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Saskatchewan Elects its first Muslim MLA
4-19-2016
Saskatchewan in its 111 years history elected its first ever Muslim MLA. Saskatchewan Premier, Brad, proudly proclaimed that “History was made,” as Saskatchewan elected its first ever Muslim MLA, Muhammad Fiaz, to represent Regina Pasqua constituents.
It is indeed a remarkable achievement for our community overall. Clearly, in last federal elections Muslim community made remarkable inroads at federal level by electing eleven MP’s. Unfortunately, none have been from BC. Similarly, at provincial level in BC, Muslim community political activism has been lagging among Muslim voters in ensuring a candidate who could represent Muslim community. Some inroads have been made in past. However, it had not been sustained. This is where we feel our community needs to concentrate by putting efforts on ensuring that we as a community have a representative – A say – at our province’s legislature, as well as at federal level.
The question remains, can we as community achieve such milestone and sustain it for a lengthy period. We believe, given the dynamics of our community, it can be achieved without great difficulties. Mr. Fiaz hopes to become a role model for the immigrant community. In some way he already has, given the length of time he has been in Canada, 20 years, where he initially arrived in Toronto and spent nearly a decade there, before moving to Saskatchewan. He moved to Saskatchewan in 2008, and in less than a decade he managed to set the bar for the rest of the Muslim community across the nation to think about our role and place in this country. We can no longer afford to be seen as always a bridesmaid and never a bride.
After all, BC’s Muslim community is larger than of Saskatchewan. It is clearly more politically engaged and robust in all sense when compared to Saskatchewan. According to 2011 census, Muslim population of Saskatchewan was merely 10,040, compared to BC, 79,310. Just merely on numbers, BC’s Muslim population is eight times greater than of Saskatchewan. From demographic perspective as well it would be obvious that BC Muslim community would have more qualified individuals, as well as financial support needed, ensuring in electing a Muslim MLA. The question remains, why are we lagging behind the rest of the Muslim communities across the country?
May be its time for us to collectively get together and brain storm the ideas on how to get an elected official at the provincial legislature? As the two prominent provincial parties, the Liberals and the NDP getting ready for the provincial elections as they enter the last phases of wrapping up their turn and prepare for elections. It would be wise for us as a community to start thinking on how we can position ourselves as a community to become engage in the provincial politics.
We believe that a serious effort and attention is needed to solve this riddle requiring all active members of the community along with community leaders to start working on a plan, putting in place a road map to create such history in our province during next provincial elections.
The way we see it, we have a leading Muslim Association, the BCMA, along with many smaller organizations focusing all their efforts in catering to the need of the community in religious matters, but very little effort has been made towards getting our voice inside the legislature. Perhaps, it is time to establish a political advocacy and engagement working group who could focus on the importance of getting elected officials at all governmental levels from municipal to federal level.
We can certainly, no longer argue that our community is in its infancy phase. We have quiet successfully entered into an era where we can claim that we’re entering a phase where Muslim community can claim to be second and third generation of Canadians. Yet despite being deeply rooted and well entrenched in BC and Canada’s cultural mosaic we have failed to ensure our long-term viability when it comes to politics and make room for ourselves among decision makers.
Soon we will be headed towards polls, and if we miss this opportunity in coming months we would have to wait another four years when opportunity can be availed again.
We urge the community leaders specifically the BCMA and Council of Muslim Organizations of BC to take this matter seriously and devise a plan for the Muslim community’s engagement at provincial levels.
Its high time that community leaders engage both parties to see which political party is truly committed and interested in seeing elected Muslim officials at province’s legislature by availing the opportunities to Muslim community members to run for the office.
It is high time that individual Muslim community members become engage at personal levels by taking up membership at party levels.
There definitely needs to be an effort made towards increasing party membership among the Muslim constituents. The key is to having candidates elected at grass root level. Unless we get over this primary obstacle, everything else would remain secondary.
Lastly, we would like to congratulate, and wish all the best to the newly elected MLA, Muhammed Fiaz to the Saskatchewan legislature and setting a great example for the rest of the Muslim communities across the nation.
If Saskatchewan Muslim community, despite being short on numbers can elect an MLA to the legislature, why we cannot in BC? Something for all of us to ponder about!
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