News: North America

No regret: Captured ISIS fighter wants to come home — but not if he will be judged by Canadian law Some security experts question Canada’s strategy in dealing with returning ISIS members

(CBC) Before he was captured by Syrian Kurdish forces in February, Canadian Mohammed Khalifa went from being a cog in the ranks of ISIS to its English-language voice. Khalifa, 35, who goes by his ISIS nom de guerre Abu Ridwan, says he […]

Academics & Education

Quebec’s religious symbols ban causes ‘irreparable harm,’ teachers tell court Civil rights groups file affidavits ahead of appeal set for November

(CBC) Civil rights groups fighting Quebec’s religious symbols law have filed new evidence which, they say, demonstrates without a doubt it has “caused and continues to cause irreparable harm.” Lawyers submitted affidavits last week from Muslim women who were denied employment opportunities or […]

Academics & Education

‘I feel a kind of rage inside me’: Hijabi teachers in Quebec struggle to find way forward Advocacy group Justice Femme says secularism law is so vague, school boards all apply it differently

(CBC) Fatima Boularhmane isn’t sure where to turn anymore. She and her husband and children emigrated from Morocco about a decade ago, lured by the idea of living in a free and democratic country. Trained as an electrical engineer, Boularhmane tried in vain to get a […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Two Muslim men say American Airlines canceled their flight to DFW because crew ‘didn’t feel comfortable’ flying with them 'Airports are a scary place for Muslims,' says D-FW imam.

(Dallas Morning News) Two Dallas-area Muslim men say their American Airlines flight was canceled because the crew “didn’t feel comfortable” after they waved to one another boarding a flight from Birmingham, Ala., to DFW International Airport. When they got off, they said […]

Academics & Education

3 CSDM teachers have taken off religious symbols to work, school board says The board would not specify what kind of symbols the teachers wore

(CBC) The largest school board in Quebec says three teachers have been directly affected by Quebec’s secularism law, formerly known as Bill 21. On Tuesday afternoon, the Commission Scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) revealed the teachers took off their religious symbols in order to be able to […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Sameer Zuberi chosen as Liberal candidate for Pierrefonds-Dollard Over the weekend, the Conservative Party accused Zuberi of questioning Osama bin Laden's involvement in 9/11

(CBC) Sameer Zuberi, a Montreal activist who has been outspoken against Islamophobia in the province, has been nominated as the Liberal [candidate] for Pierrefonds-Dollard. Until July, Zuberi was the diversity and engagement officer for McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine, according to LinkedIn. […]