Recent Coverage
Palestine Trip Daily Dispatch
Monday - January 15, 2024
NCCM and Delegates Meet the Canadian Ambassador in Jordan
In the first-of-its-kind diplomatic engagement, NCCM and its delegates arrived at the Canadian Embassy in Jordan for a meeting with the Canadian Ambassador, Tarik Ali Khan. NCCM is traveling with Canadian MPs where they will get a first-hand view of the Occupation, hear stories directly from Palestinian refugees, and the violence that has persisted throughout the West Bank, including in Jerusalem.
Engagement with Civil Societies at the Canadian Embassy:
During their visit ...
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
We’re a Family. It’s Time To Protect Our Families
It is no exaggeration to say that the COVID-19 pandemic is the once-in-a generation devastating catastrophe.
In a time where we are all at our home with our families, we know that our mandate is to protect our families and our communities ...
Quebec’s bill to ban religious symbols sparks condemnation
By Les Perreaux
The Globe and Mail | March 28, 2019
Waves of condemnation washed over Quebec’s move Thursday to ban some public-sector workers from wearing religiously symbolic articles, despite Premier François Legault’s attempt to pacify the issue with a grandfather clause exempting current employees who stay in the same job.
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The National Council of Canadian Muslims called the legislation discriminatory and regressive. Executive director Ihsaan Gardee said the timing of Quebec’s law was troubling.
“We’re concerned about how it might embolden ...
Police investigating after mosque receives ‘troubling’ letter
By Julia Page
CBC News | March 26, 2019
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) is calling on people to speak out and help track Islamophobic incidents across Canada, in response to a "disturbing" letter sent last week to a mosque in Lévis, Que.
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The executive director of NCCM, Ihsaan Gardee, said the letter may meet the definition of a hate crime, because its underlying message is "you're not welcome here," and "you don't have a right to have a voice to advocate on behalf of your communities."
That notion goes against the idea of equality of ...
Canadian Labour Congress and Muslim group accuse Scheer of emboldening far-right actors
By Michelle Zilio
The Globe and Mail | March 21, 2019
The leaders of Canada’s largest labour organization and a prominent national Muslim group say Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is emboldening far-right extremists by failing to call out Islamophobia following the New Zealand mosque shootings and attending events with people who promote hate speech.
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Ihsaan Gardee, the executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), said Mr. Scheer’s initial decision to avoid saying that the victims were Muslims and the attacks took place at ...
After New Zealand, Tory cancels event with anti-Muslim speaker
By Janice Dickson
The Globe and Mail | March 16, 2019
Conservative MP Garnett Genuis says after the pair of deadly attacks in New Zealand he will no longer host an event on Parliament Hill featuring a guest speaker who drew sharp criticism from the Muslim community.
Muslim advocates said the guest speaker, Baroness Caroline Cox, promotes hate against Muslims, and she has also been accused of supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
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Ihsaan Gardee, the executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said his organization wrote to both ...
Tory leader issues new statement on attacks including mention of Muslims
By Mia Rabson
The Canadian Press | March 15, 2019
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer issued two statements on the terrorist attacks in New Zealand on Friday — the second after being criticized for not mentioning in the first that the attack was against Muslims at mosques during their Friday prayers.
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The National Council of Canadian Muslims criticized the omission in a statement Friday afternoon.
“While some of our elected leaders sadly choose not to mention ‘Muslim’ or ‘mosque’ while denouncing the Christchurch attacks, the ...
Quebec mosque gunman Alexandre Bissonnette sentenced to life in prison
By Ingrid Peritz
Globe and Mail | February 8, 2019
Alexandre Bissonnette, who massacred six men at a Quebec City mosque in what a judge called an act of “visceral hate” toward Muslim immigrants, was sentenced Friday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 40 years.
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Ihsaan Gardee, executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said the sentence “came as a surprise to many.”
“Many people were hoping that a strong sentence would send a message that hate crimes would be taken seriously,” Mr. Gardee said. “Some of them ...
Ottawa urged to help mosques, synagogues and religious schools prepare for attacks
By Bruce Campion-Smith
Toronto Star | February 6, 2019
OTTAWA — When a gunman opened fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue, there were some in the congregation who knew how to react.
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Leila Nasr, communications co-ordinator at the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said her group has not made any recommendations for the coming budget. But she said the program is well used by Muslim communities, especially in the wake of the mosque shooting.
She said mosques and other institutions are often the target of incidents that don’t make the news but threaten the ...
Amid controversy, Premier Legault admits Islamophobia exists in Quebec
By Philip Authier
Montreal Gazette | February 1, 2019
Premier François Legault has backed away from his remarks on Islamophobia, after sparking a controversy by saying it does not exist in Quebec.
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On Friday morning, the executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) called on Legault to retract the comment, which he made after a caucus meeting of Coalition Avenir Québec MNAs in Gatineau.
He had been explaining why he felt there was no reason to designate Jan. 29 — the date six Muslim men were murdered in a mass shooting in ...