Politics

The average Egyptian is relatively indifferent to political issues. This attitude is largely a result of historical factors, particularly the country’s long-time domination by foreign powers. Egyptians believe that governments are upheld by force and injustice and are responsible for taxes and military service rather than for public welfare. They always refer to individuals in authority as “they,” yet historically they have manifested a psychological need for an authoritarian regime. The fact that Egypt is a society dependent on a large-scale, government-controlled irrigation system may help to explain this view of authority. The education system and the mass media also promote subordination to the government. The nature of Egyptian immigration to Canada – an individualistic movement of mainly middle-class people – has also meant that the community has remained largely uninterested in politics. In general, Egyptians in Canada do not participate in public affairs. Many of the socio-cultural institutions state in their constitutions that they do not have any political affiliation, either in Canada or in Egypt. This indifference can be seen as a failure to become acculturated to a liberal democracy based on active participation by the citizenry.

According to a 1989 study in Quebec, participation by Egyptians in the political process at the local, provincial, and national levels is limited to voting in elections. When respondents were asked how often they discussed federal politics with others, only 16 percent said that they did so often, while 32 percent indicated “sometimes,” 28 percent “seldom,” and 20 percent “never.” The level of discussion of provincial politics was higher, with 22 percent responding that they did so often, 39 sometimes, 22 seldom, and 14 never. Political knowledge, interest, and participation by Egyptian immigrants in the host society were significantly correlated. However, as the level of education increased, all three factors decreased. Furthermore, a belief in the efficacy of politics and involvement with Canadian society did not increase the level of participation. Given that Egyptian emigration arose mainly from uncertainty about the transformation of the homeland from a pluralistic society to one dominated by a single culture, Egyptian immigrants – even those who live in Quebec – are not strong supporters of Quebec nationalism and separation from Canada. A perception of similarities between postrevolutionary Egypt and the political situation in that province causes great concern among Egyptians who live there.

Members of the community in Canada continue to read about and discuss the political affairs of their homeland. However, they have not established any political organizations in support of movements in Egypt, and their associations in this country remain staunchly non-political, with the exception of Coptic groups, which have denounced the treatment of Copts in Egypt and urged the government to protect them against Muslim fundamentalism. Coptic churches became politically active for a short time in 1981 when conflict between Muslims and Copts erupted in parts of Cairo and President Sadat put the patriarch under house arrest.