Government & Politics

‘Crazy’ to consider releasing man who named Revelstoke dam as ISIS target into nearby community: mayor Othman Ayad Hamdan must meet a long list of conditions before being released into Enderby, in B.C.'s Okanagan

(CBC) Othman Ayed Hamdan named the Revelstoke Dam in B.C. as a potential target in a series of online posts praising ISIS and cheering on lone wolf attacks. Now, he may be released into nearby Enderby while he awaits deportation from Canada, […]

Academics & Education

When CSIS comes knocking: Amid reports of Muslim students contacted by spy agency, hotline aims to help Creators of University of Toronto-based student support line say spy agency often on ‘fishing expeditions'

(CBC) When Ramz Aziz received a nervous phone call from his mother-in-law two years ago, it wasn’t to check in on his new baby. Instead, two men were at her door, looking for him. The pair identified themselves as public safety officers, and […]

Government & Politics

‘Whitewash’: Hassan Diab attacks report concluding government acted properly in his extradition case Diab spent over three years in a French prison before the case against him fell apart

(CBC) Hassan Diab and his lawyer are accusing the federal government of perpetrating a “whitewash” after an external review, released today, concluded government lawyers acted ethically and followed proper procedures in extraditing him to France for a terrorism case that later fell […]

Clothing

Civil rights groups seek appeal of judge’s refusal to freeze parts of Quebec’s religious symbols law Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June

(CBC) Two civil rights groups are seeking an appeal after a Quebec Superior Court justice refused their emergency request to temporarily freeze parts of the province’s new religious symbols law. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties […]

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 […]

Clothing

Quebec’s religious symbols law passes 1st legal test as judge refuses injunction Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June

(CBC) A Quebec Superior Court justice has rejected a request to temporarily suspend parts of the province’s new religious symbols law, though he did agree it raises “serious” constitutional questions. Justice Michel Yergeau said Thursday the court must defer, at this stage, […]

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

(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 […]

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 […]

Clothing

Quebec premier shrugs off charge new religious symbols law makes Muslim women more vulnerable to racism François Legault skeptical of Muslims who say Islamophobia's on the rise in Quebec

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says he doesn’t “really” believe Muslim women in the province who say they’ve been the target of Islamophobic incidents since the government passed a law making it illegal for some civil servants to wear religious symbols. Several Muslim […]

Academics & Education

Quebec federation of school boards says it will obey secularism law this fall The province's largest board has said it would hold consultations before banning religious symbols

(CBC) Quebec’s federation of school boards (FCSQ) says it intends on obeying the province’s new secularism law when classes resume in September. The move comes after the province’s largest school board, the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM), said it would not enforce the […]

Clothing

In Quebec’s secularism law, an Ontario police force sees a source of recruits Brampton, Ont., mayor calls Quebec law 'an affront to freedom of religion'

(CBC) An Ontario police force will launch a recruiting campaign targeting Quebec residents affected by the province’s new law on religious symbols. The Peel Regional Police, which covers territory including the cities of Mississauga and Brampton, will conduct a campaign in Quebec after a motion was passed unanimously […]

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 […]

Clothing

To minorities worried about religious symbols law, Quebec premier says he ‘could have gone further’ New law responds to desires of long-spurned majority, François Legault says in interview

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault had a blunt message Tuesday for minorities worried about his government’s new religious symbols law: the legislation, he said, “could have gone further.” The law, which was passed late Sunday, bars civil servants in positions of authority — including public school teachers, […]

Clothing

Fears of ‘secularism police’ raised by CAQ’s last-minute changes to religious symbols bill 'It was never discussed, it's unacceptable,' Liberal MNA says of amendments

(CBC) Quebec’s opposition is warning last-minute changes to the Coalition Avenir Québec’s religious symbols law open the door to the establishment of “secularism police.” In the final hours before Bill 21 was passed late Sunday, the CAQ introduced several amendments, including provisions to ensure the […]

