Excerpt:
In December, 2006, the polling firm Environics surveyed 500 adult Muslims across Canada on questions relating to their experiences living in Canada. The results were accurate to within plus or minus 4.4 percentage points (in 19 out of 20 samples). The demographic statistics revealed a diverse Muslim population, belying the notion of a singular Muslim community.
The survey found that 45 per cent of Canadian Muslims possess a university degree (or higher), compared with 33 per cent of the general Canadian population. At the time, 94 per cent of those surveyed were proud of being Canadian, citing Canadian policies of democracy, multiculturalism, peace and humanitarianism as sources of their pride. When asked what they liked least, the majority replied: "weather and taxes." Only 6 per cent cited Canada's foreign policy.
While security issues present challenges to social cohesion, the Environics survey revealed trends among the "weather and taxes" Muslims that may test our multicultural model in the years to come.