Government faces questions about anti-Muslim bias over Syrian refugees

By Lee Berthiaume | Ottawa Citizen
December 12, 2014

The Conservative government is facing renewed questions about an alleged anti-Muslim bias following revelations it wants to cherry-pick which Syrian refugees will be accepted into Canada.

Sources say the government wants to prioritize religious minorities as a condition for resettling thousands more Syrian refugees in Canada over the next two years.

. . .

The head of one of Canada’s largest Muslim organizations, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, issued a statement Friday saying he was “deeply troubled” and calling on the government to come clean on its intentions.

“It is inconceivable that our government would suggest implementing a policy that creates a two-tier refugee system in which vulnerable people are assessed based on their personal religious beliefs rather than on their needs,” NCCM executive director Ihsaan Gardee said…