Evidence of meeting #109 for Justice and Human Rights in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was islamophobia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Noon
Conservative
Arpan Khanna Conservative Oxford, ON
Thank you for that.
Recently, we've been seeing a lot of attacks on places of worship, regardless of faith. We saw it potentially with the church in Toronto. We've seen it with synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras and mandirs. We are seeing a rise.
Your headquarters are located in Maple. What's the sentiment of your congregation in your community? Is there an underlying fear of these attacks? I just want to get a reality check from you on what you're seeing and what you're hearing on the ground.
June 10th, 2024 / noon
National Secretary, Public Relations, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada
Our national headquarters are in Vaughan, Ontario. Socio-economically, it's a bit different from other parts of the country, but we have places.... Our mosques are in different cities everywhere.
This issue that has been spoken about, of Islamophobia or this fear of, “Is somebody looking at me differently? Is somebody thinking about me differently?” exists. It's not fake. I'm 51 years old this year. I was born here. When I was young, there were certain slurs used that were maybe anti-immigrant but not anti-Muslim, and then they went away.
I talked about this movement of the right gathering some steam, what's happened down south and even what's happening over here. The hate that took 50 years to bury has risen to the surface, and you don't bury this stuff again in four years. It takes a while. We need to focus on this.
Noon
Conservative
Arpan Khanna Conservative Oxford, ON
Thank you for that.
The next part of the question will be for Ms. Elghawaby. Obviously, as you mentioned, and as we've heard from testimony, there's been a massive spike in hate towards the Muslim community and other faiths as well. The Liberal government has brought forward some changes. It's been three years—
Noon
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab
I'm sorry, Mr. Khanna. I'm trying to keep the time here. We'll come back to that question. If it doesn't get posed again, would you mind sending us something in writing?
I will now go for five minutes to MP Zuberi, please.
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I would like to give the witness from the Centre culturel islamique de Québec 30 seconds to finish what he had to say, but I don't think the connection is working. So I will continue with Ms. Hasan.
Ms. Hasan, you were speaking about the research you had done with respect to Bill 21 and the intersectionality with women. Do you have any other points you'd like to add in the next few seconds?
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
Yes, there are so many points I can add. One of the things I wanted to say is that the study looked at women who were working within the public sector, but a lot of them were working outside of the public sector.
The impacts of Bill 21 are well beyond the technical scope of the law. I think one of the places we found it is actually in job-search experiences. Women applying for jobs in health care are being asked about their religious identity, which is categorically illegal, but they are very openly being asked about their religious identity. It was a very frequent experience. Over 40% of women reported that they were asked about their religious identity during a job interview, so we have a problem here of much broader impact.
Noon
Liberal
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
Yes, well beyond the letter of the law.
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
You said that the letter of the law, in your opinion, is—
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
That's within the public sector. Sorry, was that...?
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Do you opine that the letter of the law is discriminatory?
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
Yes, the letter of the law is discriminatory in and of itself, but we're seeing discriminatory impacts also well beyond the law. To truly understand what the impact of Bill 21 has been on Muslim women in Quebec—
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
—which I believe is what the courts themselves said, the lower courts. Is that correct?
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
That's right.
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
In terms of your research on this, is it completed? If so, can you submit it to this committee for analysts to include in their report?
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
Yes, I can.
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Please, I'd ask you to highlight any particular points you'd like to bring to the attention of the analysts as you submit that to us at this committee.
Noon
Assistant Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, York University, As an Individual
Yes.
Noon
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
Ms. Elghawaby, I appreciate what you were saying earlier with respect to being considered in hot conversations, in particular as they relate to discrimination and as they relate to the Middle East. I appreciate fully how your role is wholly domestic, so I respect the fact that you were considered in how you leaned into a conversation.
Do you have anything you'd like to add? I know that you've gone on the record many times condemning any form of violence, in particular violence that has happened in the Middle East, violence conducted by the listed group Hamas. Is there anything you'd like to add about the thoughtfulness that is necessary when leaning into this particular conversation, the thoughtfulness in general of those who are pronouncing themselves on social media?
12:05 p.m.
Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Office of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia
This is a moment of leadership for our country. It really is not up to one office or one level of government or one community. It really is a collective effort in which we model what it means to be Canadian, what it means to live in a country as pluralistic, as diverse and as peaceful as Canada. While the temptation to seek clicks online and to sort of win those types of competitions as to how many views your video obtains—
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I get your point, and we have less than a minute left.
12:05 p.m.
Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Office of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia
Sure.
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC
I've seen, and many of those who are tuning in right now have seen, how past governments, previous to 2015, have maligned the Muslim community. In some cases, provincial governments use minorities as pinatas to score populist political points.
I think Mr. Garrison referred to under-handed commentary, even as we are having you testify. How important is it that opinion-makers from media to politics be constructive and measured in their comments?
12:05 p.m.
Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Office of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia
Our children are watching us right now. They're watching to see how we navigate this very difficult time for our country. It really is critical and crucial that every statement and every message is one that brings people together, that recognizes diversity and protects freedom of expression, speech and assembly, all while maintaining inclusive, safe communities where everyone can be who they are without fear.
12:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Lena Metlege Diab
Thank you very much.
We will now go to the next round, with two and a half minutes each for Mr. Fortin, followed by Mr. Garrison, please.
Mr. Fortin, go ahead for two and a half minutes.