 |
The sensitivity courses aim to teach border officers to treat Muslim passengers in a "respectful manner". (Toronto Star photo) |
CAIRO — Hundreds of officers at Pearson, Canada's busiest airport, will receive sensitivity training to guarantee a better treatment of Muslim and Arab passengers, to the welcome of lobbying groups, Toronto Star reported on Thursday, July 31.
"The CBSA constantly takes steps including outreach and training to ensure our services are not discriminatory or perceived to be discriminatory," said Patrizia Giolti, spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency.
The sensitivity courses, to start from September through March, will be give to 500 officers at Pearson airport, Canada's busiest airport.
The aim is to help officers "effectively perform their enforcement responsibilities in a respectful manner," said the CBSA.
Muslim passengers have long complained of being singled out for searches at Canadian airports.
They are often questioned about their activities and purchase abroad, have their luggage searched and passport information taken down.
"We feel that this is a type of profiling, which must cease," said Mohamed Elmasry, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress.
"After 9/11 we became all potential terrorists without doubt, and we still have some examples of people being picked up from the line because they wear long beards or the hijab," agrees Mohamed Boudjenane, executive director of the Canadian Arab Federation.
"It still happens on a regular basis."
Lobbying
Elmasry hailed the sensitivity courses are an "excellent idea".
He said the courses are in line with seminars and speeches his group has organized for federal employees over the past two years about the treatment of Muslim passengers.
Boudjenane, of the Canadian Arab Federation, agrees.
"That sort of proactive act, or measure, didn't come out of the blue," he insisted.
His group has organized meetings with federal employees to discuss complaints of profiling of and discrimination against Muslim passengers.
"We had to lobby very hard with them to realize that you cannot (target certain groups) because you have preconceived perceptions or because there are all sorts of clichés out there."
Muslims make up around 1.9 percent of Canada's some 32.8 million population.
Their number has increased dramatically over the last decade and Islam has become the number one non-Christian faith in Canada.
A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian, and that they are more educated than the general population.
|
