Hundreds of Canadians rallied in support of Egyptian protesters Saturday as Ottawa urged the North African country’s embattled president to limit the use of force and bring in democratic reforms.
Demonstrations took place in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver where a number of Canadians called for President Hosni Mubarak to step down.
The peaceful gatherings were a stark contrast to the chaos on the streets of Egypt where five-days of anti-government protests have killed at least 74.
In Toronto, some 400 people gathered at Yonge and Dundas Square chanting in Arabic with many hoisting signs that read “Egyptians in, Mubarak out.”
“It’s a matter of time now” before the regime is toppled, said Wael Zaghloul, a Toronto resident whose mother and sister live in Alexandria, one of three major Egyptian cities where the worst violence has been seen.
“We’re not thinking whether or not it will happen, we’re just discussing when,” said Zaghloul.
“It’s going to be a matter of days.”
In Montreal, Yehia Khater, who moved from Egypt just over a year ago, said change in his homeland is imminent.
“We want the countries to know that the demonstrations have been peaceful... and the next regime will be peaceful,” said Khater, who helped organize the approximately 150 people who gathered in front of the Egyptian consulate.
Khater added that he wants to make sure the message of the Egyptian people is heard, despite attempts by authorities to shut down the Internet and cell phone service.
“We are supporting the Egyptians back home, letting them know they have a voice outside,” he said.
Other Canadians said they hoped the recent uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia will continue to spread throughout the region.
“This is a popular uprising,” said Algerian-native Aisha Hachou. “It’s the next generation pushing for these changes.”
Officials in Ottawa weren’t being as blunt.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said Saturday that Canada has made its position clear through diplomatic channels and continues to encourage democracy in Egypt.
But some at Saturday’s rallies criticized the federal government’s response to the civil unrest in North Africa and the Middle East, saying Canada needs to take a stronger stand against oppressive regimes.
Mohammad Elmallah, of Waterloo, Ont., said Ottawa is making “generic statements” without actually taking action.
“At least, call your ambassador from Cairo and say we’re not going to deal with this regime that . . . oppresses the people,” he said.
Cannon has however maintained that Canada will not step into what’s considered an internal political matter in Egypt.
He told several media outlets that Canada encourages Egypt’s government to make sure reforms are brought in.
Cannon also urged Mubarak to limit the use of force against the surging street demonstrations which have tied Cairo in knots.
The will of the Egyptian people is clear, Cannon said.
“You’ve got a lot of people who are extremely frustrated and who are pushing for reforms and we encourage that this take place and we indeed encourage the president to view this in that light and to go forward in that direction,” he said in an appearance on CBC NewsWorld.
Mubarak has named his intelligence chief as his first-ever vice-president, fired his cabinet and promised reforms, but protesters are demanding that he step down.
The autocratic leader has been in power for 30 years.
Demonstrations against him show no signs of dying down as thousands of people flock into the streets, facing off against police and military.
The capital Cairo has descended further into chaos, with gangs of thugs setting fires and looting shops and homes.
Residents and shopkeepers in affluent neighbourhoods were boarding up their houses and stores against the looters roaming the streets with knives and sticks and gunfire was heard in some neighbourhoods.
Canada is cautioning Canadians against non-essential travel to Egypt. It has also updated its travel advisory to Cairo, Alexandria and Suez on Friday urging Canadians to exercise a “high degree of caution.”