fbpx
MAC
  • Search
  • Offcanvas Icon
    • About
      • Who We Are
      • Our Team
        • Executive Committee
        • Board of Directors
        • Leaders Spotlight
      • FAQ
      • Community Impact
    • Institutions
      • Schools
        • Full-Time Schools
          • Olive Grove School
          • Maple Grove School
          • Abrar School Ottawa
          • Al-Furqan Ottawa
          • Rahma School Ottawa
          • Al-Furqan Toronto
          • Al-Furqan Waterloo
          • Niagara Islamic School
          • MAC Calgary Islamic School
          • MAC Edmonton Islamic School
          • Albayan School Vancouver
        • Part-Time Schools
          • Al-Huda Schools
          • Al-Huda-Verdun Islamic School
          • Al-Huda School Winsdor
          • Al-Salam Academy Calgary
        • Quran Schools
          • Al-Otrojah for Quran Studies
          • Ecole Coranique Al-Bayane
          • Dar Al-Arqum
        • Pre-Schools & Daycare
          • MAC Islamic School Creative Minds Edmonton
          • OGS Preschool & Toddler Program
          • Maple Grove School
      • Centers & Masajid
        • Islamic Community Centre of Ontario – ICCO
        • Masjid Toronto Dundas
        • Kitchener Masjid Waterloo
        • Islamic Centre of Waterloo
        • MAC Youth Centre Ottawa
        • Al Rawdah Mosque
        • Centre Laurentien d’Aide A la Famille
        • Montreal: CIIC
        • MAC Information Centre
        • MAC Islamic Centre of Verdun
        • Rose City Islamic Centre
        • Cold Lake Mosque
        • MAC Islamic Centre (Rahma Mosque)
        • Montreal Centre Communautaire Villeray
        • Al-Salam Centre
        • MAC Vancouver Centre
        • MAC Hyde Park
        • MAC Westmount
        • MAC Noor Garderns
        • Masjid Aisha
        • Masjid Hespeler
      • Local Chapters
        • Mississauga
        • Toronto
        • London
        • Kitchener Waterloo
        • Hamilton
        • Ottawa
        • Montreal
        • Windsor
        • Calgary
        • Edmonton
        • Vancouver
    • Our Work
      • Youth
      • Projects and Campaigns
      • Events & Activities
    • News & Media
      • Statements
      • MAC in the News
      • Bulletin Board
      • Newsletter
    • ConnectHub
      • Connect Hub Resources
      • Positivity
      • Kids’ Corner
      • Islamic Resources
      • Health & Wellness
      • Family
      • Fun Learning
      • Nutrition & Fitness
      • Creativity
      • Business
    • Contact Us
      • Get in Touch
      • Media Inquiries
      • Contacts Directory
      • Volunteer
      • Careers
    • Donate
    • Search
MAC
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Our Team
      • Executive Committee
      • Board of Directors
      • Leaders Spotlight
    • FAQ
    • Community Impact
  • Institutions
    • Schools
      • Full-Time Schools
        • Olive Grove School
        • Maple Grove School
        • Abrar School Ottawa
        • Al-Furqan Ottawa
        • Rahma School Ottawa
        • Al-Furqan Toronto
        • Al-Furqan Waterloo
        • Niagara Islamic School
        • MAC Calgary Islamic School
        • MAC Edmonton Islamic School
        • Albayan School Vancouver
      • Part-Time Schools
        • Al-Huda Schools
        • Al-Huda-Verdun Islamic School
        • Al-Huda School Winsdor
        • Al-Salam Academy Calgary
      • Quran Schools
        • Al-Otrojah for Quran Studies
        • Ecole Coranique Al-Bayane
        • Dar Al-Arqum
      • Pre-Schools & Daycare
        • MAC Islamic School Creative Minds Edmonton
        • OGS Preschool & Toddler Program
        • Maple Grove School
    • Centers & Masajid
      • Islamic Community Centre of Ontario – ICCO
      • Masjid Toronto Dundas
      • Kitchener Masjid Waterloo
      • Islamic Centre of Waterloo
      • MAC Youth Centre Ottawa
      • Al Rawdah Mosque
      • Centre Laurentien d’Aide A la Famille
      • Montreal: CIIC
      • MAC Information Centre
      • MAC Islamic Centre of Verdun
      • Rose City Islamic Centre
      • Cold Lake Mosque
      • MAC Islamic Centre (Rahma Mosque)
      • Montreal Centre Communautaire Villeray
      • Al-Salam Centre
      • MAC Vancouver Centre
      • MAC Hyde Park
      • MAC Westmount
      • MAC Noor Garderns
      • Masjid Aisha
      • Masjid Hespeler
    • Local Chapters
      • Mississauga
      • Toronto
      • London
      • Kitchener Waterloo
      • Hamilton
      • Ottawa
      • Montreal
      • Windsor
      • Calgary
      • Edmonton
      • Vancouver
  • Our Work
    • Youth
    • Projects and Campaigns
    • Events & Activities
  • News & Media
    • Statements
    • MAC in the News
    • Bulletin Board
    • Newsletter
  • ConnectHub
    • Connect Hub Resources
    • Positivity
    • Kids’ Corner
    • Islamic Resources
    • Health & Wellness
    • Family
    • Fun Learning
    • Nutrition & Fitness
    • Creativity
    • Business
  • Contact Us
    • Get in Touch
    • Media Inquiries
    • Contacts Directory
    • Volunteer
    • Careers
  • Donate
  • Search

