Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomes Aga Khan to Canada

May 28, 2010

TORONTO – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today met with His Highness the Aga Khan in Toronto to take part in the Foundation Ceremony of the Ismaili Centre, the Aga Khan Museum and Park. The Imam is on an official visit to Canada from May 26-28.

“Canada is honoured to have been chosen as the site for these important institutions,” said the Prime Minister.  They will serve to promote pluralism, peace and tolerance through greater understanding of Islam.”
 
The Museum, which is an education project of the Aga Khan Development Network, will be dedicated to the acquisition, preservation and display of artefacts relating to the intellectual, cultural, artistic and religious heritage of Muslim civilizations.  It is scheduled to open in Toronto in 2013.
 
During the visit, Canada will formally grant honourary citizenship to His Highness the Aga Khan, an initiative that was passed unanimously in the House of Commons on June 19, 2009. 
 
“Conferring honourary citizenship upon His Highness the Aga Khan is a recognition of His Highness’s leadership as a champion of international development, pluralism and tolerance around the world and of his remarkable leadership as Imam of the worldwide Ismaili community,” said the Prime Minister.
 
The Aga Khan is the Imam of the world's 15 million Shia Ismaili Muslims.  The Government of Canada has a strong, long-standing relationship with the Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) that spans more than 25 years.  AKFC is a trusted partner of Canada on a wide range of international development projects, including in Afghanistan, in the areas of health, education, rural and economic development, and the creation of new opportunities for women.



Backgrounder

HONOURARY CITIZENSHIP BESTOWED UPON HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN

On June 19, 2009, on the advice of the Government of Canada, the House of Commons voted to bestow Honourary Canadian Citizenship upon His Highness the Aga Khan in recognition of His Highness’s leadership as a champion of development, pluralism and tolerance around the world and of his remarkable leadership as Imam of the worldwide Shia Ismaili Muslim community. 

The Aga Khan is the spiritual head of the world's 15 million Ismaili Muslims.  Ismailis make up the world's second largest Shia grouping and are spread throughout 25 countries.  Ismailis now number roughly 70,000 in Canada.  Most Canadian Ismaili Muslims arrived in this country after being forced out of Uganda by its former ruler Idi Amin in the 1970s.

Honourary citizenship is an extraordinary recognition that is above and beyond the established system of honours, such as the Order of Canada.  It is a political decision conferred upon a recipient by joint resolution of the Houses in Parliament.

Only four other people have been granted honourary Canadian citizenship:

• Aung San Suu Kyi, imprisoned Burmese democracy advocate and Nobel laureate (2007).
• Tenzin Gyatso, the current and 14th Dalai Lama (2006).
• Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa (2001).
• Raoul Wallenberg, Swedish diplomat noted for his actions during the Holocaust (1985, granted posthumously).