Mr. Speaker, three years ago, the Centre culturel islamique de Québec was the site of a tragic crime motivated by Islamophobia.
An armed man became so mired in hate that he walked into a mosque, in the middle of peaceful prayers, and killed six men while wounding many others. This tragedy, which became known as the Quebec City mosque massacre, was no accident. It was the consequence of a frightening rise in extremism, white supremacy and anti-Muslim views in Canada.
Since that tragic moment three years ago, we have seen hatred continue to rise. Families of the victims continue to struggle and political leaders across the globe endorse messages of hate directed toward Muslims.
We know that if we do not confront hate, it spreads like wildfire. When one of us gets hurt, we all get hurt. We are all connected.
That is why I am wearing this green square today. I wear it for the six widows and the 17 fatherless children, and for the courage shown by the community. In our schools, in our streets and online, we need to send the clear message that racism and Islamophobia are not welcome here.