A Religion like No Other: Islam and the Limits of Multiculturalism in Canada

This paper examines the "puzzling contradiction" between Canada's strong official and public support for multiculturalism and the simultaneously high levels of anti-Muslim sentiment and resistance to Islamic religious accommodation. The authors advance a two-pronged argument: first, that Islam is uniquely stigmatized as an "existential challenge" to liberal-democratic states, being framed by critics as a pre-modern threat out of place in contemporary society ; and second, that intolerance toward Islam is ironically justified in Canada as a means of protecting a secular, tolerant public ethos against a putatively illiberal enemy. By analyzing public opinion data, the rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes, and the history of the "war on terror," the study illustrates how support for multiculturalism can paradoxically inform opposition to Islam. Ultimately, the paper explores how this dynamic influences Canadian electoral politics, where parties—particularly on the Right—face a quandary between maintaining the support of new Canadians and exploiting deep-seated anti-Muslim sentiment for short-term political gain.