What Muslim Canadians can teach Asian communities about the discrimination that sadly lies ahead GlobeDebate
Sheema KhanOn the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I remember making a frantic call to Dudley Herschbach, a former chemistry professor at Harvard, to make sure no one was on the Boston-based flight that crashed into the World Trade Center. The next day, he called me back to reassure me that everyone was safe. The relief of his words, however, was punctuated by his worry: that hate was about to be unleashed against Muslims, Arabs and people who looked Middle Eastern.
I have spent almost two decades fighting xenophobia directed against Muslim communities in Canada, from hate crimes to discriminatory employment practices to state-sanctioned rendition policies. I was the chair of a grassroots advocacy group that worked with civil institutions – such as the media, human-rights commissions, school boards and the courts – to advocate that Canadian Muslims be treated fairly in accordance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
With the possibility of a “Cold War" with China, Canadian security agencies might begin interviewing Chinese-Canadians. These interviews can be traumatic, inducing fear. Community members should be educated about their rights prior to such interviews, along with their duty to speak truthfully. Recourse to legal assistance will be necessary. In addition, there should be lines of communication open between advocacy organizations and CSIS.
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.
Asian stocks rebound after Trump avoids reigniting trade warAsian stock markets rebounded Monday after President Donald Trump avoided reigniting a trade war with China amid tension over Hong Kong and the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »
Canadian community organizations, advocates fill information gaps on COVID-19 for non-English speakersIn the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in B.C., many news releases were only available in English, while translated materials are often buried on government and health authority websites
Read more »
Canadian dollar climbs to three-month high ahead of BoC rate decision this weekCanadian dollar climbs to three-month high ahead of BoC rate decision this week GlobeBusiness
Read more »
COC, CPC and OTP announce $5M investment in return to high-performance sport - Sportsnet.caThe Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and Own the Podium (OTP) have announced a $5-million investment in a phased return to high-performance sport.
Read more »
Morning Update: Protests against police brutality sweep U.S.The Globe and Mail's Canadian coverage. Get the latest national news featuring Canadian events, politics and perspectives.
Read more »
Kane grateful for other pioneers ahead of Sports Hall of Fame induction - Sportsnet.ca“I’m proud to think that I did something to help move Canadian golf,” said Lorie Kane. “I just think I was doing what everybody else had shown me to do, and they may not have gotten the recognition that I’m getting.
Read more »