[ad_1]Source: Wikimedia CommonsA group of American politicians is set to arrive in Markham, Ontario, next week to provide guidance on securing electoral positions at a convention focused on enhancing religious representation in politics. The event, titled “From the Masjid to City Hall,” is part of the annual gathering by the Universal Muslim Association of America. This year's discussions will directly address potential candidates, covering topics like campaigning, door-knocking, and the challenges they might encounter.Source: Instagram“The wave is not coming. It is already here,” UMAA states, expressing their ambition to see 100 Shia candidates among those likely to run in the upcoming 2028 U. S. elections. This visit occurs during a tense period in Canada-U. S. relations. A Léger survey conducted in late August revealed that 41 percent of Canadians view the U. S. as an enemy country. Nearly two-thirds indicated their opinion could shift if Donald Trump were no longer president. Additionally, cross-border training for religious candidates has previously drawn criticism from Canada's public broadcaster - particularly when it involves Christians. During Ontario’s 2022 municipal elections, CBC reported on Liberty Coalition Canada, a Christian organization that collaborated with Virginia-based Leadership Institute, labeling them as “U. S. political operatives.” These operatives assisted Canadian Christians aiming for city council and school board trustee roles. Lately in 2023, CBC looked into Liberty Coalition’s goal to attract more Christian candidates and incorporate biblical principles into Canadian law. “This movement is now increasingly involved in electoral politics, advocating for conservative social and political policies based on literal interpretations of the Bible,” stated one article. However, a review of CBC’s published articles found no mention of the forthcoming UMAA panel. Despite this lack of coverage, many speakers at the UMAA convention are seen as controversial figures in the U. S., especially for their involvement in politically motivated religious activities. The most notable among them is Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, who labeled a Christian minister named Ted Barham as an Islamophobe for opposing an honor given to a supporter of jihadi terrorism through a street sign. Several speakers have connections with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), whose members were notably identified as unindicted co-conspirators during the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial due to ties with U. S. Muslim Brotherhood networks-a fundamentalist Islamic group promoting global caliphate ideas. Three out of four advertised panellists have been endorsed by CAIR Action, which serves as CAIR's political wing. The fourth member works with CAIR Action based in New Jersey. Michigan state representative Alabas Farhat and Georgia state representative Akbar Ali are also part of this panel. Both men received endorsements from CAIR Action along with Hammoud during their respective election bids.Source: CAIR ActionThe fourth panellist, Ali Aljarrah, serves as a senior adviser to CAIR Action and has actively advocated for building “political power” through his role with CAIR Action New Jersey. The session will be moderated by Rahat Husain, who is the executive director of the U. S.-based Shia Muslim Foundation and previously held a policy director position at UMAA. Juno News has yet to receive any responses regarding our requests for comment. The UMAA convention takes place from October 9th to 11th at the Hilton Toronto/Markham Suites Conference Centre.Share[ad_2]Source link