COMMENTARY: Hate Crimes are Rising and Muslims are Increasingly Targets

sana
July 2, 2019
Bulletin Board, In the News

By Memona Hussain Special to Global News

Laura Whelan

On April 22, a woman was allegedly assaulted outside the parking lot of Walmart in Milton, Ont. The alleged assaulter hit her while the victim was with her two-month and four-year-old daughters.

Sadly, this is no longer an “atypical, or one-off” incident. The National Council of Canadian Muslims has reported 72 incidents in 2017 and 41 in 2018.

This incident was reported in the local media. But many such incidents go unreported.

READ MORE: Nearly 50% of Canadians think racist thoughts are normal, Ipsos poll finds

A recent IPSOS survey also points to the fault lines in society.

Almost half of Canadians (47 per cent) believe racism is a major issue confronting society today. One in four Canadians (23 per cent) have been a victim of this growing tide.

And though Jews and Blacks have also been targeted, some 59 per cent of the respondents believed, Muslims were the most likely targets. The same poll finds that more than a quarter of Canadians think, over the past five years, it has become “more acceptable” to be prejudiced against Muslims and Arabs.

READ MORE: 1 in 4 Canadians say it’s becoming ‘more acceptable’ to be prejudiced against Muslims, Ipsos poll finds

The survey continues with statistics showing nearly four in 10 Canadians feel immigrants are a threat to white Canadians and are stealing their jobs. Three in 10 Canadians also believe that Muslims in Canada follow Sharia law instead of the local law and that two in 10 Canadians think people of the Jewish faith control media and finance in the country.

Statistics Canada also reported a 47 per cent rise in police-reported hate crimes between 2016 and 2017. During the period, Muslim-related incidents went up by 151 per cent, while incidents against Jews also surged by 63 per cent.

The biggest jumps were seen in Ontario and Quebec, where they went up by 207 per cent and 185 per cent respectively.

WATCH BELOW: Some Canadians still believe harmful stereotypes, Ipsos poll finds

The Peel Police Service’s annual Hate Motivated Crimes report documents the trend. In 2017 48.1 per cent of hate crimes targeted religious groups and Muslims were the most aggrieved. The number of incidents against them went up from five in 2016 to 57 in 2017.

The Trump era has also given a boost to white supremacy trends. Local, far-right extremist groups have penetrated into Canadian institutions. A recent Canadian Armed Forces investigation revealed that some of its members have been linked to six hate groups since 2013.

READ MORE: Canadian Armed Forces members linked to six hate groups, internal report finds

Visible minorities also feel the number of hate-related crimes is underestimated, not only because of unreported incidents but also because law enforcement agencies are not treating every such incident as a hate crime or as a direct consequence of Islamophobia.

The government is aware of the emerging fault lines. It has taken steps to provide security to visible minorities. Public Safety Canada has spent more than $7 million since 2012, upgrading security at religious institutions. Yet the spate of violent, hate crime continues.

READ MORE: Canada’s places of worship are fortifying, and the government is helping pay for it

Recently, the Muslim Association of Canada and the Muslim Council of Peel hosted the Peel Police and RCMP to discuss how it was dealing with rising extremism and Islamophobia. To overcome the sense of insecurity among the visible minorities, and to understand the “other viewpoint,” more of such interactions remain absolutely necessary.

