Children & Teens

Canada shirking responsibility for families of ISIS militants in detention camps: Syrian Kurdish official Kurdish authorities say one camp has Canadian woman with 2 sick children

(CBC) Kurdish authorities responsible for the prisons and detention camps holding ISIS militants and their family members in northern Syria have accused Canada of shirking its responsibility by failing to bring Canadian women and children home, despite offers of assistance. “Let’s leave […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Canada’s new transport minister calls Bloc Québécois attack over his religious views ‘dangerous’

(Toronto Star) Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra is rebuffing an attack from the Bloc Québécois that was condemned Thursday as racist and Islamophobic, stating the party’s questions about his religious views and political background represent “dangerous rhetoric” based on “unsubstantiated innuendo.” Earlier […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Conservative Party disqualifies Jim Karahalios from leadership race after complaints over his behaviour The party did not say exactly what caused the disqualification, but there have been at least two incidents where people complained

(National Post) The Conservative Party has disqualified Jim Karahalios from the race following complaints over his behaviour. The party did not say exactly what caused the disqualification, but there have been at least two incidents where people complained about his behaviour. Karahalios […]

Banks & Banking

Tory leadership candidate Jim Karahalios accused of anti-Muslim ‘bigotry’ over letter Karahalios's letter, with the subject line: 'Say NO to Shariah Law. STOP Erin O'Toole,' targets O'Toole's campaign chair who is Muslim

(National Post) A mass-distributed letter by Conservative leadership candidate Jim Karahalios has sparked outrage in the party over using perceived anti-Muslim rhetoric to attack an Erin O’Toole campaign official, with O’Toole calling it “bigotry” that will lead to “electoral obliteration for our […]

Academics & Education

EMSB says it won’t accept federally backed funding to fight pair of Quebec laws Even though the Court Challenges Program is independent, Quebec's premier called on Ottawa to intervene

(CBC) The English Montreal School Board says it will not take the $250,000 it was offered by the federally backed Court Challenges Program to fight two Quebec laws that the board contends go against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In […]

Children & Teens

Mounties worried about anti-immigrant backlash after terrorism arrests: documents Police detained, then released, a man of Syrian descent during Project Salento last January

(CBC) The RCMP was worried about anti-immigrant backlash in the wake of an alleged Kingston terrorist plot and raised concerns about a rise in protests due to “the government’s position on immigration,” new internal documents show. Last January, the national police force charged a […]

Christians

Canadian imam: ‘Filthy’ candidates in elections support Zionism, homosexuality Sheikh Younus Kathrada warns Muslims they will be judged if they vote for Jews or Christians next week: ‘They are all evil’

(Times of Israel) A Canadian imam called candidates in the country’s upcoming elections “evil and filthy” supporters of Zionism who approve of homosexuality, warning Muslims they would be judged for their votes. “This voting is a testimony and will be recorded,” Sheikh […]

Clothing

Quebec’s religious symbols law has supporters beyond province’s borders: poll One-third of Canadians outside of province would support legislation similar to Bill 21

(CBC) There may be more support for Quebec’s controversial religious symbols law across the country than some Canadians would care to admit. The legislation, which came into effect in June and bans teachers, police officers and other provincial employees from wearing religious […]

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. […]

Clothing

In retort to Trudeau, Quebec’s premier asks federal leaders to ‘stay out’ of secularism law forever Liberal leader 'deeply opposed' to law, but says legal intervention not in the cards 'for the moment'

(CBC) Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that a Liberal government would not get involved in legal challenges to Quebec’s religious symbols law, at least not “for the moment.” But that wasn’t good enough for the province’s premier, François Legault, who wants a commitment from all federal […]

Clerics & Preachers

Liberals dump Quebec candidate after B’nai Brith, Conservatives allege anti-Semitic comments 'The insensitive comments made by Hassan Guillet are not aligned with the values of the Liberal Party'

(CBC) The Liberals have dumped a candidate in Quebec after B’nai Brith Canada accused Hassan Guillet of making a number of anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements. “The insensitive comments made by Hassan Guillet are not aligned with the values of the Liberal Party of Canada,” […]

