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 […]

Clothing

Dawson College professor accuses Quebec’s top judge of bias against Bill 21 Frédéric Bastien has filed formal complaint against Nicole Duval Hesler, chief justice of the Court of Appeal

(CBC) A Quebec historian has launched a formal complaint against the chief justice of the province’s Court of Appeal over comments she made about the province’s religious symbols law. Frédéric Bastien, who teaches history at Dawson College, said taken together, Justice Nicole Duval […]

Children & Teens

Nigerian family facing deportation fear for their lives if sent back to Africa The Bakare family fled Nigeria out of fear their daughter would be subjected to female genital mutilation

(CBC) Members of a Nigerian family living in Windsor say they fear for their lives as a result of media attention they’ve received after a deportation order previously issued by the Canadian government. Rasheedat Bakare, her husband Afeez, son Faaiq and daughter […]

Academics & Education

Amid political gamesmanship, some Quebec Muslim women enticed by offer to move to Manitoba 'Why wouldn't I go somewhere where I feel welcome?' asks one law student who wears a hijab

(CBC) As a political spat plays out between Manitoba and Quebec over Bill 21, some Muslim women affected by the province’s ban on religious symbols say they are tempted by the offer to move to the Prairie province. Seeba Chaachouh, a third-year law […]

Academics & Education

Pamphlets inform Muslim women of their rights in wake of Quebec’s secularism law Documents include information on how to face and report harassment and how to deal with discrimination

(CBC) An advocacy group is launching a campaign to inform Muslim women of their rights as it tries to deal with increasing reports of harassment and discrimination since Quebec’s secularism law was introduced. Justice Femme, the group behind the campaign, will begin distributing […]

Clothing

Quebec women’s federation gets hate messages after support for hijab hashtag Hashtag came after female politician barred from National Assembly for wearing a hoodie

(CBC) Quebec’s largest women’s organization said it was the target of hateful comments on social media after announcing support for the hashtag MonVoileMonChoix, or My Hijab, My Choice. The Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ) said it was inundated with hateful, Islamophobic messages. Some […]

Clothing

Ontario MPPs pass Coteau’s motion affirming religious freedoms in response to Quebec’s Bill 21 Michael Coteau placed motion before Legislature on Thursday afternoon

(CBC) The Ontario Legislature on Thursday passed a motion from Michael Coteau, Liberal MPP for Don Valley East, affirming the province’s support of religious diversity in response to Quebec’s Bill 21. Coteau placed the motion before the province’s elected representatives on Thursday afternoon, asking […]

Academics & Education

English Montreal School Board files legal challenge to Bill 21 Board argues law infringes on minority language education rights and equality of men and women

(CBC) The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) has filed its legal challenge of Quebec’s controversial law that bars teachers and principals from wearing religious symbols. The legal challenge, filed Thursday by the law firm Power Law on behalf of the EMSB and parent commissioners […]