination or hate.”
According to the Canada Summer Jobs website the group was awarded funding for its Milton branch.
