On 16 July 2012, a special reception in honour of the World Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, was held at the Paramount Banquet Centre in Woodbridge, Ontario. The event was hosted by the Premier of Ontario, Hon. Dalton McGuinty and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration for Ontario, Hon. Charles Sousa.

The event began at 11.30am with a welcome address by Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Charles Sousa. Thereafter, the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty spoke about his admiration for the humanitarian efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Canada.

Premier Dalton McGuinty also spoke his pleasure at receiving Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad. He said:

“To His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad – welcome to Ontario. It was an honour to have met in 2008. We are all grateful for your presence once again. And for your dedication to promoting the values that make your community so important to our province… We are fortunate to have a strong Ahmadiyya Muslim Community that is inspired by the leadership of His Holiness to promote peace, justice, equality, respect and understanding for all humanity.”

After his remarks, the Premier invited Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad to address the audience. His Holiness used his address to speak of the importance of always upholding the truth in all matters. He said that honesty was the key to developing trust which would in turn lead to peace and justice.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad began his address by thanking Premier Dalton McGuinty for hosting the event. His Holiness said that even though he had a very busy schedule in Canada, he deemed it essential to attend the reception.

His Holiness said:

“I could not reject this hand of friendship as it would have been a sign of huge indecency and ungratefulness… On the one hand, we Ahmadi Muslims claim that we are the ones who display the highest moral standards and so how could it be that on the other we did not respond to friendship with friendship? How could it be that we did not respond to love with love?”

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad went on to speak about the vast importance of moral values and in particular the need to always follow a path of honesty.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said:

“A person who departs from honesty does not have complete faith because it proves that his faith lies not with God but elsewhere. It is only through the right word that confidence and trust can develop. And it is trust that is a means for guaranteeing peace. If this golden principle is followed at every level then a spirit of peace and harmony will spread throughout all of society, from our domestic family units, to the wider world and indeed in terms of the relations between nations.”

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said that the basis for all laws and agreements ought to be honesty, whereby all parties sought to serve the interests of mutual benefit and equity, rather than to pursue selfish interests. He said that fair dealing would instil confidence and thus would remove the fears and anxieties of the general public.

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad concluded by stating that for true world peace to develop it was also essential that the poor and deprived countries were helped by the developed nations. He said that all forms of aid ought to be given with sincerity, rather than in an effort to fulfil vested interests.

His Holiness said:

“A true spirit of sacrifice is required for a peaceful society to develop. Thus, it should not be that you help the poor and needy only out of what extra resources you have, but rather you should be willing to inflict hardship on yourself in an effort to help your brothers and sisters and fulfil their rights.”

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad continued:

“Do not only help those countries, which according to your own treaties and deals, you are obliged to help, so that you can acquire certain benefits for yourself in return. But instead you should search for those who are truly deprived and from whom you can seek no personal benefit or fulfil any vested interest. Fulfil the rights of the needy, as that is the means to develop real trust and confidence. Most importantly it removes anxieties and frustrations and as a result peace in society is developed.”

After the conclusion of the formal proceedings lunch was served to all of the guests, before a number of non-Ahmadi guests had the opportunity to meet with Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.