National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act  The practice of our new government is not to vilify groups or to sow division, but to engage communities and to listen to their concerns. We have done this through our comprehensive efforts to counter Islamophobia. We have done this through our 2016 budgetary commitment of over $35 million over five years to create an office of community outreach and counter-radicalization. We have done this through our efforts to welcome, not shun, the victims of Daesh, which has translated into our accepting nearly 31,000 Syrian refugees to date.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  My question to both of you is this: to what extent do the human rights violations in Iran and the discrimination against religious minorities and ethnic minorities by the Iranian regime have an impact on people of Canada and across the world? I'm speaking specifically in terms of exporting things like Islamophobia, contributing to the growing impacts of Islamophobia in the western world—and not just Islamophobia, but also anti-Semitism, as the chair pointed out as well. I would really like you to comment on that.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  What I'm scared of is that many of the people will have to leave the country without even understanding the sensitivities of international security, and this will possibly give a platform to some anti-immigration groups that have used Islamophobia in the past. On the other hand, because so many Iranians have been so unfortunate as to not be aware of international human rights conventions, they will have problems adapting themselves to their new environments.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I would like add something. I believe that Islamophobia itself is important, but we should be aware of Islamic rule inside the Muslim countries. For example, in Canada we are talking about the scarves and the niqab. In Iran, in Saudi Arabia, and in many other Muslim countries, women are under huge pressure to have the mandatory hijab.

Shootings in Orlando  We must work together to build more inclusive communities by combatting homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. Love is love, and love will always be stronger than hate. Today, we stand in solidarity with the LGBT community and united in our belief that diversity is our great strength. Let us remember in the face of such violence that love is love, and love will always be stronger than hate.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Finally, the experience highlighted the ongoing need for public education on anti-Islamophobia, anti-xenophobia, and anti-racism. We are happy that the City of Toronto, the province, and other stakeholders such as the Red Cross have stepped up to counter the narrative of exclusion.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Your organization, the National Council of Canadian Muslims, includes as one of its objectives “protecting the human rights & civil liberties of Canadian Muslims (and by extension of all Canadians), promoting their public interests, building mutual understanding and challenging Islamophobia and other forms of xenophobia.” In this context, could you discuss the impact that the two-tier citizenship aspect of Bill C-24, which Bill C-6 seeks to revoke, has had on the Muslim community in Canada and its perception by other Canadians?

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Our mandate is to protect the human rights and civil liberties of Canadian Muslims, promote their public interests, build mutual understanding between communities, and confront Islamophobia. For over 15 years, we have worked to achieve this mission through activism in four primary areas, including community education and outreach, media engagement, anti-discrimination action, and public advocacy.

Canadian Francophone Community  These types of hateful comments about francophones are becoming increasingly common in English media in Quebec and Canada. Everyone here is opposed to misogyny, homophobia, bullying, Islamophobia, and discrimination against indigenous peoples. However, there is another form of discrimination that is happening and that is francophobia. The Bloc Québécois expects members of the House to speak out just as loudly against that type of discrimination.

Business of Supply  The first and most important way not to legitimize this group of terrorist thugs is by not allowing them to speak for the religion of Islam. They do not represent Islam. Therefore, our government has not given in to Islamophobia. We have refused to give into that because they are speaking for a religion they do not have to the right to do so. Therefore, we are actively combatting them every day by refusing to give in to Islamophobia in any way, shape, or form.

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL  We have a Prime Minister who refuses to acknowledge the extreme nature of ISIL and the basis of its entire jihad being waged across the Levant as it seeks to form an Islamic caliphate. Indeed, any time we try to discuss these issues, we hear accusations of racism and Islamophobia, when in fact ISIL is indeed a clear and present danger to the western way of life, the likes of which we have not seen since the end of World War II. There is another important element in the discussion.

Business of Supply  In order to create a hospitable environment for dialogue, we must actively fight against hate, racism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia in all of their forms. Our challenge is that we must also ensure we encourage constructive and meaningful conversation. I do not believe a boycott is a constructive approach. I did not enter politics to promote boycott but to encourage engagement and dialogue between parties for the purpose of reaching long-lasting peace.

Business of Supply  We have already started on that very first front, by simply not marginalizing anybody who happens to be of the Islamic faith and by fighting Islamophobia everywhere.

Rise in anti-Semitism  However, saying that we ought not to be discussing anti-Semitism as it occurs domestically in Canada or overseas unless we also deal with Islamophobia is really improper. The reason for this is very simple. When we start discussing Islamophobia, it is very clear that we are normally not discussing the incidents that have occurred from time to time, for example, in the wake of 9/11 where Muslims in general have been targeted within the community.

Rise in anti-Semitism  I also wanted to get my colleague's opinion. Has he noticed, like me, that there has been a rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism or anti-Jewish sentiment if you will? I was wondering if there was a correlation between the rise in Islamophobia and the rise in anti-Semitism. When it comes right down to it, does the fear of terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism not lead to a sort of Islamophobia?