A new report released on August 6 warned of an alarming surge in hate incidents across Canada since the attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian hate crimes spiking by as much as 1,800% in some regions.

The report, titled “Documenting the ‘Palestine Exception’” and authored by Nadia Hasan of York University’s Islamophobia Research Hub, outlines what it calls a “sharp and dangerous” rise in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism (APR) and anti-Arab racism (AAR) over the past 21 months.

“In the aftermath of Oct. 2023, Canada saw a rise in anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism that affects many areas of life and work for Canadians,” Hasan said during a news conference in Ottawa.

The report also calls on all levels of government in Canada to officially recognize May 15 as Nakba Day. Palestinians mark the day after Israel declared independence in 1948 as the beginning of the destruction of their homeland.

“Provincial governments should develop curriculum, train staff and educate students on Palestinian culture, identity and history, including the history of the Nakba,” the report said.

It also wants all levels of government to “recognize and adopt” a definition of anti-Palestinian racism (APR) “as a distinct and detrimental form of racism that operates at multiple levels of state and society.”

Nadia Hasan said recognizing both Nakba Day and an official definition for APR would set Canada apart from other countries.

“These are important things for Canada to take very seriously,” Hasan said. “I think it would be a first and an important step for Canada to lead on.”

Based on consultations with 16 Canadian organizations, public data and media reports, the report revealed that Toronto Police Services saw a 1,600% year-over-year increase in anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic hate crimes between Oct. 7 and Nov. 20, 2023.

According to Statistics Canada, a 94% spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes and a 52% rise in hate crimes against Arabs and West Asians were recorded in 2023.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) reported a 1,300% increase in Islamophobia cases in the month after Oct. 7, rising to 1,800% over the year.

The Muslim Legal Support Centre (MLSC) documented 474 human rights complaints between October 2023 and March 2024, including 345 cases of individuals who lost jobs or were placed on leave due to support for Palestine. The Legal Centre for Palestine reported a 600% increase in APR cases over eight months.

Noting that the report captures only a fraction of what communities are facing, Hasan said: “The information included in this report is based on interviews with these organizations, data that some of these organizations provided, publicly available data, as well as media reports from Oct. 2023 to Nov. 2024.”

Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia, warned that the findings demand urgent action.

“We see it in the censorship and silencing of Canadians who defend Palestinian human rights with real consequences on their livelihoods and on their futures,” she said.

Stressing that such incidents continue to occur daily across Canada and urging that they be confronted, she said: “Old tropes that surged after 9/11 are back, amplified by the far right and others, and used again to dehumanize our communities, especially Palestinian-Muslim and Arab-Canadians.”

Download the full report HERE.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Iqra Khalid, a long-serving Liberal Member of Parliament, secured her fourth term with a lead of more than 5,000 votes over her rival.

Salma Zahid, another prominent Muslim and Pakistani-origin politician, also retained her seat, securing over 21,000 votes.

Both Khalid and Zahid have been recognized for their consistent advocacy on issues related to human rights, immigration, and inclusivity. Their re-election is being seen by many as a reflection of the increasing political engagement and influence of Canadian Muslims.

More than ever before, Muslims made their electoral power known in Canada’s 2025 general election.

Muslim Canadians are urging political leaders to move beyond symbolic gestures and adopt concrete policies to combat Islamophobia and uphold human rights—both domestically and abroad.

The urgency of these demands is heightened by the alarming rise in Islamophobia in Canada, Canada currently holds the grim distinction of leading G7 nations in targeted killings of Muslims.

Despite the ongoing challenges faced by the Muslim community, the issue has received little attention in election debates.

Canada’s foreign policy on Gaza is under scrutiny, with Muslim voters expecting the next government to show leadership and integrity.

Recently, The Advocates’ Society canceled an event with Syrian peace advocate Tareq Hadhad after he condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza. Though they apologized, the incident highlighted growing intolerance toward pro-Palestinian voices.

While progress has been made—such as the 2023 appointment of Amira Elghawaby as Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia—advocates say more is urgently needed.

She emphasized the need for education that goes beyond awareness to active resistance against Islamophobia.

