Academics & Education

Quebec’s English school boards will have to apply secularism law until court hears challenge EMSB didn't sufficiently prove how applying law would be harmful, Quebec Court of Appeal rules

(CBC) Quebec’s English school boards will have to abide by the province’s secularism law, known as Bill 21, until challenges against and in favour of the law are heard in court. The province’s Court of Appeal has rejected a request by the […]

Crime

Muslim leaders urge Ontario to adopt Our London Family Act to immediately combat Islamophobia Act includes 6 proposals to counter racism in wake of June attack on Afzaal family

(CBC) Leaders of Canada’s Muslim community are urging the Ontario government to take immediate action against Islamophobia and adopt measures they’re proposing to get to the root of “systemic discrimination.” Nadia Hasan, chief operating officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, on Monday discussed the […]

Academics & Education

English Montreal School Board asks court to speed up exemption from religious symbols law EMSB argues waiting for appeal process to play out is causing irreparable harm

(CBC) The English Montreal School Board was before the Quebec Court of Appeal Monday, asking for an acceleration of its exemption to Bill 21, the controversial law that prevents some civil servants in positions of authority — including teachers — from wearing religious […]

Academics & Education

Staff, students in this school board are learning about Islamophobia, but true test comes in real world Peel District School Board's strategy and mandated training seen as important 1st steps to be widely emulated

(CBC) Over the years, Nokha Dakroub has come face-to-face with racism and anti-Islamic hate during her work as a school trustee. Among the most vivid incidents were a series of meetings at her Mississauga, Ont., school board in 2017, when protesters spewed Islamophobic comments […]

Academics & Education

Peel school board approval of anti-Islamophobia strategy draws support from community groups Trustee Nokha Dakroub pushed for strategy, which includes mandatory staff training

(CBC) Community groups are welcoming a Peel District School Board decision to develop an anti-Islamophobia strategy because they say the plan will help make schools safer for Muslim staff and students. At its Sept. 30 meeting, the Peel District School Board (PDSB) passed a […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Conservatives dump Toronto candidate over Islamophobic tweets Lisa Robinson denies involvement but suspends campaign in Beaches–East York

(CBC) The Conservatives have dumped their candidate in the Toronto riding of Beaches–East York after past Islamophobic tweets surfaced. A spokesperson confirmed that Lisa Robinson will not run under the party’s banner in the riding. “Racism and Islamophobia has no place in […]

Crime

Muslim communities worry that Islamophobic violence is being forgotten during election campaign As party leaders roll out campaign promises, the problem of racist violence seems to be flying under the radar

(CBC) Three months after all major party leaders gave emotional speeches at a vigil in London, Ontario, for the four members of the [Afzaal] family who were killed in a drive-by attack, the threat of Islamophobic violence still hasn’t emerged as an […]

Government & Politics

Justice Mahmud Jamal is first person of colour nominated to the Supreme Court of Canada Jamal will replace Justice Rosalie Abella, who retires from the top court on Canada Day

(CBC) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has nominated the Honourable Mahmud Jamal as the next member of the Supreme Court of Canada. “I know that Justice Jamal, with his exceptional legal and academic experience and dedication to serving others, will be a valuable […]

Academics & Education

Quebec appeals Superior Court’s decision to nix parts of secularism law Justice minister says 'Quebec nation has made the choice of secularism'

(CBC) Quebec’s attorney general filed a notice of appeal Friday regarding the Superior Court decision on April 20, which upheld most, but not all, of the province’s controversial secularism law enacted under the Coalition Avenir Québec government. In that ruling, Justice Marc-André Blanchard […]

Arts & Entertainment

Filmmaker hopes new doc on Canadian and other ISIS brides will help ‘leave hatred behind,’ allow repatriation Alba Sotorra Clua asks for compassion as Hamilton's Kimberly Polman renews plea to be allowed to come home

(CBC) Hamilton native Kimberly Polman is among former ISIS brides featured in The Return: Life After ISIS by Alba Sotorra Clua and her Barcelona-based production company, and the filmmaker hopes the new documentary will give insight into the issues surrounding repatriation. Sotorra Clua said the documentary, currently […]

Academics & Education

Muslim teachers in Quebec disappointed as landmark religious symbols ruling faces appeal Province plans to appeal decision on secular law that made exemption for English-language schools

