Briefs & Submissions


NCCM Policy Paper: CBSA Oversight Bill

Click here to read the full paper.  There are very few Canadian Muslims who can’t relate – or know someone who relates - to the challenge of “flying while Muslim”. We at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) are very familiar with these challenges. From young Muslim six-year old kids appearing on Canada’s No Fly List, to Muslims facing additional screening purely on the basis of their religious backgrounds, to problems at the border based on where their parents were from, NCCM has heard countless stories over the last two decades about the challen...

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NCCM 2019 Federal Election Policy Guide

The NCCM's 2019 Federal Election Guide is here!  Download your copy today. The rise of hate in Canada means that we need to take action. Our election guide recommends policy actions focusing on issues that represent deeply concerning violations of human rights and threaten the civil liberties and security of all Canadians. We call on all political parties to take action on the issues raised in our 2019 Federal Election Policy Guide.

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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 ...

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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Committee focused on three key priority areas, reflecting what we have been hearing from our communities: Reform the outdated Canadian Human Rights Act by opening the Act for legislative review.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 ...

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NCCM Testifies Before Senate Hearing on Bill C-59

On May 6, 2019, the NCCM testified before the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence on Bill C-59, An Act Respecting National Security Matters. Bill C-59 was tabled by the Liberal government to make critical improvements to existing national security laws enacted by the previous Conservative government - namely, Bill C-51. As Mustafa Farooq, Executive Director of the NCCM noted, “There are positive developments in C-59, including increased oversight measures and changes to the No Fly List. However, we continue to have concerns around the ...

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2017 ODIHR Hate Crime Report

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) contributed a report of anti-Muslim incidents and hate crimes in 2017 to the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Information from the NCCM document is included in the latest data release on the Hate Crimes Reporting Website, managed by the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Only two Canadian non-government organizations reported figures to the OSCE, of which Canada is a member state. The numbers are based on cases reported to NCCM, as well as cases reported in the media ...

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NCCM’s Written Submission to Canada’s Third Universal Periodic Review

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) warmly welcomed the opportunity to provide written recommendations to the Government of Canada as it prepared its response to United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s draft Working Group report and recommendations on Canada’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This written submission was submitted to the government in July 2018 following a number of in person consultations with other civil society groups. The submission details which recommendations made by UN Member States the NCCM believes Canada should priorit...

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NCCM testifies on national security legislation (Bill C-59)

On December 12, 2017, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) regarding Bill C-59, An Act with respect to National Security Matters, which overhauls Canada's national security laws. Bill C-59 was tabled by the Liberal government in an effort to bring about changes to existing national security laws enacted by the previous government. NCCM Executive Director Ihsaan Gardee and Legal Adviser Faisal Bhabha testified before the committee about this far-reaching ...

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NCCM testifies on systemic racism & discrimination at Heritage Committee

On October 4, 2017, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage regarding its study on systemic racism and religious discrimination in Canada. The study emerged from the passage of Motion 103, which condemned Islamophobia in Canada and called on the government to undertake a study on how to address discrimination and racism in Canada. Executive Director Ihsaan Gardee and Quebec Public Affairs Coordinator Eve TOrres testified before the committee about the rise of Islamophobia and the ...

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NCCM’s Report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) submitted a report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) on Canada’s implemention of human rights obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The provincial and federal government will be appearing before the committee on August 14-15, 2017 in Geneva. NCCM’s report highlights the barriers to inclusion and systemic discrimination faced by Canadian Muslims, and recommends measures that the government can implement to ...

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