Justice committee  Hasan. I think you were just starting to talk about your work on the impact on Muslim women. We live in a society that has quite often historically tried to police the dress of women and tried to blame women for things that happen to them because of dress choices they make.

Retirement Congratulations  Mobina Jaffer has been a champion for women's and children's rights and human rights; a proud African; a proud Ismaili Muslim; a proud mother, daughter, grandmother and wife; and a proud Canadian. Senator Jaffer's time in the other place has been all about improving the quality of life of others, all with humility and good humour.

Justice committee  I remember how, for the next seven to 10 days, in each and every publication in Montreal and across the province, there were important human stories about who Muslims in Quebec are. They vulgarized who Muslims in Quebec are—meaning they made it plain, instead of putting forth discriminatory things that are unclear and whatnot. Ms. Macfarlane, in about 45 seconds, can you share your path with us?

Justice committee  How is the community supporting Muslim women?

Justice committee  Panju was talking about earlier as well was an actual definition of hate—in our case, especially, an agreed-upon definition or description of Islamophobia, which is still missing. A lot of negative rhetoric comes towards Muslims and even allies who try to say “Islamophobia”. Some say that Islamophobia is nothing. It's something Muslims have invented—something like that. It's always pitted against freedom of speech and the idea that somehow, if we do anything to address Islamophobia, it's going to curtail that freedom of speech.

Justice committee  So often right now, Islamophobia, for example, is being conflated with anti-Palestinian racism, and they're related but different concepts. Not everyone who is a Muslim is Palestinian, and not everyone who is a Palestinian is a Muslim: For many Canadians, that's not an apparent issue. The compounding impacts of anti-Palestinian racism and gendered Islamophobia are serious concepts, and we think the government needs to take an active role in recognizing this and also to play a role in educating our communities about the values and strengths that make Canadians who we are.

Justice committee  In my presentation today, I'm going to say a few words about some research that I conducted in 2010 to 2012 and the book that I wrote as a result, which was about Muslim marriage and divorce customs in North America as practised amongst North American Muslims, both here in Canada and in the U.S.—

Justice committee  I want to welcome our witnesses for the second panel. In person, we have Husein Panju, chair of the Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association, and Fauzia Mazhar, executive director of the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener-Waterloo. By video conference, we have Abdallah Yousri, executive director of the Nova Scotia Ummah Society, and as an individual, Julie Macfarlane, emerita distinguished professor of law.

Justice committee  Even before this fall I had met with members of Jewish Family Services of Ottawa. They have a very diverse staff that includes many Muslim staff as well. The examples that exist already in our communities are quite broad. In that vein, the federal government just this weekend introduced its anti-racism strategy for the next four years.

Justice committee  I think when we educate the community, we're able to tackle some of these misconceptions that exist of the Muslim faith. Can you update the committee on some of the initiatives you have taken as a jama'at? What kinds of tangible benefits have you seen first-hand with the work you're doing in proactively engaging Canadians?

Justice committee  During my testimony, I mentioned that the Muslim community needs to step up. If there's a misunderstanding of Islam, it's also our responsibility as Muslims to make others aware of what our faith is, and the faith is about peace. Interfaith events are something we've been doing for several years.

Justice committee  It is important to note that I was very clear in the statement to condemn all forms of violence against innocent civilians and to ensure that our communities were not going to face the types of civil liberties encroachments that we have seen previously, as well as efforts to suggest that somehow Muslims have to constantly condemn every time a terrorist group takes some kind of action. We've moved beyond that. Muslims are no longer going to accept being treated as second-class citizens who have to prove their loyalty.

Justice committee  Thank you, Ms. Elghawaby. You're telling me, and I thank you for this, that you think Muslim groups should also speak out against violent acts. If I have understood correctly, violence, terrorism or hate fomented against anyone in Canada, be they Jewish, Muslim, Catholic or other, is not acceptable.

The Public Complaints and Review Commission Act  Could he explain why his party did not support the NDP amendment to set up a service standard timeline for specified activities such as systemic racism? This is something that the National Council of Canadian Muslims specifically called for, along with many other organizations. I would like to hear his response to that.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, indeed, we certainly have heard those concerns not only in briefings, but also in witness testimony. The National Council of Canadian Muslims has certainly raised concerns with respect to parts 1, 2 and 3 of the bill. It is very happy with the registry. We were put in this uncomfortable position because we waited so long for the legislation to arrive in the House of Commons.