Clothing

Will federal leaders back the legal challenge to Quebec’s religious symbols ban with an election looming? Jewish group wants Ottawa to intervene after emergency injunction denied

(CBC) The Canadian wing of an international Jewish organization wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to send government lawyers to join the legal fight against Quebec’s secularism law. B’nai Brith Canada published an open letter Thursday after a Quebec Superior Court justice denied […]

Employment

Majority of Canadians against accepting more refugees, poll suggests 76 per cent of respondents say Canada should do more to encourage skilled labour immigration

(CBC) A pre-election survey conducted for CBC News suggests Canadians are divided on immigration, with clear limits on the kind of migration they find acceptable. The government groups immigrants into three categories: economic, which are skilled workers and businesspeople, along with their […]

Academics & Education

MP Michael Cooper disparaged ‘goat herder cultures’ in 2008 law class discussion, lawyers claim Conservative MP denies allegation, says he's taking 'all necessary legal measures'

(CBC) Conservative MP Michael Cooper made comments deriding “goat herder cultures” during a discussion about Islam’s compatibility with Canadian democracy when he was a law student at the University of Alberta a decade ago, according to two lawyers who have come forward […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

What Michael Cooper got right and why

(Toronto Sun) We tend to place individuals and ideologies in neat, homogeneous compartments, when shades of grey better convey the reality. This seems to have happened in the controversy surrounding the tiff between Faisal Khan Suri, president of the Alberta Muslim Public […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Justice committee votes to scrub Conservative MP’s ‘hurtful’ remarks to Muslim witness from official record Michael Cooper had read sections from manifesto of Christchurch, New Zealand, mass killer

(CBC) The House of Commons justice committee in Ottawa has voted to strike controversial remarks from Conservative MP Michael Cooper from the record. Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault put forward the motion on Tuesday morning, calling Cooper’s comments “discriminatory, hurtful and disrespectful.” Over […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Liberal MP wants Cooper dumped from Tory caucus for rebuking Muslim witness, quoting Christchurch manifesto 2nd Liberal MP wants Cooper's quote referencing Christchurch terror manifesto stricken from committee record

(CBC) A Liberal MP wants Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer to strip MP Michael Cooper of his role as deputy justice critic and toss him from the party caucus for berating a Muslim witness at a parliamentary committee last week. A second Liberal […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslim witness calls for MP to be booted from caucus after ‘you should be ashamed’ outburst 'Such a member should never be part of caucus and should never retain his position,' Faisal Khan Suri says

(CBC) The Muslim man who was the target of an angry confrontation by Conservative MP Michael Cooper during a committee appearance says the punishment meted out by leader Andrew Scheer isn’t enough. “I think more needs to be done here,” Faisal Khan […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Scheer strips Tory MP of committee role after confrontation with Muslim witness Michael Cooper had quoted manifesto of accused New Zealand mosque shooter

(CBC) Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has stripped MP Michael Cooper of his spot on the House of Commons justice committee as punishment for Cooper’s angry confrontation with a Muslim witness in hearings dedicated to online hate. Earlier this week, Cooper told Faisal […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Committee erupts after Tory MP tells Muslim witness he ‘should be ashamed’ MP Michael Cooper read quote from manifesto of accused New Zealand mosque shooter into committee record

(CBC) A parliamentary committee exploring online hate descended into chaos this week after a Conservative MP told a Muslim witness he should be “ashamed” after he drew a link between “conservative commentators” and the online history of mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette. The […]

Citizenship

Revamped citizenship guide still a work in progress as election nears Document used by newcomers to prepare for citizenship test has historical gaps, outdated information

(CBC) A promised overhaul of Canada’s citizenship guide remains a work in progress with just months left in the Liberal government’s mandate. That leaves newcomers to the country with the existing guide — which is riddled with historical gaps and outdated information — as […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Two years after M103, a recap on Islamophobia

(Toronto Sun) Two years ago our federal parliament passed M103, a motion condemning Islamophobia. Part of the non-binding text referred to the need to reduce or eliminate “systemic racism and religious discrimination,” with a specific reference to Islamophobia. Conservatives offered a more […]