Mughal

Dear jbernier,

if only those shariah laws are to be allowed in Canada that do not go against the canadian secular state laws then your point becomes confusing because those laws are already allowed so what is all the fuss about?

Regards.

jbernier

Exactly. That above statement points out perfectly why this whole thing is much ado about nothing. We are not talking about forcing women to conform to Sharia regulations. We are not talking about making homosexuality a criminal offense. We are talking about allowing consenting adults to agree to follow the Sharia guidelines for settling civil disputes. I fail to understand why someone in the UK should be up in arms over this Canadian domestic policy debate. I repeat what I said earlier: You have no standing in this debate to say either "Yes" or "No." This is for Canadians to decide and, as a sovereign nation, we are under absolutely no obligation to justify our policies and practices to non-Canadians.

Mughal

Dear jbernier,

Regardless where in the world I live, I make it my business to inform people regarding things that I think may bring harm to them. I think you too owe me the very same ie if you see anything dangerous coming my way, you too should inform me about it. It is then up to me to accept your advice or ignore it. So long as you are fine I have no worries but if I can see that you need my help regardless you realise it or not, I must step in. We can be independent of each other in some respects but not in others.

Likewise, you are right that it is business of canadians to form their own laws but as one of the human beings and citizens of the world it is my business to ensure my canadian brothers and sister do not land themselves in to trouble due to their ignorance about something about which perhaps I am better informed. After all we are all human beings and are interdependent and need to look after each other and that is what makes our world go round.

When things go wrong for me, I expect you to help me out without waiting for me for asking you. So dear friend putting our independence in its proper context would help. We each have our own space as individuals or as countries but not when situation calls for others to step in because otherwise we could end up bringing harm to ourselves.

Regards and all the best.

ashe

?! Speaking as a Canadian, I don't see why you need a Canadian to say the words, "This is a bad idea."

ashe

jbernier

That is one thing. However, it is quite another to start a petition against another country's domestic policy. That is my point. Sure, I can say I disagree with France's ban on head scarves. However, I have no standing to say "No" about this. That is the crucial line here.

jbernier

Are you better informed about Canadian politics? Are you better informed about Canadian multicultural philosophy and policy? Are you better informed about Canadian history? And guess what: There are a whole lot of people in Canada who know a whole lot about Islam. There really is nothing that you bring to the table that we can't find right here at home.

But what if I don't need or want your help? What if I decide that you are just a busybody butting into my business?

There is a huge difference between voicing one's opinion and trying to exert pressure on our government to sway our domestic policy. Have your opinion (and truth be told I hold a similar opinion) but don't barge into my house telling me what to do.

Mughal

Dear jbernier,

Thanks for replying my friend. I am glad we agree as regard expressing our opinions but not as to intervention. That depends not only on you but also how I see things. If I sense you are in danger, I would act regardless you want me to or not. In short I am happy if you are fine and would not enter your space, however if you try to harm yourself or others and I am there, I cannot let you do that regardless you like it or not.

If I stay out of canadian business today that might ruin it then tomorrow it will be my turn so I cannot let that happen, can I? What goes round comes round. This is why we must interven even in islamic countries and discourage them from inhumane ideas and practices. We cannot afford to look the other way or soon things will turn ugly for us as well. ideas do not recognise borders. Moreover you cannot fight ideas with weapons other than better ideas.

As far knowing about canada, I know we are all human beings and have similar needs so we somehow must fulfil them. Since ideas and methods etc in the secular democratic world are the same so it is not difficult to understand the situation. I do not have to be a canadian to realise problems canada may be facing just as you do not have to be a muslim to understand islam or muslims. It is just a matter of common sense.

Regards and all the best.

whichphilosophy

We're getting into rights and wrongs which is not a bad thing in a way, but really it has to be established what is being asked for in the Sharia courts, what the nations law will be (I expect it will be the same law that governs all others in the community, hence the Sharia's rulings can still be challenged).

Acting on presumption before the fact is not sufficient. Sure there are senses and instinicts, but this should be backed up with knowledge and data.

Rustharold

Sure that's fine if what your doing dosn't affect the other country or the neighbour. In this case though I doubt Americans are pleased with the beginnings of an Islamic state on its northern border. For good reason.

A black and white concept of sovereignty doesn't function in reality

jbernier

There is one major problem with the above statement: The proposed application of Sharia law is in no sense 'the beginnings of an Islamic state.' It is simply saying that consenting adults can agree to abide by Sharia law in settling civil disputes. That's it. No Sharia criminal courts, no Islamic political party (which, even if it existed, would be very unlikely to win a single seat, given the Canadian parliamentary system). This is not the beginnings of an Islamic state and to suggest that it is would be simply to wholly misunderstand the suggestion and the Canadian context.