100 results for author: NCCM IT Admin

Rights Groups Call for Public Inquiry into Case of Edmonton Constable Accused of Arresting Witness in Own Hearing

- For Immediate Release – Groups say Downing’s recent return to active duty is concerning (Ottawa – July 8, 2019) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the undersigned organizations are calling for a public inquiry after an Edmonton police officer, Constable Nathan Downing, was put back on active duty. Constable Downing was accused of using excessive force and racist slurs during the arrest of Edmonton man Nasser El-Hallak. Downing was recently permitted to return to active duty despite a disciplinary hearing arising from these allegations, and also troublingly, from the allegation that Downing arrested a witness testifying in ...

NCCM Supports Addition of Far Right Extremist Groups to Terror List

-For Immediate Release- (Ottawa - June 26, 2019) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) supports the federal government’s decision to add far-right extremist groups ‘Blood & Honor’ and ‘Combat 18’ (the armed branch of Blood & Honor) on Canada’s list of terrorist organizations. Members of the groups have been convicted in relation to a number of criminal activities and incidents inspired by white-supremacist and neo-Nazi ideologies. “Today’s news is a first step toward countering white supremacist and far-right extremism in our country. The threat these groups have posed to minority communities in Canada cannot be ...

Civil Liberties Groups launch Legal Challenge Against Bill 21

Le texte françias suit  NCCM & CCLA apply for a stay of the discriminatory recently passed Bill 21 (Montreal – June 17, 2019) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) today filed a legal challenge in the Quebec Superior Court to stay the application of Quebec’s Bill 21: An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State (Bill 21), which was passed into law late Sunday evening by the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ). The NCCM & CCLA lawsuit challenges the validity of the new law, contending that it is unconstitutional and will cause irreparable harm to religious minorities. It is ...

Groupes de libertés civiles intentent recours juridique contre projet de loi 21

English text follows Associations soumettent une demande de sursis pour rendre inapplicable le projet de loi 21 (Montréal – 17 juin 2019) Le Conseil national des canadiens musulmans (CNMC) et l’Association canadienne des libertés civiles (ACLC) ont aujourd’hui soumis une demande de sursis à la Cour supérieure du Québec pour rendre inapplicable le projet de loi 21 : Loi sur la laïcité de l’État introduit par la Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), qui est devenu une loi dimanche en fin de soirée. La poursuite du CNMC et de l’ACLC conteste la validité de la nouvelle loi, sous motif qu’elle est inconstitutionnelle et causera un ...

NCCM To Be Present at Disciplinary Hearing For Officer Accused of Islamophobic Slurs and Excessive Force

Executive Director Mustafa Farooq in Edmonton today for the hearing (Edmonton – May 27, 2019) Today in Edmonton the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), a prominent civil liberties and advocacy organization, will be present the disciplinary hearing for Constable Nathan Downing in Edmonton. Const. Downing is accused of using Islamophobic slurs and excessive force against Mr. Nasser El Hallak two years ago, leading to facial fractures and other injuries. The defendant has denied all such claims. In a statement of claim filed in 2017, Mr. Hallak accuses Downing of calling him a “f—king n---er”, and saying “You F—king Muslims, ...

Hate Incident at Quebec City Mosque Leaves Worshippers in Fear

Le texte françias suit – For Immediate Release – NCCM calls for increased police presence during Ramadan (Quebec – May 25, 2019) When the Quebec City Mosque was attacked on January 29, 2017, we were all in shock and fear. Canadians and Quebecers swore that we would act so that worshippers of all religions would feel safe. NCCM is deeply concerned to hear about an assault that took place at the Quebec City Mosque. According to witness accounts, the perpetrator yelled Islamophobic and anti-immigrant messages while physically assaulting one of the congregants. “We are deeply saddened to hear about the attack, especially during the ...

New Poll Shows 1 in 4 Canadians Believe Anti-Muslim Prejudice is Becoming More Acceptable

- For Immediate Release – NCCM notes correlation between poll and increased hate crimes targeting Muslims (Ottawa – May 21, 2019) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), a prominent civil liberties and advocacy organization, is deeply concerned to learn of a new poll showing that more than a quarter of Canadians feel it has become “more acceptable” to be prejudiced against Muslims over the past five years. The survey of just over 1,000 Canadians was conducted in April this year by Ipsos. “This new data, while concerning, is not a surprise to us at NCCM. In recent years we have noticed a rise in anti-Muslim and other racist ...

NCCM Submission on Discriminatory Bill 21

As the Bill 21 hearings conclude in Quebec on May 17, 2019,  the NCCM has released its own submission to the Quebec National Assembly despite not being invited to attend the hearings at all. This was the case for many organizations representing minority groups that would be directly affected by the discriminatory Bill 21 if it becomes law, including Sikhs, Jews and Muslims. "The NCCM firmly denounces the discriminatory underpinnings of Bill 21. The consultative process surrounding the Bill silenced the communities that are most affected by its proposed measures. The use of the notwithstanding clause constitutes a tyranny of the majority, as ...

NCCM Welcomes Changes to Security Infrastructure Program

Broadening of SIP funding an important step in making Canadians safer in places of worship (Ottawa – May 16, 2019) The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) welcomes the announcement by the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness this morning regarding the expansion of the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP). “The changes, which allow for dedicated funding to train staff around emergency preparedness, as well as expanding the scope of security enhancements, is welcome and an important step in making Canadians safer,” says Mustafa Farooq, NCCM Executive Director. “Today’s announcement assures communities that there ...

NCCM Presents Before House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Online Hate

On May 9, 2019, the NCCM presented before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on the perils of Online Hate and what must be done to tackle it. Our recommendations to the Committee focused on three key priority areas, reflecting what we have been hearing from our communities: Reform the outdated Canadian Human Rights Act by opening the Act for legislative review. This will ensure that the Act meets the modern-day challenges of online hate and hate speech; A parliamentary study into how social media companies can be regulated to better protect Canadians and reduce online hate, while ensuring that free ...