Fake news detected: Canada not banning criticism of Islam

Freedom of speech in Canada is now under imminent threat, with criticism of Islam set to become an illegal offence - or so some would have you believe.

This is because since a nonbinding motion calling for the country's government to "condemn Islamophobia and all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination" was tabled in December, Islamophobes worldwide have dilligently raised the alarm against an alleged Islamist conspiracy that is enveloping the West.

"The Canadian government is preparing to silence anyone who criticizes Islam," right-wing canadian website The Rebel warned its readers.

It added that the motion, named M-103, was the equivalent of "Islamic blasphemy laws".

As terrifying as such a proposal would be, The Rebel's readers would perhaps sleep easier had they been informed that M-103 is not a bill - thus having no impact on Canada's legal code even if it is approved.

Yet the conspiracy doesn't stop there. Canada's Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, it seems, has managed to squeeze in a bit of Sayyid Qutb amid his busy schedule of photo-ops and panda cuddling. 

"In order to push this vote forward, Trudeau has diabolically employed psychological warfare tactics created by the Muslim Brotherhood, and has smeared the entire Canadian population with the lie that they are Islamophobic," writes right-wing American political commentator Pamela Geller.

Scary stuff.

	Pamela Geller accused Canadian PM Justin Trudeau of trying 'to creat a Sharia state' [Screensshot]

Ontario MP and Conservative Party leadership Hopeful Kellie Leitch also added her two cents, saying that the motion will confer "special privileges" to Muslims.

"We should treat all religions equally," Leitch tweeted. "I am opposed to #m103. No religion should enjoy special privileges".

Thankfully, Leitch seems to be the only prominent Canadian politician who has caught on to the scare about the motion, which was forwarded in response to a petition signed by over 70,000 Canadians calling for action over a "notable rise in anti-Muslim sentiments in Canada".

"Unfortunately, systemic racism and religious discrimination including Islamophobia have been problems in Canadian society," Liberal MP Iqra Khalid told Buzzfeed News.

Khalid, who introduced the motion, also laughed off the idea that it is a ruse to impose Sharia law on unsuspecting Canadians.

"I would be the first person to oppose a bill or a motion that challenges our multicultural and secular society," she said. "It's quite the opposite. It's about finding peaceful ways that we can live together."

According to figures from Statistics Canada, anti-Muslim hate crimes increased by more than double between 2012-2014.

More recently, Canada is still reeling in the wake of the Quebec City shooting, in which six Muslim worshippers were gunned down while praying at a mosque in the French-speaking province.

Media outlets initially reported that the assailant was a Muslim of Moroccan origin who shouted "Allahu Akbar" [God is Great].

It later emerged that the chief suspect, Alexandre Bissonnette, is a Quebec nationalist who recently expressed support for Donald Trump,  French right-winger Marine Le Pen and Israel's military.

Bissonnette was charged with six counts of premeditated murder and five of attempted murder.