This piece reflects on the rise of Islamophobia in Canada, using the author's personal experience as a former hijab-wearing news anchor to illustrate the dangers and lasting impacts of this hate. It calls for action from all Canadians to combat Islamophobia and create a truly inclusive society.
January 29th is National Day of Action against Islamophobia. It's also my birthday, but these last eight years, it's been hard to celebrate on the anniversary of the country's worst attacks against Muslims in what was supposed to be their place of solace. In 2017, I was eating leftover birthday cake in front of the TV when I heard the news of six men being murdered in cold blood inside the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City.
A single gunman had opened fire on the congregation from behind as they stood in prayer. They were in their most vulnerable moment, turning to God in quiet contemplation. I felt sick. The event had come just days after a newly sworn-in United States President Donald Trump had announced a so-called “Muslim Ban,” barring people from a number of Muslim-majority countries from entering America. Later, gunman Alexandre Bissonnette would admit the news had impacted his decision to kill that night, fearing Muslim immigrants would in turn swarm Canada.Eight years later, it feels like déjà vu with Trump back in office, and the rhetoric of hate creeping across the border once again. But we can’t place the blame solely on an American president who has made his disdain for immigrants clear. These sentiments continue to be peddled by people in power here in Canada. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has admonished the “woke” diversity, equity, and inclusion movement, and vowed to scrap the office of Canada’s Special Representative to Combat Islamophobia—as well as the Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism. Quebec’s Bill 21—barring religious symbols from being worn in certain public sector jobs—will finally be heard by Canada’s Supreme Court six years after it came into effect. At the time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced his opposition, but did not intervene. The secularism law, which amounts to state-sanctioned discrimination, disproportionately affects Muslim women who wear the hijab, as well as practicing Sikhs and Jews. To me, it says in no uncertain terms: “people who look like you are not welcome here.”One would have thought we would have learned our lesson after 2017. But we have seen deadly hate in Canada continue over and over again. The Afzaal family was fatally run down in London, Ont., while taking a walk in a park in June 2021, leaving a nine-year-old boy orphaned. The year before that, a volunteer was stabbed to death outside a mosque in Toronto. There have been no shortage of incidents involving Muslim women being verbally abused, spat on, or having their hijabs pulled off. While incidents of Islamophobia remain underreported—hiding the true scale of the issue—there is no denying how dangerous it is. Canada remains one of the deadliest places for Muslims dealing with Islamophobic hate amongst G7 countries. These days, I mark my birthday on January 30th. Not just because the 29th is a day of mourning, but because it’s also a day of action. For me, it’s usually full of media interviews, speaking up about the realities Muslims face in Canada, and the work that still needs to be done. As the first hijab-wearing television news anchor in Canada, I saw first-hand the sentiments some Canadians have about Muslims. Most who opposed me knew nothing of my work as a journalist, or had ever watched my show—they were simply offended by what they thought I represented based on what they had seen in movies, read online, or heard spewed by politicians. While I’m no longer on TV, my work to change the perception of Muslims in the media won’t stop. But that work needs to be done not just by the Muslim community. It also needs to be taken on by our friends, neighbours, and politicians. We cannot just simply say that hate has no place in Canada—we have to make it true.
ISLAMOPHOBIA CANADA HATE CRIMES MUSLIMS DIVERSITY INCLUSION
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Canada's Declining Birth Rate: A Call for ActionThis article examines the implications of Canada's persistently low birth rate and proposes solutions to address the growing challenge.
Read more »
Home Depot Canada Certified for Class Action Over Data Sharing with MetaA Canadian court has certified a class action lawsuit against Home Depot Canada over the alleged sharing of customer purchase data with Meta (Facebook) without consent. The lawsuit claims Home Depot shared information from emailed receipts, including purchase prices, brands, and email data, with Meta for advertising purposes.
Read more »
Canada-based Fairfax among worst insurers in world for climate action, advocacy group saysInvestors for Paris Compliance says insurance giant Fairfax Financial has not disclosed any net-zero targets and has no interim goals on climate
Read more »
Canada's Pandemic Preparedness: A Call to ActionThis article critiques Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the lack of preparedness and the need for increased investment in discovery health research.
Read more »
Proposed class-action lawsuit claims Costco Canada overcharged shoppersCanadians who purchased products on Costco Canada's website could be part of a class-action lawsuit against the wholesale retailer. A proposed lawsui…
Read more »
Walmart Canada Addresses Class-Action Lawsuit Over Incorrectly Priced MeatWalmart Canada states that a third-party supplier responsible for weighing and labeling meat products at its Richmond, B.C., store took corrective action after it was informed of pricing errors. The retailer emphasizes that its suppliers adhere to Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations and denies any deliberate misrepresentation of meat weight. This statement follows a class-action lawsuit alleging that Walmart, Sobeys, and Loblaw Companies misrepresented meat weight by including packaging in the price.
Read more »