SECOND UPDATE: Ezra Levant gives his evidence here. The mainstream media reports are, predictably, inaccurate.
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UPDATE: The Globe and Mail says that Ezra Levant is wrong about this (thanks to James). We shall see if Levant comes back with more information.
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“What kind of school board sends around a memo allowing children to be exempt from Remembrance Day ceremonies, just weeks after terrorist murders of two Canadian Forces soldiers, including one standing guard at the war memorial?” What kind indeed? If expressions of patriotism are offensive to a group, that group should be monitored and challenged to adopt the values of the nations, not coddled and accommodated.
“Lest only some of us forget,” by Ezra Levant, QMI Agency, November 10, 2014 (thanks to The Truth):
It’s Remembrance Day. But not for everyone. The Greater Essex County District School Board in Ontario circulated an e-mail to the 75 schools it runs in places like Windsor and Leamington. The memo says teachers should be preparedto [sic] exempt Muslim students from Remembrance Day.
“Some families may be reluctant to have their children attend your location municipality’s ceremonies. Please note that meaningful alternate activities should be provided at the schools for those families who do not wish their children to participate in any Remembrance Day ceremonies.”
In case you were wondering which families they might be referring to, the school board didn’t say specifically but pointed teachers to two Muslim-themed websites, including the story about the first Muslim soldier in the Canadian Forces who wore a hijab, an Islamic head covering.
But Remembrance Day is a central part of Canada. It remembers our history, and the men and women who fought and died to keep us free. It is not a dark day, an embarrassing day, a racist day or a day of shame.
It is a day of remembering why we are free, and what we stand for, and who sacrificed to make us this way.
It’s not a religious day, like Christmas. It’s a day for everyone.
It’s a disgrace that any family would object to it – especially an immigrant family who came here to benefit from our country. It would call into question the basis on which they applied for and were granted citizenship.
And even if some old bigot from a backwoods village in Pakistan or Somalia doesn’t want to respect Canada, that’s where our schools come in and teach those bigots’ kids and grandkids what it means to be Canadian.
It’s insulting that either parents or the school board thinks Remembrance Day is in any way anti-Muslim. Canada fought in the Boer War against Afrikaaners, the First World War against Germans, the Second World War against Germans and Italians and Japanese. We fought against North Korea. What on earth could possibly be objectionable to a Muslim family about any of that?
Could you imagine if a German or Japanese family objected? The obvious question would be: Do you think Hitler or Mussolini or Hirohito were right? That’s the implication of Muslim families objecting to Remembrance Day — that we were wrong….
What kind of school board sends around a memo allowing children to be exempt from Remembrance Day ceremonies, just weeks after terrorist murders of two Canadian Forces soldiers, including one standing guard at the war memorial?I’ve started a petition to the school board. I chose the website’s name carefully: www.LoveItOrLeave.ca.

steakman says
Ya gotta Love Ezra..!!
and He is damned right in this commentary. Why indeed.??
Interestingly enough, his website mirrors a bumper sticker I had made a month ago.
On the left there is an image of the Canadian Flag: To the right the words: CANADA Fit in in or Piss off.!
That could easily have been an American Flag there as well..I have cousins living there…
Huck Folder says
First the bad news: The bastards at CBC aired a five minute spot on their news programs, who knows, twenty times, about the fecking treasonous white poppies, the so-called ‘peace’ poppies which fund leftards and their islamist buddies.
The good news is: During the whole two hour Ottawa program, NOT ONE mohammedan was visible, neither perambulating garbage bags nor girly men in their nightshirts.
Both the Bishop and RABBI (!) Chaplain mentioned the two recent terrorist murders, without naming mo. Thank C. that there was no multi-culty nonsense, as has happened at times in the US and maybe the UK, no taqiyya tears.
There was NO leftard or mo disruption, and only one placard “Thank You”.
Jae M says
This is how they always do it, the country they are in must make accommodation for them. However, if you are in a Muslim majority country, you will do as they say or be arrested or worse.
Jovial Joe says
This story isn’t so clear cut: the school board are claiming that some families are fearful of further Islamist attacks, hence the option not to attend ceremonies although the meaning of rememberance day should still be taught: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/ezra-levant-wrongly-accuses-ontario-school-board-of-allowing-exemptions-for-muslim-students-on-remembrance-day/article21537390/?service=mobile
I would suggest the school board should instead be criticised on the grounds that we shouldn’t show cowardice in the face of our Islamic foe. After all it is our brave forbears who sacrificed their lives in securing our freedoms that we are supposed to be honoring.
