Sikhism

Academics & Education

Quebec’s religious symbols ban dashed dreams and sparked hate, witnesses testify on 1st day of Bill 21 trial Groups argue secularism law unfairly bars Muslim women from public sector jobs, such as teaching and law

November 2, 2020   

(CBC) A test of the constitutionality of Quebec’s secularism law began Monday amid tearful testimony from Muslim and Sikh teachers who said the law derailed their careers and made them targets of bigotry. The law, which was passed last year despite protests from civil […]

Government & Politics

Supreme Court receptive to damages battle over no-fly list Forecasting a win for four men whom the FBI put on the no-fly list after they refused to spy on fellow Muslims, several U.S. Supreme Court justices saw an implication of private damages in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

October 6, 2020   

(Courthouse News) Several justices with the U.S. Supreme Court hinted Tuesday that a law protecting religious freedoms includes a subtext that would allow individuals to sue government agents for money damages. In the underlying 2013 suit, Muhammad Tanvir accused FBI agents of violating […]

Beards

RCMP reverses mask policy for bearded officers Prime minister said policy discriminated against officers who keep beards for religious reasons

October 1, 2020   

(CBC) The RCMP has reversed its policy on mask-wearing after being accused of discrimination over the rule, which saw bearded Mounties — including Sikh and Muslim officers — reassigned to desk duty. The policy, which was condemned by both activists and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, required front-line officers to wear […]

Beards

RCMP mask policy for bearded front-line officers is discriminatory and ‘shouldn’t have happened,’ Trudeau says PM and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair say Mounties need to 'rectify' policy

September 25, 2020   

(CBC) The prime minister says the RCMP’s policy requiring front-line officers to wear properly fitting N95 respirator masks amounts to discrimination and “shouldn’t have happened,” because the rule disfavours officers who keep beards for religious reasons. Justin Trudeau said Friday he was “very disappointed” to hear about […]

Interfaith

44% of UK Muslims back anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, poll finds London-based Henry Jackson Society think tank report says integration may be key to tackling anti-Jewish prejudice in Muslim community

August 4, 2020   

(Times of Israel) Nearly half of British Muslims endorse some anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, a newly published report has found. However, anti-Semitic sentiments drop sharply — by as much as 12 percentage points — among those Muslims who are more integrated into British […]

Clothing

Muslim woman sues police in Yonkers, New York, for forced hijab removal In an exclusive interview with HuffPost, a Muslim woman talks about the trauma she faced after police confiscated and photographed her without her hijab.

April 8, 2020   

(HuffPost) When Yonkers, New York, police demanded Ihsan Malkawi remove her hijab for her booking photograph, the 42-year-old Muslim woman became distraught. She tried through tears to explain to the officers that she wore her hijab for religious reasons and it was […]

Clothing

Edmonton city councillors denounce Quebec’s Bill 21 Mayor Don Iveson says legislation forbidding religious symbols 'an offence to civil rights'

October 17, 2019   

(CBC) Edmonton city councillors are denouncing legislation in Quebec that restricts civil servants from wearing religious symbols as discriminatory and racist. “Bill 21 is an offence to civil rights,” Mayor Don Iveson said during an executive committee meeting on Thursday. “It is troubling, deeply troubling to […]

Clothing

Calgary council unanimously votes to condemn Quebec’s ‘regressive’ Bill 21 'Racism and bigotry has no jurisdiction,' says Coun. George Chahal

September 30, 2019   

(CBC) Calgary city council voted unanimously Monday to formally oppose Quebec’s Bill 21, the province’s secularism law which bars certain civil servants from wearing religious symbols at work. “Racism and bigotry has no jurisdiction,” said Coun. George Chahal while introducing the motion. “It is […]

Crime

Hate crimes targeting Muslims in Canada down 50 percent in 2018, new data shows But experts say data doesn't paint a full picture, with about two-thirds of hate crimes never reported to police

July 22, 2019   

(Middle East Eye) Hate crimes against Muslims in Canada were down 50 percent in 2018 compared to the year before, a new report by Statistics Canada has said. But a national advocacy group has warned about an uptick in hate incidents targeting religious institutions. […]

Clothing

As fight over Quebec’s religious symbols law shifts to courts, legal experts debate best way to challenge it Bill 21 invokes notwithstanding clause, complicating how opponents can challenge law's constitutionality

July 8, 2019   

(CBC) Quebec’s religious symbols law was not yet 12 hours old when it became the subject of a Superior Court motion seeking to have it struck down. On Tuesday, the motion, filed last month by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and […]