Source: AboutIslam.net

Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, is proud to announce the Government of Canada’s first-ever publication on Islamophobia – the Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a More Inclusive Canada. Developed with extensive input from experts on Islamophobia, members of Canadian Muslim communities, civil society organizations, and government partners, this new guide serves as a comprehensive resource for combatting Islamophobia across Canada.

This guide intends to raise awareness on Islamophobia, explain its various manifestations and provides practical strategies for Canadians to counter Islamophobia in their lives. The Guide supports the objectives of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 and the Action Plan on Combating Hate, to strengthen social cohesion and build a more inclusive society.

The Guide provides a contemporary perspective on Islamophobia, exploring its adverse impacts on individuals and communities, and how these impacts can be compounded for people with intersecting identities. It spotlights the diversity of Canadian Muslims, addresses common misconceptions and challenges harmful myths.

Empowering Canadians to Recognize and Dismantle Islamophobia

The Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a More Inclusive Canada aims to familiarize, empower and equip the public including educators, employers, law enforcement, students, decision-makers, community leaders in their journey towards addressing Islamophobia. The Guide provides practical recommendations to enable Canadians to counter anti-Muslim discrimination by:

• Raising Awareness and Understanding: Educating people about Islamophobia, challenging stereotypes, and promoting religious literacy.
• Supporting Communities: Sharing resources, being allies, and reporting Islamophobic incidents.
• Underscoring Institutional Change: Implementing training programs, creating clear and safe reporting systems, and auditing workplace cultures for inclusivity.
• Providing Resources: Ensuring that those affected by Islamophobia have access to support networks and inclusive leadership.

For more information and to access the Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a More Inclusive Canada, please visit: The Canadian Guide to Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a more inclusive Canada – Canada.ca

Quotes

“I am proud to introduce a new reference tool to combat Islamophobia in Canada. Establishing a shared framework for action is essential, and this educational guide will help us drive meaningful change at the national level. This is an important step in our collective efforts to ensure that Canadian Muslims can live with dignity and respect, free from harassment and discrimination. Together, let’s build a Canada where everyone belongs.”

– Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

“This guide is an important contribution to understanding the specific experiences of Muslims in Canada, amidst a broader rise of hate and intolerance in Canada. Identifying and combatting racism, hate, and discrimination is key to protecting fundamental human rights and building a Canada where everyone is valued and respected and has access to equal opportunities, free from discrimination.”

– Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, Interim Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission

“This Guide is a vital resource to help all Canadians better understand Islamophobia and its harmful impacts in the workplace and society. Islamophobia continues to be a significant barrier to equity and inclusion. This resource will help ensure that Muslim workers are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, fostering a more inclusive and equitable workplace for everyone, and contributing to greater community inclusion and safety for all.”

– Bea Bruske, Canadian Labour Congress President

“Islamophobia is on the rise in Canada. Our members have experienced discrimination in schools and workplaces or support clients who have faced disproportionate harm from anti-Muslim hate and discrimination in all areas of life. This Guide comes at a pivotal moment—it’s more important than ever for Canadians to understand this widespread form of racism and take action to address it.”

– Husein Panju, Canadian Muslim Lawyers Association

Quick Facts

The Guide supports Canada’s broader efforts to build an inclusive society, contributing to the objectives of the Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 and the Action Plan on Combating Hate. Budget 2024 increased funding to bolster the capacity of the Office of the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia ($7.3M over 6 years and $1.1M ongoing) to meet its mandate commitments.

Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s first ever Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia was appointed in January 2023, to provide guidance and support to the Government of Canada on policies and programs impacting Canadian Muslim communities, raise public awareness on Islamophobia and work with diverse stakeholders to develop community-informed solutions to challenges facing Canada’s Muslim communities.

Budget 2024 provides funding of $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024-2025, and $29.3 million thereafter, for Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, to support community outreach and law enforcement reform, combat radicalization, and increase assistance to victims of discrimination and violence.

Source: Canada Newswire

For the past 16 years, filmmakers, producers, comedians, authors and artists have been descending upon Edmonton, Alta., for the annual Mosquers Film Festival to celebrate the power of storytelling.

This year, six short films made both in Canada and internationally made the cut and demonstrated the vast range and vibrancy of Muslim experiences.