Ayatrollah says
If it had nothing to do with Islam why did they suggest they use “hijab in the army” as a substitute for the day? The story is just to save face.
Jovial Joe says
Read the link and you’ll find out.
Uncle Vladdi says
I, too, think Ezra jumped the gun a bit here. According to the article you link to:
“Mr. Scantlebury said on Tuesday that he was not aware of any student that had requested any special accommodation. “We feel it’s very unfortunate that this has taken away, somewhat, from what is a very solemn occasion in our schools,” he said.”
And you’re right, the memo itself doesn’t refer to muslim families when it says:
“Please be mindful that some families may be reluctant to have their children attend your location municipality’s ceremonies. Please note that meaningful alternate activities should be provided at the schools for those families who do not wish their children to participate in any Remembrance Day ceremonies.”
However, it must be noted that, if what Mr. Scantlebury says is true – that he “was not aware of any student that had requested any special accommodation,” then it’s also true that IT’S ONLY HIS OWN TREASONOUS COWARDICE WHICH PROMPTED HIM TO BROADCAST HIS OWN FEARS OF JIHADIS and he only tried to deflect from his own cowardly treason by blaming others, in slanderously asserting that “some families may be reluctant to have their children attend your location municipality’s ceremonies!”
He has thus provided kids with an example of a “wonderful teachable moment” indeed! And the lesson they learned from him is to “instantly Submit to terrorism!”
Rob says
I am speechless!
I had rated Canada and especially its PM as in the front of rolling back this PC nonsense.
I realise that Canada is a confederation and that the provinces have powers that Ottawa doesn’t but is there not some Canadian ethos that over arches the provinces?
A bad day for the West.
Uncle Vladdi says
Even ‘conservative’ PM Stephen Harper shamelessly panders to muslims for votes.
In fact, he GAVE AWAY THE CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM LANDS TO THE ASSASSINS!
For the next 99 years, this prime Ottawa real estate was given, tax-free, to the Ismaeli sect of islam, and to its prince, the Aga Khan, the descendant and inheritor of the infamous Hasan the Assassin himself!
Harper also gave the Assassins over $30 million of our tax dollars to build a huge “Tolerance Mosque” just outside Toronto.
He probably thought islam was an ORGANIZED crime-gang, the fool, so he thought muslims like the Aga Khan could warn him when random jihad was about to break out – little did he suspect that the Qur’an itself has been translated into English and French, so any home-grown wannabe murderous jihadi in Canada only has to read it to get his instructions and take his orders directly from Muhammad himself!
;-(
Elaine Goode says
I have a better idea. Deport all the Muslims. Then the Muslim students can go to Muslim schools in Muslim countries. And the Canadian citizens can have a country without terrorist wannabes in their school system.
noellsq says
I am repulsed,f–k them. I am offended that I spend time in the military and get wounded several times before joining civilian life to serve my country. Now comes a bunch of Muslims that state religion is first and country is second. That they are unhappy with our way of life and come here and want to change it. Well get the f–k out and go to a country that that believes in what you stand for,move to Middle east and make sure you pick a country with your sect. The PM has insulted every person in Ontario.
Morgan H says
I am repulsed too, but don’t blame PM Harper – it’s the Ontario premier, Kathleen Wynne, and the damned, bloated bureaucracy under her, that are responsible.
Veterans Grandson says
I agree with this exemption, completely, but on one condition. These scum, including their parents and grandparents will be immediately EXEMPT from having any further right to live in Canada.
My late grandfather fought with the Canadian Army in WW1. He was gassed and hit by a bullet, he survived. He made Canada safe place for these invaders to come to but I doubt he ever dreamt of an Islamic invasion of his home country (BC) when he was going through hell in the trenches in Flanders in 1917/18.
lester Peoples says
Only Socialist/Islam Progressive politically motivated unmoral puppets would ever allow this to happen!
Huck Folder says
SINISLAM
eib says
Every antiassimilationist muslim should be deported . . . To the IS.
profitsbeard says
Kafir trivia is not of interest to the Ummah.
Tell the infidel dogs to bark quietly if they must.
gravenimage says
Oh, it’s worse than “kafir trivia”, profitsbeard.
