A Laval man has started a petition demanding the resignation of Anjou borough councillor Lynne Shand who ranted against Muslims and Islam on her FB page.
The petition started yesterday at change.org and had over 7100 signatures by the middle of the second day.
Jalil Benthami said he couldn't stay silent.
"We have seen slowly and slowly a rise of this kind of racism and Islamaphobia and it makes us scared - very, very scared," said Benthami in an interview with CJAD 800.
Shand apologized yesterday on Facebook, saying she offers a profound apology to all people hurt or offended by her words but insists she was only trying to defend feminism and the neutrality of the state.
Benthami said it's too little, too late.
"From a politician person, it's really (shameful) to see people in Canada talking this way," said Benthami.
Benthami said the thousands of signatures gathered in just one day is heartening.
"It gives us altogether (...) hope - we see that people are rejecting such messages," said Benthami.
In a statement, Anjou mayor Luis Miranda had distanced himself from Shand's comments, saying he "will never endorse such remarks" and that he does not share her opinion.
Montreal mayor Valérie Plante said she'll have the city's ethics advisor weigh in on Shand's comments.