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 […]

Clothing

Protesters gather to oppose religious symbols ban, one year after Bill 21 became law Law bans wearing of religious symbols such as a hijab or kippah by public servants in positions of authority

(CBC) Dozens of people gathered outside Quebec Premier François Legault’s Montreal office on Sunday to stage a sit-in, in opposition to the province’s ban on religious symbols that became law one year ago. The most controversial section of the law, known as […]

Academics & Education

Muslim groups call for MUN to take action against ‘[Islamophobe]’ doctor and systemic racism National and provincial groups voice concern over Zachary Kuehner and MUN's response

(CBC) A letter signed by four provincial and national Muslim associations says a doctor accused of making racist comments violated several professional standards, and criticizes Memorial University’s response to the incidents. Zachary Kuehner, a second-year resident at the school, came under fire for his […]

Academics & Education

MUN students pen letter of complaint against self-professed ‘Islamophobe’ doctor Dean of medicine issues statement without using the word 'racism,' says students didn't file proper complaint

(CBC) On Monday morning, a revised version of Zachary Kuehner’s Twitter bio appeared: “Resident doc, mutt owner, sometimes travel writer.” Deleted from the page was another descriptor that existed until some point over the weekend: “Islamophobe.” This, plus other objectionable comments on social media, […]

Health & Medicine

Mosques broadcast call to prayer over loudspeakers to boost morale during Ramadan City approved move that mosques hope will raise spirits during Ramadan despite COVID-19 distancing

(CBC) Some Calgary mosques have begun broadcasting a call to prayer over loudspeakers for the first time, to boost morale over Ramadan since large gatherings have been cancelled due to COVID-19. The Al Madinah Calgary Islamic Assembly was the first to do so from […]

Academics & Education

‘Disturbing, Islamophobic’ tweet about call to prayer prompts firing of Peel school council chair Ravi Hooda says his tweet was 'misinterpreted'; has now also been fired from Remax Canada

(CBC) A “disturbing, [Islamophobic] tweet” on the city of Brampton’s decision to allow mosques to broadcast the call to prayer has prompted the Peel District School Board to remove one of its school council chairs and launch an investigation into comments it […]

Academics & Education

‘Insulting’ Facebook comments about Islam and other religions earn B.C. teacher a reprimand John Yetman responded to invitation for Open Mosque Day with 'discourteous and disrespectful' language

(CBC) A Vancouver high school teacher has been disciplined for writing “intemperate and insulting comments” about religion on a Facebook post advertising open houses at B.C. mosques. John William Yetman has agreed to a formal reprimand after acknowledging he committed professional misconduct […]

Government & Politics

Hassan Diab urges federal government to settle $90 million claim alleging ‘wrongful extradition’ Diab was held for years in a French jail as part of a terrorism investigation that failed due to weak evidence

(CBC) Hassan Diab filed a statement of claim today seeking $90 million from the federal government over the role Canada played in his extradition to France — but his lawyer says the best outcome for everyone would be a speedy out-of-court settlement. […]

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 […]

Academics & Education

Legault government up in arms after EMSB awarded federal funds to fight pair of Quebec laws Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says funding is allocated by program independent of federal government

(CBC) The Quebec government says Ottawa has some explaining to do after it was revealed that the English Montreal School Board is funding two separate legal challenges of provincial laws with federal tax dollars. “We need an explanation from the federal government,” […]

Government & Politics

U.S. border officers were told to target Iranian-born travellers, officer alleges in email U.S. Border Protection has denied detaining Iranian-born travellers and blamed long waits on the holidays

(CBC) U.S. border officers working at multiple Canada-U.S. border crossings were instructed to target and interrogate Iranian-born travellers in early January, said a U.S. border officer in an email obtained by CBC News. The allegation follows reports that up to 200 people of Iranian […]

Clothing

Civil rights groups challenging Quebec’s religious symbols ban file appeal to Canada’s top court Request for appeal was filed in a 27-page brief Friday

(CBC) Civil rights groups challenging Quebec’s controversial ban on religious symbols have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Last month, Quebec’s Court of Appeal rejected a request to suspend portions of the law, known as Bill 21, pending a ruling on its constitutionality. […]

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 […]

Government & Politics

‘False and unfounded’: Liberal MP denies claims that he’s worked with Iran Journalist claims he was told by Iranian defector that Majid Jowhari has had contact with Iranian intelligence

(CBC) A Liberal MP is denying allegations, broadcast on an Iranian-language television network, that he has worked with and accepted money from Iran’s government. “These accusations are absolutely false and unfounded,” Majid Jowhari told CBC News in a written statement. “I strongly […]

Clothing

Civil rights groups want to challenge Quebec religious symbols ban in Supreme Court Appeals Court last week rejected request for injunction on sections of Bill 21

(CBC) Civil rights groups challenging Quebec’s controversial ban on religious symbols want to take their case to Canada’s top court. Quebec’s Court of Appeal last week rejected a request to suspend portions of the law, known as Bill 21, pending a ruling on its constitutionality. […]

Clothing

‘We will keep on fighting’: Muslim women devastated by Appeal Court decision to uphold Bill 21 Amal Sassi, who came to Quebec to pursue a teaching career, had hoped for a ruling allowing her to continue

(CBC) Amal Sassi was counting on Quebec’s highest court to suspend the province’s controversial secularism law, so she kept her head buried in her books Thursday and focused on studying for her final exams. When she stepped out and heard the news that […]

Clothing

Quebec’s top court won’t suspend province’s religious symbols ban, but judges say rights being violated Province’s controversial Bill 21 passes major legal test; opponents vow to continue fight

(CBC) Quebec’s Court of Appeal has refused to suspend the province’s controversial ban on religious symbols, even while acknowledging it causes “irreparable harm” to those affected. The province’s top court was ruling on a request to stay sections of the Laicity Act, or Bill 21, […]

Clothing

François Legault’s high-stakes game with the courts and Quebec’s secularism law Premier faces a test as supporters of the controversial Bill 21 question Quebec's chief justice

(CBC) The stakes around Quebec’s secularism law have always been high, but somehow they’ve managed to become even higher in recent days. The law (Bill 21) has already altered the career choices of dozens, maybe hundreds, of aspiring public school teachers, prosecutors and police officers by […]