“Canadian multiculturalism is not focused on equity or affirmative action,” writes Brittany Garuk in an online article. Instead, Garuk adopts the view that it is focused on “non-controversial” aspects of culture, such as food, clothing, dance and music, that are used to promote tourism. “We need to stop asking if racism is a problem here, and talk about ‘why’ it is a problem here.”

Ottawa needs to commit to the enormity of the situation. Defining Islamophobia in absolute terms could be the first step in the process.

Let us also begin by delineating an all-encompassing definition of Islamophobia, and prioritizing this dilemma in government and law enforcement.

This is not simply an issue pertaining to the Muslim community, but rather a Canadian issue of social justice and equality that must be addressed before this pandemic reaches other communities.

Memona Hossain is completing her PhD in ecopsychology and serves as a board member of the Muslim Association of Canada.

Previous Story
Faith Communities Should be Responding to MMIWG Report
Next Story
Les communautés religieuses devraient répondre aux Rapport du MMIWG

Related Articles

Ali, Lawendy and Dwyer: Faith-based mental health supports for students need a boost

More and more during the pandemic, young people are turning...

Unique challenges faced by Black Muslim community warrant better understanding, attention

Black Muslims in Canada face combined oppressions of anti-Black racism...

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Recent Comments

  • Anzar Ahmad on Writing a Muslim-Canadian narrative is based on knowing your authentic identity
  • Ahmed on MAC Give Organizing Blood drive with Canadian Blood Services
  • Ahmad Ismail on Akram Raouf
  • Khunsa A on Artwork by Sajida Fazal-Chagpar
  • Noor on It’s Ok to let boys be Aggressive: It May have Flattened the Curve | Article by Dr. Asma Ahmadi

Archives

  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • January 2019

Categories

  • Articles
  • Artwork
  • Bulletin Board
  • Connect Hub
  • Cooking
  • Eid
  • Expressions Corner
  • Humans of COVID19
  • In the News
  • Local ePrograms
  • MAC E-Learning
  • National Campaigns
  • National ePrograms
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • Official Statements
  • Photography
  • Poetry
  • Ramadan Highlights
  • Ramadan Learning & Activities
  • Reflections
  • Relief
  • Short Stories
  • Spotlight
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
  • EN
  • FR

Quick Links

  • About Mac
  • Donate
  • Sign Up
  • Contacts Directory
  • Media Inquiries
  • Careers @ MAC (FR)

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)Follow

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)
Retweet on TwitterMuslim Association of Canada (MAC) Retweeted
MACNational
23 Feb

Canada is a country that stands for human rights around the world. We commend @CPC_HQ Leader @erinotoole and all MP’s of the legislature that voted in favour of passing the motion to recognize China's genocide of Uighur Muslims.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/uighur-genocide-motion-vote-1.5922711

Reply on Twitter 1364321726822309891Retweet on Twitter 136432172682230989135Like on Twitter 136432172682230989193
MACNational
23 Feb

Canada is a country that stands for human rights around the world. We commend @CPC_HQ Leader @erinotoole and all MP’s of the legislature that voted in favour of passing the motion to recognize China's genocide of Uighur Muslims.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/uighur-genocide-motion-vote-1.5922711

Reply on Twitter 1364321726822309891Retweet on Twitter 136432172682230989135Like on Twitter 136432172682230989193
MACNational
19 Feb

Thank you to Nimao Ali, Rania Lawendy and Imam Yasin Dwyer for this important Oped on the mental health crisis in Universities and how students are looking to faith support to cope.
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/ali-lawendy-and-dwyer-faith-based-mental-health-supports-for-students-need-a-boost

Reply on Twitter 1362824402560311299Retweet on Twitter 13628244025603112991Like on Twitter 13628244025603112994

Follow Us

Copyright ©2019 Muslim Association of Canada. All Rights Reserved
SearchPostsLoginCart
Friday, 20, Mar
MAC Give Food Share Campaign
Tuesday, 17, Mar
MAC Give Organizing Blood drive with Canadian Blood Services
Friday, 26, Feb
Ali, Lawendy and Dwyer: Faith-based mental health supports for students need a boost
Wednesday, 17, Feb
Response to a Smear Campaign in Relation to Action Against Employees Breaching Contractual Agreements
Friday, 12, Feb
Unique challenges faced by Black Muslim community warrant better understanding, attention
Friday, 5, Feb
Ibrahim Arid
Wednesday, 3, Feb
MESSAGE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tuesday, 2, Feb
The Pandemic Can Bring Us Together In Service—Let’s Start By Giving Blood

Welcome back,