WATCH ABOVE: “Ignorant racists,” that’s what Huntingdon mayor Stephane Gendron called the residents of his town after council voted against a proposal to open a Muslim cemetery in the community. Rachel Lau reports.
HUNTINGDON – “Ignorant racists,” that’s what Huntingdon Mayor Stephane Gendron called the residents of his town after council voted against a proposal to open a Muslim cemetery in the community.
In a strongly worded press release issued by the mayor, he apologized to Muslim Quebecers, saying “if I was Arab or Muslim living in Quebec, I would seriously ask myself why I moved here.”
The press release goes on to question the level of education of Huntingdon city councillors and residents.
The Muslim Council of Montreal says the mayor has been trying to contact them for several years now.
“He sent an e-mail directly to me personally and later on to other people within the community,” said Salam Elmenyawi, President of the Muslim Council of Montreal.
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“Later on he did visit different mosques and he spoke directly to the community encouraging them to move to Huntingdon.”
Global News has been trying to reach the mayor, but he hasn’t answered phone calls or emails.
City councillors who voted against the cemetery insist their reasons were not racist, despite what the mayor thinks.
They say they made their decision based on economic factors, but none of them wanted to comment either.
In the past, the mayor has tried to build a mosque as well as a halal slaughterhouse.
Residents say the Muslim community is almost non-existent so they don’t know why he’s supporting this controversial project.
“He can’t make a generalized statement like that about everybody in Huntingdon,” said Norm Rennie.
“It’s disrespectful to me,” agreed Sarah, a friend of Rennie.
“It’s disrespectful to the Muslim community and it’s totally disrespectful to the members of the community who live here.”
Huntingdon residents say that they are looking forward to municipal elections in November. They say they are no longer interested in entertaining the mayor’s quirks.
Muslim Montrealers say it’s not up to city officials to do their job.
“I think it isn’t for him to build a mosque,” said Elmenyawi.
“I don’t think it’s for any official to do any of that. It is for the community, it’s our responsibility.”
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