Clothing

Quebec government adopts controversial religious symbols bill Religious symbols law, introduced as Bill 21, passed with a vote of 73-35

(CBC) Quebec’s majority government has pushed through a controversial piece of legislation that will bar public-school teachers, government lawyers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols while at work. The bill, introduced by the Coalition Avenir Québec government, passed after a marathon weekend of deliberations […]

Clothing

‘We aren’t an elective monarchy’: Opposition MNAs decry Legault’s push to pass immigration, secularism bills MNAs sitting after CAQ government said it would invoke closure to ensure Bills 9 and 21 pass before summer

(CBC) Opposition parties are accusing Quebec’s Legault government of trying to run the National Assembly like a business, as they attempt to extend the debate of its two flagship Bills 9 and 21. Members of the National Assembly are sitting this weekend […]

Clothing

François Legault defends decision to quash debate over immigration, religious symbols bills Despite widespread criticism, Quebec premier says it's time to 'turn the page'

(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says there’s a risk of upsetting “social cohesion” in the province if the debate over religious symbols is allowed to linger any longer. Legault will invoke closure to pass his government’s controversial secularism and immigration bills, putting an end […]

Clothing

Quebec government to sit through weekend to ram through immigration, religious symbols bills Premier Legault will invoke closure to ensure its flagship legislation, Bills 9 and 21, pass before summer

(CBC) The Coalition Avenir Québec government will invoke closure this weekend to force passage of two controversial pieces of legislation — one that reforms the province’s immigration system and another that bars civil servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The centre-right party […]

Clothing

Quebec government aims to define religious symbols in amendment to secularism bill Move is seen as a concession to ensure bill will pass on Friday

(CBC) The Quebec government is offering a first concession to critics of its proposed law restricting religious symbols worn by some civil servants. Tuesday afternoon, Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette tabled the amendment which would define what a religious symbol is. The amendment seeks to define a religious symbol […]

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 […]

Clothing

Why doesn’t the Quebec government seem bothered by mounting tension over its religious symbols bill? The CAQ insists everything is fine as Quebec debates Bill 21, but evidence suggests otherwise

(CBC) Over the weekend, police in Quebec City opened an investigation into a possible hate crime outside a suburban mosque, the same mosque where, in 2017, a white nationalist killed six people. The incident, which allegedly involved a man shouting racist comments […]

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 […]

Academics & Education

Bill 21 won’t apply to us, Quebec’s English school boards say QESBA cites Supreme Court ruling in arguing English boards exempt from proposed law

(CBC) An organization representing all nine of Quebec’s English school boards says the province’s proposed ban on religious symbols can’t be imposed on them, potentially opening a new front in the legal resistance to the legislation. Like some of their French counterparts, English schools boards […]

Clothing

CAQ government ignoring Montreal’s diversity with secularism bill, Plante tells lawmakers Montreal mayor says Quebec hasn't thought enough about how Bill 21 will impact immigrant women

(CBC) The mayor of Quebec’s biggest city accused the provincial government on Tuesday of rushing ahead with a controversial proposal to restrict religious symbols without considering the harm it will cause Montreal’s diverse population. At a legislative hearing in Quebec City, Valérie Plante said the […]

Academics & Education

At Quebec secularism bill hearings, government challenged to say why trampling religious rights is necessary Quebec's Legislature opens 2 weeks of hearings into controversial bill

(CBC) After spending all day hearing from defenders of his secularism bill, Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette was confronted Tuesday evening with a challenge from a wispy-haired, 87-year-old philosopher. “We are still waiting for an explanation about why this is necessary,” Charles Taylor told Jolin-Barrette at legislative hearing […]

Clothing

Hearings on Quebec’s secularism bill have little time for religious groups, critics say Only 2 faith groups invited to legislative hearings in Quebec City

(CBC) Legislative hearings into Quebec’s controversial secularism bill began Tuesday amid concerns that religious groups have largely been excluded from the process. Premier François Legault remains insistent that Bill 21, which was tabled in late March, will be passed before the National […]