Government & Politics

After 17-year deportation fight over alleged terrorism ties, Toronto man sues federal government for $34M Between 1999 and 2016, the government signed three security certificates naming Jaballah, all of which ultimately failed to stand up in court

(National Post) One of the longest-running national security cases in Canada has resulted in a massive civil lawsuit, as an Egyptian-born Toronto man is suing the federal government for repeatedly trying to deport him over alleged ties to the 1998 terrorist bombings […]

Academics & Education

Muslim academicians from US, Canada visit Turkey Turkish deputy foreign minister says Turkey closely following US investigation into FETO’s activites

(Anadolu) A group of Muslim academicians teaching at universities in the U.S. and Canada visited Turkey and attended a conference on Tuesday. Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran also attended the conference, which was jointly organized by Turkey’s Center for Strategic […]

Children & Teens

New Muslim-focused domestic violence shelter planned for Calgary Growing numbers of Muslim women, refugees and immigrants fleeing abuse and violence, says charity

(CBC) Muslim women and children fleeing abuse could soon have access to a specialized shelter catering to their cultural and religious needs. While there are many organizations in Calgary offering services for Muslim women escaping domestic violence, there are no specialized shelters. […]

Banks & Banking

‘Everything I have done has always been above board,’ former mortgage lender tells fraud trial Omar Kalair faces numerous charges, including fraud, theft and laundering the proceeds of crime

(CBC) A man accused of misappropriating millions of dollars after his Shariah mortgage lending company went into receivership testified in his own defence in a Toronto courtroom, saying everything he’s done has always been “above board.” Omar Kalair, the former president and […]

Academics & Education

Aspiring teacher may leave Quebec if CAQ follows through on religious symbol ban New poll suggests Quebecers support ban on religious symbols for civil servants, including teachers

(CBC) Fatima Ahmad has been dreaming about becoming a teacher since she was a little girl. At age six, she wrote down the aspiration in her diary, along with two other options: doctor and artist. Ultimately, she chose teaching. “I love kids, […]

Academics & Education

Nearly two-thirds of Quebecers support public-sector ban on religious symbols, poll finds But when asked detailed questions about how to apply the ban, public opinion is more divided

(CBC) Most Quebecers are in favour of banning public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols, according to a CROP poll released ahead of the first legislative session under a Coalition Avenir Québec government. But a separate survey by Vox Pop Labs, conducted following […]

Crime

Canada: Muslim groups call for national day of action against hate Making 29 January a National Day of Action against Hate and Intolerance would honour victims of deadly Quebec mosque attack, groups say

(Middle East Eye) More than 100 community groups across Canada have called on Justin Trudeau’s government to designate January 29 a National Day of Action against Hate and Intolerance, in memory of the victims of a deadly attack on a Canadian mosque […]

Arts & Entertainment

New generation drives Calgary’s Muslim arts scene There’s a growing underground movement in Calgary featuring everything from painting to poetry

(CBC) More young Muslims in Calgary are picking up brushes, pens, cameras and microphones, and creating their own arts scene. A new generation is expressing themselves while honouring their religion in many different ways, including everything from traditional Islamic patterns and geometric […]

Government & Politics

Is Canada’s government funding terrorism?

(Gatestone) Canadian taxpayers have unwittingly been funding terrorism for more than two decades, often through federally registered charities, many of which have since been banned in other countries and subsequently by Ottawa as well. The International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and […]

Banks & Banking

Homeowner testifies at trial of 2 men accused of defrauding Shariah mortgage holders Defence is trying to demonstrate homeowners were credited for payments they made

(CBC) The trial of two men accused of defrauding homeowners who had taken out “Shariah-compliant” mortgages heard Thursday from one of the mortgage holders, who admitted under defence cross-examination that he and his wife eventually got credited for their payments. Omar Kalair […]

Banks & Banking

2 men defrauded Shariah-compliant mortgage-holders of millions of dollars, crown tells trial Omar Kalair pocketed money from his mortgage company before it went bankrupt, crown alleges

(CBC) The trial of two men charged with defrauding Muslim homeowners got underway in Toronto courtroom this week with the crown accusing the defendants of bilking their clients of millions of dollars. Omar Kalair and co-accused Yusuf Panchbhaya are standing trial in […]

Academics & Education

Westmount High teachers protest CAQ’s religious-garb ‘slippery slope’ 'What I look like has no affect on my teaching whatsoever. … You start with one exclusion and it’s a slippery slope downward.'

(Montreal Gazette) Teachers at Westmount High School took to the street Thursday to protest the incoming Coalition Avenir Québec’s proposed religious neutrality laws, on the day the new government was officially sworn in. The English Montreal School Board, which represents more than […]

Academics & Education

Charles Taylor slams CAQ plan to ban religious symbols for some civil servants Co-author of Bouchard-Taylor report calls CAQ plan 'ridiculous,' 'dishonest' and 'a lot of blather'

(CBC) Philosopher Charles Taylor says the new CAQ government “doesn’t get the point” of the report he co-authored that’s been frequently cited by the CAQ as justification for its controversial plan to ban the wearing of religious symbols by some civil servants. […]

Academics & Education

Westmount High teachers to rally against CAQ religious symbols ban Protest 'to send a clear message to the new government' is set for Thursday morning in front of the school.

(Montreal Gazette) Four years after staging protests against the Parti Québécois’s proposed charter of values, teachers at Westmount High School are planning to rally against the Coalition Avenir Québec plan to bar public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. […]

Arts & Entertainment

Canada’s first professional Muslim theatre company celebrates ‘the common thread that ties us’ As anti-Muslim sentiment rises in Quebec, Montreal's Silk Road Theatre hopes to help bring people together

(CBC) Montreal-based Silk Road Institute recently made history when it staged the play The Domestic Crusaders as the inaugural production for its new sub-company the Silk Road Theatre Company. In doing so, it officially became Canada’s first professional theatre company dedicated to celebrating Muslim stories. Supported by […]

Academics & Education

New Quebec government open to allowing existing teachers who wear religious symbols to keep their jobs But Coalition Avenir Québec has no intention of removing crucifix from National Assembly, spokesperson says

(CBC) After a week of controversy, Quebec’s incoming Coalition Avenir Québec government is opening the door a crack to compromise on its plan to ban some civil servants from wearing religious symbols. The CAQ said last week it would be prepared to fire teachers who refuse to […]

Clothing

French and values tests not the way to integrate newcomers, Quebec immigrants say Premier-designate confirms plan to cut immigration 20% next year

(CBC) Newcomers to Quebec and their advocates say the premier-designate is taking the wrong approach to integrating immigrants, after François Legault said he will proceed next year with Coalition Avenir Québec’s plan to cut immigration levels by 20 per cent. At his first news conference as incoming premier, Legault confirmed […]

Children & Teens

Syrian community fears scapegoating after man new to Canada charged with murder of Marrisa Shen 'The saddest thing is mostly [I've] heard from other Syrians who are extremely shocked by what happened'

(CBC) Members of B.C.’s Syrian community say they are concerned the announcement of Ibrahim Ali’s murder charge for the death of Marrisa Shen — and Ali’s status as a former refugee — could lead to unwarranted backlash. Police on Monday announced that […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

UCP nomination candidate apologizes for remarks about Fort McMurray Muslims NDP describe comments made by Cindy Ross in 2015 as 'racist views'

(CBC) A Calgary United Conservative Party nomination candidate has apologized for three-year-old social media comments in which she compared Muslims in Fort McMurray to bank robbers. Cindy Ross, who is seeking the UCP nomination in Calgary-Fish Creek, apologized for now-deleted Facebook posts […]