sad state of his own church and congregation. His character departs the show after season three, to be replaced by the ambitious, younger and distinctly less accommodating Rev. William Thorne. In seasons 1-3, it is gradually revealed that he has a number of hobbies (including curling, running and painting), all taken very seriously. His presence on the show illustrates the commonalities between Islamic and Anglican faiths and the similar problems the priests of each faith must face. Mayor Ann Popowicz (Debra McGrath) – Mayor of Mercy, she supports the Muslim community in return for their votes. She is primarily concerned with maximizing the perks of her office and minimizing the amount of work that she actually has to do. She has a bit of a wild streak, having been known to date members of the Hells Angels and has more skeletons in her closet than the local cemetery. She is witty, blunt and a bit of a lush, but leans greatly upon Sarah, her PR person, when she missteps. Fred Tupper (Neil Crone) – The local loudmouth and the host of a talk show on the local radio station, he often equates Muslims to terrorists who want to take over the country. However, at times he finds himself in the awkward position of siding with the Muslim community, as evidenced in the first season. A flashback episode revealed that his distrust of Muslims stems more from an unpleasant encounter with Baber than from any deeply held prejudices. His radio rants are primarily a ratings-grabbing persona; while he can be a blowhard jerk on and off the air, he treats pretty much everyone with equal condescension (not just Muslims). By season 3, it is revealed that his objectionable comments have more to do with habit and keeping ratings up, than any active dislike of Muslims. In fact, when he believes he is dying, he is downright friendly to everyone (including Muslims) and almost declares his love to Fatima. She graciously allows him his dignity when he claims it is in fact her hummus that he loves. Fred Tupper is also a divorcee. Layla Siddiqui (Aliza Vellani) – Baber's daughter and a portrait of an average teenage Muslim girl struggling to find the right balance between her desire to be a good Muslim and her desire for the lifestyle of a regular Canadian teenager who's into music, clothes and boys. She can