Remembrance Day—Veteran’s Day in the States—honors those who fought and died to protect Infidels.
In Islam, the “filthy Kuffar” are not allowed to protect themselves at all—especially against Muslim savagery.
Jaladhi says
Canada is doomed!! When is it going to be called Canadistan?
mortimer says
Don’t count on it. You don’t know Canucks very well, do you? There were 80,000 who attended Remembrance Day in Ottawa…the largest turnout since 1938 when the National War Memorial was dedicated. The national sport is hockey, buddy.
Darren says
I hope you are right, but your major weakness is glaring to the barbarian hordes and easy to exploit. You suffer from the same PC mindset we do if not worse in the U.S, and have a small population spread out over a large geographic area. It is not hard to gain territory rather quickly using the tried and true methods used in Eurostan and the U.S, and making the right alliances with the usual suspects. They can get their people into positions of power much easier than in the U.S due to it being much easier to gain a tactic advantage on the ground. Taking over sparsely populated areas through immigration and high birth rates is a rather simple task. Then they can get their own people in power locally, and federally to influence the infidel government easier.
If I were them I’d do exactly that. Make areas very muslim friendly over populate the area drive the native inhabinants out, by simply making them uncomfortable and boom you have a center of power. You can then expand your power base by rinse and repeating. You then have rich backers like Qatar ect buy into institutions and educational institutions and influence them with money. This happens routinely in America. This is just the basics, out of boredom I wrote a several hundred page plan on taking over the two western countries that really stand out to me Australia and Canada. A relatively small population spread out over a large geographic area. Easy to gain territory rather quickly. The west has no defense against any tactic that involves steath jihad and/or weaponized political correctness. If I were them I could easily plan a successful campaign against the west.
Darren says
If I did further research into both countries I could make the plan much more specific, I was simply painting a very general idea on how those two countries are very vulnerable using this tactic. I think you get the idea though. My mindset is we are already at war so I try to think of tactics they would use and comment on ones they are actively using against us. It’s not some lone wolves going off the global war is much broader as anyone on this website can attest to.
Darren says
As we all know the end game is to form a state within a state like what was done in Kosovo, and done repeatedly throughout history. When the muslim pop reaches a certain % this will happen. Since we know their goal is to form a state within a state we need to start viewing the battlefield differently and adapting to their tactics. We are so narrow minded and treat this issue as a law enforcement issue It’s not we are at war a global war, and many of their tactics are different than what we are used to, though by now we shouldn’t be since many of their tactics are similar to what the communists used successfully against the west. Except you have the added angle that their goals are to form a nation state within a state. You need to view the battlefield from a much more broad perspective and factor in the enemy’s goal of forming a state within a state. You think after the 100th muslim no go area popped up in Europe we would have wised up by now. We are hampered by weaponized political correctness and unpopular elected prostitutes who see the muslims as a victim group to exploit for votes and not the 5th column that they are.
alyn21 says
The people who made that decision are part of the left wing ignoramuses that occupy our school system along with most other govt offices.
If muslims stay away from Rememberance Day then they will simply confirm what we right wing extremists have said all along. Not very effective taqqiya guys you better put on a poppy and participate otherwise you will draw attention to yourselves and force more Canadians to question your loyalty to our country.
mortimer says
Canada and other civilized countries fought against IDEOLOGIES of repression and supremacism. They fought IDEOLOGIES that opposed PLURALISM, EQUALITY, FREE SPEECH and DEMOCRACY.
Muslims oppose pluralism, equality, free speech and democracy, so they are opposed to a holiday that emphasizes those values.
In other words, Muslims are incompatible with free, pluralistic, democratic countries.
Darren says
They are using the Trojan horse of religion as a weapon. As I’ve said before anything and everything can be a weapon if it get’s results. Our military and intel services are still fighting the last war, and have no defense or counter to many of the tactics the enemy is currently using. They know our weaknesses, they are constantly exploiting them, and we refuse to adapt. Well adapt or die, Darwinism exists at the nation state level as well as in nature.
Salah says
We shouldn’t blame Islam.
Islam is the enemy; it wants to destroy us, to subjugate us, to reign supreme over us. That’s what enemies are expected to do.
We should rather blame our PC leaders, our enemedia and every single jihad enabler in our midst. They are traitors and they should be treated as such.
