Excerpt:
A former vice-president of the Canadian Arab Federation is not backing down after posting "F--- Canada Day" on his personal Facebook page.
Omar Shaban, a university student in his early twenties, resigned from the CAF's executive on Wednesday night after his comments, which also referred to Canada as a "genocidal state," provoked an online backlash. Rather than apologize for his remarks, however, he published an extensive blog post on Thursday defending them.
"I regret the dark history this country has," he wrote. "We are only lying to ourselves if we deny the dark past that Canada was founded on. Canada Day is seen as tragic by its true indigenous population. When Canada Day is celebrated for true freedom and not mourned by the indigenous population of Canada for its colonial and dark past, I will gladly show them my support."
Earlier this week, Mr. Shaban posted on Facebook that he "couldn't be more ashamed to be Canadian." He also wrote, "Might as well kill more natives ... as a token of support for this genocidal state." As opposition swelled on Canada Day, the CAF released a statement distancing the organization from Mr. Shaban, saying it "is proud of its Canadian identity and heritage" and the comments "in no way reflect of CAF nor its feelings towards Canada."