CAIRO — Calls by a right-wing think-tank to restrict the arrival of immigrants from Muslim countries under the pretext of posing a security threat to the security of North America drew rebuke from Canadian Muslims and refugee advocate groups.

“This is a racist argument and doesn’t stand academic and rigorous research,” Mohamed Elmasry, a spokesman for the Canadian Islamic Congress, told the Ottawa Sun on Thursday, May 22.

“Canadian Muslims contribute to the wealth of this country more than the average and have higher levels of education than the average.”

In a new book, “Immigration Policy and the Terrorist Threat in Canada and the United States,” the Fraser Institute advocates limiting access to immigrants from Muslim countries.

“It would be prudent, from a security point of view, for Canada to review its immigration policy in relation to the admission of immigrants from Muslim countries that are known to produce terrorists.”

Co-author James Bissett, a former head of the Canadian Immigration Service, wants immigrants from Muslim countries to be screened to ensure they are non-violent.

He said immigrants need to be happy in a society gay marriage is permitted.

“By failing to require Muslim immigrants to adapt and abide by Western values, the West does face the unraveling of values and political culture that make a free society.”

Muslims make 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.

Flawed

The book claims that Muslim immigration is posing a security threat not only to Canada but North America.

“Canada’s failure to take seriously the security risks posed by its lax refugee system undermines American confidence in our ability to control our borders,” argues co-editor Alexander Moens.

“This leaves the US no option but to tighten its security efforts which will, in turn, further restrict trade and travel and damage the ability of many Canadians to earn a living.”

The Fraser Institute claimed that Canada’s immigration backlog encourages foreigners to claim asylum and then overstay their entry visas.

The Canadian Council for Refugees refuted the argument.

“What we see here is an anti-refugee way of thinking that is being retooled as a security oriented argument,” said Janet Dench, the council’s executive director.

She said Canada, unlike many Western countries including the US and Britain, knows the exact numbers of illegal immigrants living within its borders.

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