Muslims in Saskatchewan react to Trump travel ban
Ban stops people from 7 Muslim-majority countries from visiting U.S.
Muslims in Saskatchewan have expressed dismay and concern over U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries.
The executive order signed on Friday bans visitors from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen from entering the U.S.
- Canadian dual citizens can travel freely to the U.S. despite Trump travel ban
- Team Trump defends travel ban on Muslim-majority countries
Trump's chief of staff Reince Priebus on Sunday defended the decision, saying he would "apologize for nothing."
But Khalid Minhas from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at association in Saskatoon described the ban as "unfortunate."
He said there were other ways that security issues could be resolved.
Not the right way: Muslim missionary
"I'm not saying that we should close our eyes, no. We always need the security and safety of our country, or any country, obviously comes first," he said.
"But that doesn't mean that we start becoming fearful and we start banning people."
Saskatoon resident Aysha Yaqoob agreed that the ban was not the right way to handle security concerns.
"Don't sugarcoat it; they are terrorists if they are terrorizing a population like that, but then we get the backlash," she said.
"Because then I get all these questions or, you know, we get travel bans, or our mosques are lit in flames down in the states."
Concerns ban could include more countries
Yaqoob's father was travelling in the U.S. when the order came into effect.
She and her father both have dual citizenship in Canada and Pakistan, which is not affected by the ban, but she worried he might be subject to further questioning and security.
He was in the U.S. visiting her uncle and her cousins. Yaqoob is concerned the ban could be expanded to other countries, including Pakistan.
She said that could prevent her grandmother, who does not have Canadian citizenship, from visiting family in the U.S.
Ban does not apply to Canadians with dual citizenship
"I don't understand because there's a lot of situations that have happened in the states regarding guns and schools and a lot of those criminals were not Muslim but they don't get looked at as terrorists," she said.
"They just get looked at as mentally unstable, but whenever it's a Muslim that does it, it's always terrorists."
Yaqoob said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's statements that dual citizens would still be allowed to travel to the U.S. had allayed some of her concerns.
Canada's Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen confirmed on Sunday afternoon that Canadians with dual citizenship in countries on the banned list could still visit the U.S.
Saskatoon mayor offers support
On Sunday, Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark joined Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall in offering to help the federal government support people affected by the U.S. travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries.
Clark issued a statement saying he supported Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Brad Wall, who have both offered to assist refugees affected by the ban.
"Saskatoon has a long history of being a safe place of arrival for people seeking refuge, beginning with the welcome by First Nations people to the first settlers on this land," said Clark.
"In just the last 13 months, individuals and groups throughout our community have been supporting hundreds of people from Syria and Iraq fleeing conflict and persecution on their home soil."
He added that the city would continue to welcome new Canadians to Saskatoon.
"I believe our strength as a city lies in our capacity to be an inclusive, resilient, and compassionate city for all," said Clark.
The airport authority that oversees Saskatoon's John G. Diefenbaker International Airport said it was advising passengers to contact their air carrier with any queries about travel to the U.S.
With files from The Associated Press