05 August 2016

University, Muslim community react to accusations of ‘Sharia swimming’ at summer camp

After recent reports that boys and girls were segregated for swimming at a University of Regina-run summer camp, one online group’s use of the term ‘Sharia swimming’ has led a Regina imam and camp leaders to call for calm.

The controversy arose after the long-running summer camp began integrating some 14 children from Syria, after consultations with the federal government.

With the Syrian contingent being mostly Muslim, for religious reasons the boys and girls were kept separate at pool time. However, a complaint was received after non-Muslim children were also then segregated, for what the university called practical reasons.

Reacting on therebel.media, a Toronto-based right-wing news site, host Brian Lilley claimed ‘Sharia swimming’ had come to the country, and pushed a petition stating that, “Justin Trudeau needs to implement a strategy to stop sharia culture from creeping into Canada.”

“Canadian children are being introduced to Sharia values,” Lilley said in a posted video. “Without even being asked, the University of Regina decides to introduce Canadian children to Sharia swimming, and then says, ‘this is all about diversity.’ ” [Regina Leader-Post] Read more