(CBC) Amar Al-Shakfa dropped off her CV at a Montreal school on Wednesday, a day after learning English school boards would be exempt from the province’s ban on religious symbols under a new court ruling. Al-Shakfa, a 25-year-old Montrealer who wears a […]

Academics & Education

Quebec Superior Court upholds most of religious symbols ban, but English-language schools exempt Government plans to appeal, saying exemption will create a more divided Quebec

(CBC) Quebec’s secularism law violates the basic rights of religious minorities in the province, but those violations are permissible because of the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause, a Superior Court judge ruled on Tuesday. But the ruling by Justice Marc-André Blanchard also declared that […]

Government & Politics

Activist’s deportation case adds to increased calls for oversight of border services Abdelrahman Elmady says he was deemed a security threat over his ties to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

(CBC) An Egyptian human rights activist is fighting to stay in Vancouver, saying the political affiliations that forced him to seek asylum in Canada are now being used to justify his deportation. In 2011, Abdelrahman Elmady joined other Egyptians in an uprising against the […]

Government & Politics

It’s ‘absolutely essential’ Canada repatriate citizens in Syrian camps: Antonio Guterres People should have the possibility to voluntarily go back to their countries of origin, says UN chief

(CBC) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says it’s “absolutely essential” countries such as Canada repatriate Canadian women and children currently being held in prison camps in Syria. Guterres made the remarks to chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton when asked if the Liberal government’s […]

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 […]

Clothing

Calgary task force finds Quebec’s Bill 21 has far-reaching impacts for religious minorities Focus groups say concerns include psychological trauma and potential for copycat laws

(CBC) A task force comprised of faith groups, think-tanks and community organizations in Calgary says Quebec’s Bill 21 has impacted religious minorities across Canada since it came into law in 2019. The secularism law bans religious symbols, like hijabs and turbans, prohibiting public teachers, lawyers, police […]

Academics & Education

Uphold religious symbol ban to spare children from being influenced by hijab, Quebec parents plead Court case against Quebec's Bill 21 hears from supporters of the law for the first time

(CBC) Several parents pleaded with a Quebec Superior Court judge on Monday to uphold the province’s religious symbols ban in order to shield their children from being exposed to the hijab, which they believe conveys a “pernicious” sexist message. The parents, all […]

Academics & Education

Hijab a symbol of empowerment, not oppression, plaintiffs argue at trial of Quebec secularism law Sociologist testifies that most Muslim women aren't forced to wear the headscarf

(CBC) Plaintiffs challenging Quebec’s ban on religious symbols sought to dismantle, on Tuesday, one of the main arguments made by supporters of the law — that the hijab is a symbol of female oppression and undermines gender equality. The Laicity Act, which was passed […]

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

(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 […]

Demonstrations

Members of Syrian Community Centre of Windsor protest, condemn France over Muhammad cartoons The group of about 30 held up signs condemning French President Emmanuel Macron

(CBC) Members of the Syrian Community Centre of Windsor gathered outside city hall on Friday to protest France’s reaction to Muhammad cartoons. The group of about 30 held up signs condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for recent “anti-Muslim comments” and his staunch […]

Academics & Education

Thames Valley School Board to begin collecting race-based data Teachers are invited to participate in training to combat [Islamophobia] in schools

(CBC) The Thames Valley District School Board will conduct a student survey this school year, focused on identifying the ethnicities of its families. “We don’t actually have that data just yet in our board,” said board assistant principal Doriana Rosati. “I mean the entire province […]

Beards

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

(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

(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 […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

People’s Alliance drops candidate for making Islamophobic comments online Memramcook-Tantramar's Heather Collins will no longer be running for the People's Alliance

(CBC) People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin has dropped one of the party’s election candidates because she complained online about the number of Muslims immigrating to this country. As of Wednesday, Memramcook-Tantramar’s Heather Collins is no longer a candidate for the party — […]

Academics & Education

Commission rules in favour of 2 Muslim students who wanted prayer at private school Calgary's Webber Academy was fined $26,000 in 2015, Court of Appeal ordered new hearing

(CBC) The Alberta Human Rights Commission tribunal has again ruled in favour of two Muslim students who sought prayer space at a non-denominational private school in Calgary. The tribunal had previously found in 2015 that Webber Academy in southwest Calgary unlawfully discriminated against the […]