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Canadian Muslims well situated to decide the next Govt.
5-05-2015
Dr. Mohammed Allama Iqbal, Poet of the East, a thinker, educator, motivator, philosopher, scholar, much more, has written volumes on western democracy and its flaws and traps, and he once wrote, "A certain European revealed a secret, although the wise do not reveal the core of the matter, democracy is a certain form of government in which, people are counted not weighed.”
It is not the majority that decides who will lead, it is often a “Small” minority of voters which determines who will win, as it is known as, “First One Past the Post.”
In Canada, Canadian Muslims are the only minority group, well situated and well positioned in just about all major urban ridings, and can ultimately determine who will be our Prime Minister and who will definitely be NOT. Canadian Muslims can be the King maker, we simply don’t try, or act proactively.
It is the fifty percent who support you, otherwise the other person also has fifty percent support, it is the extra one percent who takes you to fifty one, determines whether you are a winner or wiener. That is why you see politicians making rounds of temples, synagogues, churches, gurdwaras, mosques, they do not wish to leave any stone unturned. Each party has their own base voters, and it is the minority voters who can put them over the top, or bury them under.
Since Muslims have always been, and still are, in search of a Mufti, who can give us a conclusive Fatwa, whether it is Halal or Haram to Vote in an election, we do not get into anyone’s count or courting. Simply political leadership is saying let us know when you get the Fatwa, and are willing to participate, until than we have appointments with the other minority groups who can put us over the top.
It was realization of this deep flaw in western democratic system where only one percent, and sometimes less than one percent of the population decides who will be their prime minister. Yes, at times less than one percent … that got Dr. Iqbal, thinking about, in grand scheme of the things, the position of Muslims in decision making process in India. That it would be no more than simply, “Change of Master” from British to Hindus. He was absolutely correct. It has been nearly seventy years since British left India, Muslims although officially government acknowledge twenty percent, and unofficially approximately thirty two percent of India’s population, yet have not been able to make their way into the upper levels of the elected positions where decisions are made.
Undoubtedly, the western democratic electoral process is absolutely flawed, but until someone figures out a better way, this system is still the best. The fault does not lie in the system, the fault lies with us. Politics in Canada is changing, we don’t need to look further than Alberta where NDP knocked off four decades of Conservative undefeated dynasty in matter of hours. No one is more worried today than our Prime Minister Harper and his Conservatives.
Why Dr. Iqbal said, “People are counted not weighed.” In western democratic electoral process only those above the age of nineteen can Vote, which literally, excludes fifty percent of the population from decision making process. Thus leaving only fifty percent of the population to decide. Out of those fifty percent decision makers, voter turnout, at best is usually at fifty percent. This means only twenty five percent of the total population participated in decision this important process. This twenty five percent is further divided in traditional party supporters – “Base Voters.” The winner knows, in Canadian context, Liberal, Conservatives, and NDP, Base Votes, no matter what, anywhere between forty five and forty nine percent of voters will vote for them. Therefore, it is the small one or two percent who will determine the winner.
We just need to educate ourselves and realize the power of votes, especially power of a Muslim Vote as the King Maker. Other minority groups have not only figured out they have managed to get their own voices by having their people elected as Members of parliament and provincial legislature, while we debate among ourselves whether it is halal or haram to vote in an election. It is not a rocket science.
It is as simple as compiling eligible voters in each riding. Overall, in Canadian elections a parliamentarian wins the seat by a margin of, on average, five hundred one votes. Other communities identify those voters in each riding and ensure their support to one party. Unfortunately, we’re not there yet. We simply need to identify five to six hundred committed voters in each and every riding, and we can, if we want to change the direction the current government is headed towards, otherwise we will have no one but ourselves to blame.
We need to start thinking beyond that. Whether or not if it is this fundamental than let’s get together and find a solution for it.
We are certain that there are at least five hundred voters in each of the lower mainland riding who do discharge their civic obligation and go out and vote, it is simply not being organized as it should or as others communities have organized it. We need to do that.
“Democracy is not a spectator sport.” We as a community cannot simply afford to just sit on sidelines and watch the game forever. If we need get things done, than we need to start participating. We always complaint why does it take years for a spousal sponsorship file to process. Not for East-Indian or Chinese community, spousal sponsorship wait times for both communities are about six months. Both communities actively participate in an elections and have managed to get large numbers of their own community members elected at all levels of governments.
Federal elections are on the horizon. Most probably, September, after the summer heat and we will have a new prime minister this time, and if Muslim community need to engage, debate, and talk out our options and how the Muslim Block Vote will determine who can or will be our next Prime Minister, other than Mr. Harper.
Let us start a debate, talk, round table forums, etc and let’s not wait till the day elections are announced.
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