Networks aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood have become deeply embedded within Canada's democratic institutions, civil society, and higher education, a new report alleges. The study, released by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), warns that this growing Islamist influence could pose a broader threat to the United States and other Western democracies.
Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, stated that the report maps how interconnected ideological networks acquire legitimacy, institutional access, public funding, political influence, and protection from scrutiny. He noted that Canada's traditional openness and public trust have been challenged by a dynamic of malign foreign influence that promotes ideological "entryism," antisemitism, and efforts to weaken democratic accountability.
The report, titled "Assault on Democratic Values and Principles: How Islamist Entryism Weakens Civil Society and Higher Education in Canada," claims to have found numerous links between the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), a large Muslim non-profit, and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is described as an organization with a vision to create a global Islamic caliphate governed by rigid interpretations of Islamic law.
The Muslim Association of Canada has denied these allegations, calling the ISGAP report "nothing more than recycled Islamophobic tropes dressed up as research" and a "biased, unsubstantiated hit piece." MAC stated that a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) audit had been completed and that preliminary questions about links to the Muslim Brotherhood were dismissed from the CRA’s final conclusion. MAC asserts it is an independent Canadian organization and that the ISGAP report amplifies narratives designed to fuel Islamophobia and sow division.
ISGAP's report further alleges that groups affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood have influenced Canada's election system, citing a coordinated "Vote Palestine" campaign that reportedly secured endorsements from 344 candidates across four major political parties in the 2025 election cycle.
Small expressed concerns that the findings in Canada serve as a warning sign for potential influence in the U.S., drawing parallels to what he described as a "radical political Islam's" desire to eliminate Western influence in the Islamic world. He referenced the 1979 Iranian Revolution, where he claimed the radical left and Islamists joined forces, suggesting a similar strategy is being employed in Europe and Canada.
Dalia Ziada, a Muslim scholar who fled Egypt, echoed these concerns, describing a "sinful marriage" between the radical left and radical Islamism that threatens Western liberal democracies. A separate Fox News Digital investigation reportedly found approximately 425 organizations, including communist groups, Muslim advocacy organizations, and anti-Israel coalitions, involved in a transnational protest network with significant annual revenue.
U.S. government officials have previously expressed criticism of the Muslim Brotherhood. In January, the Treasury Department designated Egyptian and Jordanian branches of the organization as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The Trump administration also sanctioned a senior Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood official in July for allegedly helping to finance Hamas’s military wing.
"The Trump administration will relentlessly pursue terrorists and those who finance them," stated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. "Whether operating under the guise of charities, businesses or underground financial networks, those who enable Hamas will be exposed, sanctioned and held accountable."
The ISGAP report urges the Canadian government to implement policy changes to reduce the influence of Muslim Brotherhood-aligned groups on its electoral system and traditional institutions. The Embassy of Canada to the United States in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.