She spoke on the sidelines of a meeting with block leader Yves-François Blanchet.

I want to say that I am very sorry for how my words have hurt the people of Quebec and I will express that to Mr Blanchetshe told the media in English.

The former columnist, who was named the federal government’s special envoy to fight Islamophobia last week, stressed that she has empathy for what Quebecers are experiencing.

” You know, as members of the Muslim community in Canada, we know what it’s like to be stereotyped. We know what it is that people have prejudices. And I understand that the words I said hurt the people of Quebec. I listened very carefully. i heard you And I know how you feel And I’m sorry. »

Amira Elghawaby was in the hot seat for his appointment by the Trudeau government because of the opinions expressed and defended in the past. In 2019 she wrote about the State Secularism Act, which law 21the the majority of Quebecers [semblaient] influenced […] by anti-Muslim sentiment.

Quebec Minister for Secularism and Canadian Relations Jean-François Roberge called for his resignation on Monday. The National Assembly has also submitted a corresponding application.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who defended his nomination earlier this week, tried to calm things down on Wednesday morning.

Quebecers are among the most ardent defenders of individual rights and freedoms, and this comes from a place in recent history where, prior to the Quiet Revolution, Quebec was subject to a religion that did not respect those individual rights and freedoms.he said.

And so, Quebecers, it comes from a good place to want to defend gender equality, to defend individual rights, to defend the LGBTQ communityhe continued.