Anniversary of Quebec mosque attack prompts renewed calls to combat anti-Muslim hate.
As Canada approaches the nine-year anniversary of the tragic Quebec City mosque shooting, the urgency to confront Islamophobia has never been more pronounced. Canadian Muslim leaders are rallying to draw attention to the ongoing struggles against hate and discrimination within society, emphasizing the need for collective awareness and sustained action against xenophobic attitudes. This anniversary serves not only as a solemn reminder of past violence but also as a call to honor the memory of those lost by promoting understanding and inclusivity among all Canadians.
Canadian Muslim leaders are advocating for an end to Islamophobic rhetoric as the country prepares to mark the nine-year anniversary of a tragic attack on a mosque in Quebec. Stephen Brown, the CEO of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), emphasized that the anniversary serves as a stark reminder that Islamophobia is a serious issue in Canada and not merely a benign concern. Brown noted, “It’s something that unfortunately kills people,” urging society to acknowledge the tangible consequences of hatred.
On January 29, 2017, a gunman tragically opened fire at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre, killing six Muslim men in a devastating act that remains the deadliest assault on a house of worship in Canadian history. The attack profoundly impacted Quebec City’s close-knit Muslim community, triggering nationwide vigils and widespread condemnation, while also highlighting the alarming increase in anti-Muslim sentiment and radicalization seen globally. The Canadian government responded to the attack by officially labeling it a “terrorist attack” against Muslims, pledging to address the root causes of such violence.
In 2021, the government designated January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, a significant step toward acknowledging the pain caused by this tragedy. However, Brown expressed concern that the lessons learned from the event are not being fully heeded nearly a decade later. He lamented the resurgence of Islamophobic sentiments for political gain, particularly felt by the Muslim community in Quebec today.
Brown highlighted several policies enacted by Quebec’s right-wing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) government that critics argue disproportionately affect Muslim Quebeckers. Since taking power in 2018, the CAQ implemented a law in 2019 preventing certain public servants from wearing religious symbols while on duty, including hijabs worn by Muslim women, turbans by Sikhs, and yarmulkes by Jews. Advocates for human rights argue this legislation, known as Bill 21, unfairly targets religious minorities, particularly Muslim women.
While the CAQ justifies the law as a measure to protect secularism, a perspective stemming from the province’s historical shift during the 1960s, rights organizations assert it creates discrimination disguised as secular policy. Recent developments have witnessed the introduction of a new bill expanding the religious symbols prohibition to include daycares and private schools, alongside regulations barring schools from providing meals according to specific religious dietary laws, such as halal or kosher.
Jean-Francois Roberge, the provincial minister responsible for secularism, has defended these laws, stating they apply equally to all and are not discriminatory. However, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) has challenged such notions, arguing that these regulations mask discrimination as a pursuit of secularism and particularly affect religious and racial minorities.
With the rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric in political discourse, Brown cautioned that such language emboldens individuals harboring Islamophobic views to act on their prejudices. At the federal level, Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combating Islamophobia, reiterated the government’s ongoing commitment to combat hatred, recently launching an Action Plan aimed at tackling hate across the nation. Despite these efforts, a rise in reported hate crimes against Muslims, with a reported 211 incidents in 2023, reveals a rising tide of discrimination that continues to threaten the fabric of Canadian society.
Elghawaby acknowledged Canada’s struggle with divisions and increasing polarization, despite its reputation for inclusivity. She affirmed the importance of commemorating the Quebec City mosque attack, emphasizing that the victims’ families strive to ensure their loss is not forgotten. To honor their memory, she called upon Canadians to engage in promoting understanding and mutual respect in their communities. “History can sadly repeat itself if we don’t learn from the lessons of the past,” she stressed.
#PoliticsNews #CultureNews
