Muslim Brotherhood networks embedded into Canadian politics, schools, report says

Muslim Brotherhood-aligned networks in Canada are not operating in isolation but are part of a coordinated, transnational strategy to gain influence across government, civil society, and higher education, according to a new report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP).

“

Muslim Brotherhood-aligned networks in Canada are not operating as isolated groups, but as part of a coordinated strategy to gain influence across government, civil society and higher education, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) claimed in its new report.

The 200-page report asserts that these networks are engaged in "ideological entrenchment, institutional embedding, narrative control, and political and legal protection." ISGAP clarifies its focus is on "Islamism as a political ideology," distinct from Islam as a religion, and does not accuse all Muslim organizations or Canadian Muslims generally.

“

ISGAP is a research and advocacy institute focused on antisemitism and extremism. It has produced reports examining antisemitism, political Islam and foreign influence.

ISGAP identifies four interconnected domains through which the Muslim Brotherhood's strategy operates in Canada: narrative development, institutional embedding, policy impact and political mobilization, and legal framework manipulation. These domains reinforce each other to advance long-term entrenchment, shaping public discourse on Islam, Islamism, the Palestinian cause, and Islamophobia, particularly concerning Israel.

“

The new 200-page report alleges that Muslim Brotherhood-aligned networks in Canada should be understood not as isolated organizations but as "part of a structured transnational strategy of ideological entrenchment, institutional embedding, narrative control, and political and legal protection.”

Higher education is highlighted as a central arena for foreign funding, ideological influence, and narrative shaping. The report examines case studies involving universities like the University of Toronto, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Waterloo. ISGAP raises concerns about the transparency of foreign funding, disclosure of research agreements, research with potential dual-use applications, and the use of campuses for political mobilization and advocacy. The University of Toronto is specifically referred to as a "central node in the development and dissemination" of these strategies.

“

The report does not accuse all Muslim organizations or Canadian Muslims generally, saying its focus is “Islamism as a political ideology” rather than Islam as a religion.