A coalition of Muslim organizations expressed gratitude for the Canada-wide vigils and other outpourings of support after the attack on a Quebec City mosque. But it wants that to translate into action.

A coalition of Muslim organizations expressed gratitude for the Canada-wide vigils and other outpourings of support after the attack on a Quebec City mosque. But it wants that to translate into action.
Photo Credit: Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press

Coalition calls for concrete action on Islamophobia

A coalition of Canadian Muslim organizations is calling for the creation of a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia in the wake of the fatal attack on a Quebec City mosque on January 29, 2017.  Alexandre Bissonnette is charged with several counts of murder and attempted murder.

Six men were shot to death at a Quebec City mosque on January 29, 2017 and several more were injured.
Six men were shot to death at a Quebec City mosque on January 29, 2017 and several more were injured. © CBC

‘Now what?’

In a statement, the coalition thanks fellow Canadians for their strong support in the wake of the shooting that took six lives and injured several more. But it asks, “now what?”

The coalition says each level of government has a role to play. It calls on city councils to boost resources of local police to increase training on hate crimes and to provide education and outreach to diverse communities.

Call to raise awareness about racism

It wants each provincial government to create an Anti-Racism Directorate as has the province of Ontario. It examines issues of systemic racism and runs public education campaigns. Further to that, it calls on departments of education to create a mandatory course in high schools on systemic racism.

The coalition is calling on all members of Parliament to support a motion tabled by Member of Parliament Iqra Khalid which would require the Canadian government to study ways to reduce or eliminate system racism and religious discrimination.

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