Poll in Canada shows many Muslims feel discriminated against

“The survey results broadly reinforce my own experiences in Canada and in the Canadian Muslim community,” said Idris Elbakri, president of the Manitoba Islamic Association. “Canadian Muslims love and appreciate Canada,” said the radiological physicist. They’ve been able to establish a strong religious identity here that’s meshed with “a strong sense of belonging,” he said. The number of Manitobans who identify as Muslim grew to 12,405 in 2011 from 3,525 in 1991, according to Statistics Canada.

When the survey asked for their opinion of Islam, 42 per cent of non-Muslim Canadians said they have a positive opinion — down from 49 per cent in the 2006 survey. The survey 10 years ago found people’s impressions of Islam improve the more they have contact with Muslims. Non-Muslim Canadians who had frequent contact with Muslim Canadians had a more positive impression of Islam (70 per cent) than those who encountered Muslims rarely or never in their lives (36 per cent).

“The concerns voiced by young Muslims about discrimination are real, and young Muslims could be more sensitive to it because Canada is the only country they know,” said Elbakri.

The survey of Muslims was conducted by telephone from Nov. 19, 2015, to Jan. 23, 2016. The margin of error was plus or minus four per cent in 19 out of 20 samples.

The survey of non-Muslims was also by telephone and conducted between Feb. 6 and 15, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent in 19 of 20 samples.