Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, has a history of courting Muslim voters through flirtations with Islamic fundamentalism. This has included addressing a mosque with ties to Hamas and defending the niqab.
Trudeau has described himself as lucky to be the member of Parliament of a region he says is among those with the highest numbers of Muslims in Quebec. The son of late former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, his political ascendance has led to commentary about civic familial dynasties similar to those about Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton. Canada will have its 42nd federal election on October 19, and the three major parties are currently in a statistical dead heat, according to recent polls.
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party’s politicking have deployed a strategy of courting Muslims by promising to combat what left-wing media have described as “Islamophobia” from Stephen Harper and conservatives.
In March, Trudeau gave a speech at McGill University in Montreal in which he attacked Harper’s opposition to the niqab (a full face-covering veil worn by certain Muslim women) as a vehicle for sowing fear against Muslims. Trudeau said, “It is nothing less than an attempt to play on people’s fears and foster prejudice, directly toward the Muslim faith.”