Ottawa, July 10, 2015 — The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister for Multiculturalism, issued the following statement for Imamat Day:
“It is a pleasure to be able to join with Ismailis in Canada and around the world in celebrating Imamat Day – tomorrow is the anniversary of the accession of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan as Imam of the Shi’a Ismaili Muslims in 1957.
“A champion of human dignity and pluralism, the Aga Khan is one of only six individuals to have received honourary Canadian citizenship. The Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, the opening of which was presided over by the Aga Khan and Prime Minister Stephen Harper last Fall, and the Centre for Global Pluralism in Ottawa are testaments to His Highness’s strong, close, and long-standing relationship with Canada. The strength of that relationship was evident in His Highness’s speech to our Parliament in February 2014.
“I have had the privilege of meeting the Aga Khan on a number of occasions – most recently in May of this year – to discuss our shared efforts to strengthen the values of pluralism and religious freedom, and to help the people of Iraq and Syria who are suffering at the hands of ISIL.
“Congratulations to His Highness on this auspicious anniversary. As Minister for Multiculturalism I encourage all Canadians to learn more about the many achievements and contributions made by the Aga Khan and Ismaili Canadians.
“Khushiali Mubarak.”
For further information (media only), please contact:
Lauren Armstrong
Minister’s Office
613- 996-3100
lauren.armstrong2@forces.gc.ca
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