We should also blame ourselves for allowing them to do this to us. After all, free peoples are responsible for the leaders they elect.
Kasey says
But Remembrance Day commemorates the defeat of Turkey also and the end of a so-called caliphate in their warped eyes and thus a defeat such supremacists find offensive. [That’s the excuse anyway] Or is it that the god Jehovah or Jesus might be mentioned rather than Allah? It seems, never challenge their tolerance for other cultures… that’s just too offensive to contemplate.
UnEasyOne says
One thing every0ne seems to forget and articles seem to omit: In WWI & WWII we fought Germans – and muslims. They (The muslims) were always allied with our enemies. Hitler and the grand mufti of Jerusalem were big buddies and the muslims cooperated enthusiastically with Hitler’s “final solution,” happily providing personnel to run the camps, killing not only Jews, but Serbs (slavs), Gypsies, homosexuals and other out groups. That’s why the Balkan christians hate them so much. A lot of them lost relatives to those murderous thugs.
Brian Hoff says
In WWII muslim fought in the america military it is disgace that than redneck racist are allow to make just hateful remarks at all.
gravenimage says
How many Muslims were in the US—or Canada—at all during WWII, let alone serving in the military?
Besides, if this *were* how Mohammedans really looked at things, then they would be proud to join in recognition of veterans, instead of assaulting poppy sellers in England, beheading British soldiers, and shooting American military recruiters and Canadian servicemen guarding war memorials.
Also, note “Brian Hoff”—really, “DefenderofIslam”—opining that Americans should be stripped of their freedom of speech for daring to criticize Muslim treachery—as though censorship were a value we fought for during WWII. Good God…
Alissa says
Save your breath. He’s like every other greasy stinky muslim. Nothing between the ears but sewer sludge. They will never get it. Your words are wasted on them. Prepare for action.
Uncle Vladdi says
“Balkans” is the Turkish word for mountains, because the people who lived there had to literally head for the hills to avoid the invading Turkish jihadis 500 years ago.
Europeans have quite rightfully feared and hated muslims for a long time, because they’ve been losing family members to said muslims for a very long time as well!
;-(
Cindy says
Look if these people don’t want to do what Americans do they can just get the hell out of here. I get tired of hearing things about always having immigrants here but the part left out is that when they used to want to become Americans!!! They WANTED their children to learn English and to learn the American way of life!!!!! These folks don’t want that, they want us to become like them !!!!! Not for me, NEVER!!!!!! IF YOU DON’T WANT TO BE AMERICAN, THEN GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bonnie Loranger says
Bunch of dimmy cowards.
Uncle Vladdi says
Ontario is Canada’s largest Province, and right now it’s run by liberals, and by their millitant lesbian premier, Kathleen Wynne, who just won a crushing majority in the recent elections here, despite promising to raise electricity rates by 40% next year!
So Ontario is full of masochists, trying hard, like all liberal masochists always do, to pretend to be able to “control” their fears BY causing the very pains they most fear!
Even so, this willing Submission to slanderous extortion is beyond the pale.
This latest official action basically implicitly admits they know that muslims are seditionists, against all sovereign national governments, and it also slanders all Canadian soldiers, the Canadian people, and Federal government of Canada, as being compicit in the alleged “crime” of blatantly attacking innocent muslim countries for no reason whatsoever!
Liberal masochists just can’t seem to enforce our Submission to sharia fast enough!
;-(
gravenimage says
Ugh—Kathleen Wynne. Here’s her de facto enabling of Muslim wife beating:
“Kathleen Wynne stands by Yasir Naqvi over controversial book endorsement”
http://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2013/03/12/yasir_naqvi_backtracks_on_controversial_book_endorsement.html
Rob says
If the best reaction to a joke you find offensive, is not to laugh, then the best reaction to a country you don’t like is to leave.
Darren says
They would rather try forming a nation state within a state since they see the glaring weaknesses in the west. The western world has a giant neon sign above our heads saying easy mark. I’ve known many dangerous criminals and murderers over the years they would agree when I said someone who is shown to be an easy mark invites victimization. I saw this on the street too, naive people would attract the wolves to them like moths to a flame. We in the west an especially in Dhimmi states like Eurostan are attracting armies of wolves and they are actively preying upon the sheep. Either stand up to them or be devoured simple as that. Adapt or die.