Canada's Iranian Demographic

"We are in a great world now after Soleimani's elimination."
"I feel wonderful because we really think this is long overdue."
Hamid Gharajeh, spokesperson, Iran Democratic Association of Canada

Dozens of people rally Friday in Toronto's Mel Lastman Square in celebration of the death of Qassem Soleimani. (Rozen Nicolle/CBC)

"It burns my heart. [Soleimani's death] was a total injustice to the world", stated Riaz Hussain, with the Mahdi Youth, leading a crowd of hundreds, chanting "Down with U.S.A.", along with "Trump is a terrorist". According to Hussain, Soleimani, leader of the Quds Force, the expeditionary wing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, was a distinguished war hero, a dedicated military careerist whose loyalty to Iran's theocracy was undisputed in its fight against oppressors, a hero whose purpose was to stamp out terrorism.

Outside Iran itself, Canada hosts the second largest expatriate Iranian group, second only to Los Angeles. An estimated 100,000 Iranians live in Canada, as citizens and landed immigrants. They first began arriving in 1979, escaping the Iranian revolution, and since then have trickled into Canada, a less complicated immigration process enabling them, than what would likely be their first choice, the United States. The Islamic Republic of Iran launched an outreach within the Canadian-Iranian community to ensure their loyalties would remain with the Republic.

For those original emigrants to Canada, disinterested in their home country's current theocratic governance, not much headway was made, but for those who came later, there was an impact, the result being that among the second group some remain loyal to the Republic, while the first group never was. And with the death of Brig.General Qassam Soleimani, venerated by Islamists as a champion of jihad, detested by those who have been victimized by his expertise in planning and exercising jihad, there are two distinct camps within the community.

One is clearly that of the Mahdi Youth society who saw fit to respond to the drone strikes that destroyed the lives of Soleimani and his Iraqi colleagues in Hezbollah with grieving and a memorial gathering in downtown Toronto while the other, comprised of a far greater number of Canadian-Iranians who despised the mastermind of the al Quds IRGC terrorist atrocities from Syria to Yemen, Lebanon to Gaza and beyond Afghanistan. One group calls for peace, the second for commitment to jihad.

Salam, insha’Allah there will be a Candlelight Vigil to Mourn the loss of the heroes of Islam, Shaheed Haj Qasem Soleimani and Shaheed Abu Mahdi Al-Mohandes in front of Toronto Court House at 361 University Avenue at 6:00 P.m. on Saturday, January 4th. pic.twitter.com/KByO2vhlLZ

— MY Society (@MahdiYouth) January 4, 2020

The Mahdi Youth Society announcement was quickly noted and picked up by vigilant newspeople in
Toronto, set for the evening of January 4, in front of Toronto Superior Court, 361 University Avenue, directly across from the American consulate. These were Iranians mourning the death of two jihadi 'martyrs', responsible for the deaths of thousands of people through their jihadist intrigues and terrorist activities. The mourners lit candles at a memorial they set up for that purpose.

Some 100 demonstrators gathered outside the U.S. Consulate in Toronto Saturday in protest against President Donald Trump's ordering of the death of the top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. (Angelina King/CBC)

Toronto police were on hand to ensure a separation between this group and another group of Iranians who identified themselves as non-political peace activists. Their motto was No War With Iran Action, assembling at a University Avenue square for two hours, making speeches and holding placards opposing any additional military action. The 250 activists responded to a public call for peace over fears the death of the world's most influential threat to peace would lead to war in the Middle East, where a low-grade war is already in effect.

"We're here to promote peace and to let the Canadian government know what Canadians want is peace."
"We don't want the casualties and don't want our troops to have to make sacrifices again."
"A war with Iran has no winners. We all understand that when a nation attacks another nation's general, that in itself is an act of war."
Amir Moazzami, event organizer

Joint funeral services in Baghdad Saturday were held for the two military leaders whose vehicles were hit by a drone precision strike of four missiles that also obliterated another five of their terrorist companions. The Toronto peace activists called for conciliation to deflect further conflict, their rally one of an estimated 70 such anti-war protests taking place across the U.S. Mr. Moazzami, the peace activist, rejected the U.S. explanation for the strike; to stop "imminent and sinister" attacks.

"False self-justification" whose purpose was to "legitimatize their attack", he stated, leading a less-than-neutral observer to muse that his message was different from that of the Mahdi Youth only by degrees of concealment. And then again, there was the appearance of a small group of counter- protesters among whom some bore American flags and their own chants and placards. Moving to an opposing street corner, police ensured the the groups were kept apart.

The protest that saw Soleimani being lionized as a hero of the Quds IRGC, and his Hezbollah counterpart mourned, with pictures of Soleimani being held by pro-Iranian protesters, his name spelled out in tealight candles represents a criminal act in Canada. Both Hezbollah and the Quds IRGC are on Canada's terrorist list. As such, recognized terrorist groups. These Canadians of Iranian extraction have committed a criminal offence, and should face the penalty thereof.