Haroon Siddiqui

Haroon Siddiqui, CM OOnt is an Indo-Canadian newspaper journalist, columnist and a former editor.

Early life and career

Siddiqui continued as a columnist at the Star until 2015. His farewell column of 1 April 2015 marked his retirement from journalism.[1]

Awards and distinctions

He shared a 1983 National Newspaper Award for spot news reporting. In 1992 and column writing in 1998. Siddiqui received a Professional Man of the Year award from Indo Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and a media award from the Canadian Islamic Congress.

In 2000, and 2001 he became a member of the Order of Ontario,[2] for crafting "a broader definition of the Canadian identity," inclusive of our First Nations, French Canadians and newer Canadians.[3]

In 2001, Siddiqui was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters from York University.[3] In 2002, he was awarded the World Press Freedom Award by the National Press Club in Ottawa for his James Minifie Memorial Lecture at the University of Regina,[3] warning against "creeping censorship" in Canada under media concentration.

Criticisms

Writing in Toronto Life in June 2001, Robert Fulford maintained that "Siddiqui makes the most strenuous effort to bathe Third World countries in a soft light. No matter how outrageous its actions, a non-Western government can usually count on him for a little understanding."[4]

In a June 2013 column, Siddiqui demanded that Canada's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney "should resign or be fired."[5] In an article the following month, Siddiqui accused Kenney, of "turn[ing] immigration into a tool of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bigotry," and of "barring refugee claimants from ‘safe third countries.’"[6] Chris Selley, writing in the National Post, pointed out that immigration levels of individuals speaking Arabic as a first language have actually increased during Kenney's tenure. Regarding Siddiqui's second claim, Shelley argued that refugees from "safe third countries" are not automatically refused refugee status by Canada but rather are "directed them into an expedited system with a somewhat weaker appeals process."[7] Selley also argued that Siddiqui's accusation against Kenney in this regard was "a massive factual error that you’d think an expert on this matter wouldn’t make."[8]

See also

References
  1. Siddiqui, Haroon (1 April 2015). "Haroon Siddiqui's parting reflections on career and country". Toronto Star. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. "Order of Ontario Appointees by year of Appointment". Citizenship.gov.on.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  3. "Award winning Toronto Star columnist Haroon Siddiqui to speak at Lecture on Diversity in Canadian Media, Sept. 22". Concordia News. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  4. Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Full Pundit: Look what you’ve done, Mike Duffy Archived 24 December 2013 at archive.today by Chris Selley, National Post, 3 June 2013.
  6. Memo to Chris Alexander, Canada’s new immigration minister by Haroon Siddiqui, Toronto Star, 25 July 2013.
  7. In defence of Jason Kenney Archived 24 December 2013 at archive.today by Chris Selley, National Post, 2 August 2013.
  8. Full Pundit: Everyone hates the Economic Action Plan ads Archived 24 December 2013 at archive.today by Chris Selley, National Post, 25 July 2013.
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