They ranged in topic and genre. There was a comedic take on workplace discrimination; a dramatic representation of the impact of violent police responses to mental health crises; a documentary exploring the challenges and successes of four Syrian refugees in Calgary; and a mixed media portrayal of struggling with culture and Black hair.

What was remarkable about the event was how Canadian Muslims continue to reclaim their identities, proudly and unapologetically sharing their stories with local, national and international audiences.

Through such storytelling, Muslim cultural producers are either deliberately or inadvertently combatting Islamophobia by showing how unidimensional portrayals of Muslims as monolithic, violent, oppressive, insular, and opposed to Western democratic norms and values, are simply false and detached from reality.

Many of the festival’s creatives and audience members would have grown up in the shadow of 9/11, a time when “. . . Muslims were increasingly perceived as dangerous and their religious identities racialized,” as described by researcher and academic Baljit Nagra in her 2017 book, “Securitized Citizens: Canadian Muslims’ Experiences of Race Relations and Identity Formation Post 9/11.” Nagra documented how young people felt a loss of a sense of safety, security and belonging, living in a “climate of fear.”

For many, it feels like that climate of fear is back.

Hate crimes against Muslims are up, according to Statistics Canada, which noted a 94 per cent increase in 2023, along with a 52 per cent rise in hate crimes targeting those of Arab or West Asian descent. Cases of anti-Muslim hate, bias and discrimination have also increased, according to civil society organizations.

Many Canadian Muslim youth, along with older generations, are once again experiencing an “othering” that threatens their sense of home.

The devastating Islamophobic killings of 11 Canadian Muslims between 2017 and 2021, the highest number of any G7 country, spurred urgent action. These attacks led to federal, provincial and municipal efforts to respond to communities’ fears and anxieties ranging from raising awareness on how to report hate crimes, investing in anti-racism initiatives, and incorporating anti-Islamophobia strategies in education.

Yet, over the past year, hateful, anti-Muslim discourse has become more prevalent than ever. Since Oct. 7, 2023, the U.K.-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, as well as researchers in Australia and Belgium, have tracked an increase of at least 400 per cent in Islamophobic content online, along with rises in antisemitism anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab hate.

One example: a recent AI-generated anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant video garnered over half a million views on YouTube before the associated account was closed.

Furthermore, as Chad Haines noted in the recently published book of essays, On Othering: Processes and Politics of Unpeace, “the ‘Islamophobia industry’ inspires acts of hatred against Muslims by producing and circulating vitriolic anti-Islamic messages. The industry comprises layers of actors who feed one another, creating a greater sense of legitimacy, at least in their eyes, and self-righteousness.”

Also troubling: reports of potential foreign interference in which Islamophobic misinformation campaigns have targeted Canadians, along with widespread polarization.

The federal government is working on solutions, tabling Bill C-63, the online harms act, as well as recently launching the Canada Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The plan includes the Changing Narratives Fund which is dedicated to supporting Indigenous, religious and racial minority journalists, creators and organizations.

Beyond legislation and public policy, storytelling persists as a powerful grassroots antidote to hate. October is Canadian Islamic History Month, so there’s no better time to start challenging assumptions and becoming better acquainted with generations of Canadian Muslims and their stories.

Source: Toronto Star

Khera acknowledged the “many difficult weeks, months, and years” the community has faced since the Afzaal family’s murder and noted that the trial “may be re-opening wounds, or increasing feelings of fear and anxiety” as more details are released. The funding will support London’s Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration.

“This is the first time this type of support has been given by any level of government in the aftermath of a mass casualty event,” Mohammed Hashim, CRRF’s Executive Director, said.

Dr. Mohammed Baobaid, the Executive Director of the Muslim Resource Center, said the money will be put towards one-on-one counseling, community outreach, and creating group therapy programs. Baobaid said he hopes that the support model the Muslim Resource Centre has created can help other communities in the future.

“This is not just about – I know today we’re talking about Islamophobia, but we’re talking about any kind of hate crime, whether it is violence based on discrimination of color or sexual orientation,” he said. “I think that there are a lot of things that we can learn from one another. Definitely, the cultural integrative model will be something that other communities can benefit from.”

Read more at:  AboutIslam.net