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Canada: Statement by Homa Arjomand against religious schools in the public system

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"No to Political Islam" campaign
"We declare that the rights of the child should take precedence over any national, racial, economic, political, ideological, and religious consideration or interest..."
A press statement released by Opposition Leader John Tory on 24 July 2007 stated, "Taxpayers should fund Islamic, Hindu, Jewish and other faith-based schools just like public and Catholic ones."
"Tory and his party have started a dangerous game, we, all concerned citizen and progressive forces will defeat John Tory as we did it in the struggle against faith based arbitration" said Ms. Arjomand.

Homa Arjomand, Coordinator of the International Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada along with other activists, called a press conference to demand one secular public school system on 30 July 2007 in Toronto. Dr. Robert Buckman, Mahmoud Ahmadi, Elka Enola, Tarek Fateh, Justin Trottier, Gail McCabe, and Homa Arjomand were some of the featured speakers.

About the Campaign

Homa Arjomand is the Coordinator of the International Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada and chairperson of Cultural Bridges Association. She started her campaign in Toronto in October 2003 with a handful of supporters, and today it has grown to a coalition of 87 organizations from 14 countries with over a thousand activists. In February 2006, the Ontario Government passed legislation which ended the use of religious laws for family arbitration. Since then, the Campaign has focused its efforts on stopping political Islam globally.

Homa is now Coordinator of a campaign called "No to Political Islam" and is a human rights activist she was forced to flee Iran in 1989.

Media Contact: Ms. Homa Arjomand: +1-416-737-9500

Email: homawpi@nosharia.com

Website: www.nosharia.com

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Public Statement

"We declare that the rights of the child should take precedence over any national, racial, economic, political, ideological, and religious consideration or interest;

Complete separation of religion from education;

The State is obliged to ensure a uniform school system for all children under the age 18;

No one has the right to prevent the child from all norms and standards of the mainstream society and it is the duty of the State to protect the universal rights of the children;

No one has a right to segregate children and place them under religious dogmas, traditions and habits;

No one has a right to prevent the child from participating in social and leisure activities and prohibiting them from participating in dancing, singing, playing an instrument.

We therefore call on the Ontario Provincial Government not to violate the rights of the child. The time has never been more right than today as we call for one secular school system for all children and no funding for any faith-based schools."

Submitted on Tue, 07/31/2007 - 23:00
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