WINNIPEG – Southern Manitoba’s so-called bible belt is getting its first mosque.
City council in Winkler has voted unanimously to allow the community’s growing Muslim community to meet and pray in a small commercial building within the city.
Mayor Martin Harder says he believes this is the first mosque in our province outside of Winnipeg and Brandon.
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“I think it’s a proud moment,” he says. “Because as Winkler we demonstrate again we are open to a multicultural community.”
Residents were allowed to have their say at a meeting last night, before the vote. Harder admits there were strong opinions on both sides.
“There obviously are people that are upset that we allowed this. I’ve seen it on Facebook and some of them are not pretty,” he says. “At the same time, we are a community and we are living in a country with freedom of religion.”
He says there are between 135 and 150 Muslims in Winkler and the surrounding area.
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