Recent Coverage
Muslim groups denounce Quebec Premier Legault’s statements on Islamophobia
The Globe and Mail | February 1, 2018
Premier Francois Legault’s statement that Islamophobia does not exist in Quebec was denounced by Muslim groups as “offensive and inexcusable,” prompting Legault to clarify his statements on Friday.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims called on Legault to retract the remarks made Thursday, two days after the second anniversary of a mosque shooting that killed six Muslim men in Quebec City.
Ihsaan Gardee, the group’s executive director, said in a statement late Thursday that Legault’s comments “are an absolute ...
‘It could have been us’: Canadians rally on two-year anniversary of mosque massacre
By Jillian Kestler-D'Amours
Middle East Eye | January 29, 2019
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Leila Nasr, communications coordinator for the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), said Muslim communities across Canada are in a sombre mood on the two-year anniversary of the attack.
“We're sort of in this period of reflection on what happened in the past, but then also anxiety on what's about to come in the future,” she told Middle East Eye, pointing to the fact that Bissonnette’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for early February.
Nasr said the conversation in the immediate ...
Muslim group unsurprised by sharp rise in hate crimes
By Laurie Fagan
CBC News | November 30, 2018
The head of a national Muslim group based in Ottawa says he's not surprised to learn the number of hate crimes reported to police in Ontario and Quebec jumped dramatically last year.
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Quebec reported a 50 per cent jump over the same period, with hate crimes rising from 327 in 2016 to 489 in 2017. That increase in attributed largely to crimes against the province's Muslim population, peaking in February 2017, the month following the mass shooting that killed six people at a Quebec City mosque.
That trend was ...
Muslims formed human ‘rings of peace’ to protect synagogues in Canada
By Christina Maxouris and Brandon Griggs
CNN | November 6, 2018
After a deadly attack last year on a mosque in Quebec, Christians and Jews formed human "rings of peace" around mosques across Canada to help Muslim worshippers feel safer on their way in.
This past weekend, Muslims did the same for six synagogues in Toronto. Several hundred people, arriving in busloads from different mosques, stood shoulder to shoulder around the synagogues with one very clear message.
"We're here for you," Fatima Sajan said.
Sajan was one of the organizers with the National ...
Muslims Surround Toronto Synagogues With Protective ‘Rings Of Peace’
By Liz Haq
Huffington Post Canada | November 3, 2018
People from various faiths came together in a moving act of solidarity for the victims of the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, as well as a show of strength and protection for Jewish people across Canada.
Numerous "Rings of Peace" were formed around Toronto synagogues on Friday night and Saturday morning, made up of multi-faith worshippers standing shoulder-to-shoulder and joining hands. The events were organized by the National Council of Canadian Muslims in partnership with mosques ...
Woman wearing hijab was entitled to testify, Quebec top court rules
By Ingrid Peritz & Les Perreaux
The Globe and Mail | October 3, 2018
... Ms. El-Alloul’s case was taken up by the National Council of Canadian Muslims, which backed a court challenge to seek a legal opinion on the matter.
An initial Superior Court ruling found that while Justice Marengo’s arguments went against the principles of religious freedom, a judicial opinion would interfere with the authority of individual judges.
But the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling. It said that Justice Judge Marengo had made an "erroneous” interpretation of the rules on ...
Ford finally names white nationalist Faith Goldy in denouncing hate speech
By Kristin Rushowy
Toronto Star | September 26, 2018
After three days of furor over a photo of Doug Ford posing with a white nationalist, the premier took to social media Wednesday to denounce hate speech — saying he won’t tolerate it from anyone, including Faith Goldy.
“I have been clear. I condemn hate speech, anti-Semitism and racism in all forms — be it from Faith Goldy or anyone else,” the premier tweeted at midday regarding the controversial Toronto mayoral candidate, who had posted the picture taken at the Ford Fest barbecue on the weekend.
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Stitching it together: Reflections on Danforth from a Muslim Surgeon
Written by Haneen Al-Hassoun, NCCM Intern
Dr. Najma Ahmed, a Muslim trauma surgeon at St. Mike’s Hospital in Toronto saved the lives of the same people shot by Danforth shooter, Faisal Hussain – also a Muslim.
Dr. Ahmed was the on-call trauma surgeon on the horrific night of July 22 when a senseless shooting spree claimed the lives of an 18-year-old woman and 10-year-old girl. Several others were wounded.
The team at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) was so inspired by Dr. Ahmed’s story, and spoke with her about what it meant to her to be a ...
Anti-Islam group postpones rally at Nathan Phillips Square
By Premila D'Sa and Claire Floody
Toronto Star | August 9, 2018
An anti-Islam organization has postponed a rally scheduled for Saturday after drawing widespread condemnation from organizations and Toronto city councillors.
The World Coalition Against Islam, a Calgary-based far-right group, planned to gather at Nathan Phillips Square for what would have been its first rally in Ontario.
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The National Council of Canadian Muslims, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations and other community organizations had planned to hold a news conference Friday at city hall ...
Whitby woman speaks out after allegedly being confronted over her hijab
By Jasmine Pazzano
Global News | August 2, 2018
A mother of four from Whitby, Ont., says a complete stranger hurled insults at her for wearing a hijab, an alleged incident that is now at the centre of a Durham police investigation.
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The alleged Whitby encounter is just one of the latest in a string of suspected incidents against Muslims across the Greater Toronto Area.
“What we’re seeing really concerns us,” said Leila Nasr of the National Council of Canadian Muslims. “We’ve had nine hate crimes or hate incidents reported to us in the month of ...