Dismantle Systemic Islamophobia. July 23. 2021 NCCM (National Council of Canadian Muslims) released their recommendatiosn & demands. These demands will enshrine Islamophobia into the fabric of Canadian culture. It will become a lasting legacy as well as increase funding for Islamic organizations.
The NCCM envisions a Canada where Muslims are fully engaged, empowered and recognized as a positive force for the betterment of all.
Our recommendations are clear. At the level of the federal government we need to see a commitment to enshrine the fight against Islamophobia within government. Right now there are essentially no specific resources or strategy specifically around addressing Islamophobia. Even as the federal government commits to the need to combating Islamophobia through the creation of a special office of a special envoy on Islamophobia through investment under a specific anti-Islamophobia strategy, into public messaging and supporting storytelling initiatives
NCCM states that a key element to their mission is to advocate for the public concerns of Canadian Muslims. To Dismantle Systemic Islamophobia is of Great concern to the Canadian Muslim community.
Amongst numerous other changes. We suggest in our recommendations that the federal government can and has to commit to the fight against Islamophobia. Simultaneously the federal government needs to commit to fighting Islamophobia at the systemic level within government. looking at profiling at the CRA of Muslim-led charities…
Ottawa mosque loses charity status for promoting ‘hate and intolerance’
Canadian Revenue Agency stated: “Many of the views expressed by the organization’s speakers are misogynistic, homophobic, racist and/or promote violence,” the CRA Charities Branch wrote in a letter sent to the mosque president. Identified as one of the Hate preachers was Imam Said Rageah. Biography Story National Post
Abu Usamah at-Thahabi is an Imam at Green Lane Masjid in Birmingham, England:
“Anyone who changes his religion, kill him.”
“If I call homosexuals dirty perverted dogs that should be murdered. That is my free speech.”
Said Regeah Toronto Imam:
Stephen Harper is an enemy of Islam.
Contextualizing the context effectively quashes the Islamophobic narrative.
Charles Lewis reported in the National Post: Toronto University Professor Walid Saleh, at the Centre for the Study of Religion said, much of what Mr. Rageah said must be taken in the context of how Muslims may use terms in the midst of a religious service.
The CRA was also concerned that “radicalized individuals” had attended the mosque, one of whom, Ashton Larmond, is now imprisoned for attempting to join the so-called Islamic State.
Mustafa Farooq CEO of NCCM:
…or how national security agencies have continued to profile Canadian Muslims and other racialized minorities while ignoring the threat, and missing the threat in many ways, of white supremacist groups.
We call on the federal government today towards taking action on dismantling systemic Islamophobia within our institutions. At the provincial level we have a range of recommendations from looking at every province, including this one. Committing to an anti-Islamophobia strategy and education, to provincial hate crime accountability units, to looking at the ways to stop violent white supremacist rallies in our provinces.
Hate crime statistics Toronto Police 2020
- Jewish
- Black
- LGBTQ+
- Multi Bias
- Chinese
- Indian
- Muslim
- White
- Catholic
- Asian
- Christian
- Brown
- 63
- 43
- 21
- 19
- 12
- 10
- 9
- 6
- 5
- 3
- 3
- 2
At the municipal level we believe that the key path forward is recognizing and celebrating the path forward. And we have brought forward a number of recommendations around that. We need to see action and we need to see it now.
Governments attending the summit must know that we want more than their attendance. We want to see their commitment to timelines. As we see daily attacks against our community members, and since London, much more needs to be done and it needs to be done now. At the end of the day this is about choices. Do we choose to merely speak, to merely have words, of consolation and consternation or do we choose to act? Thank you.