Dear neighbours, In the coming days, you may notice some of your neighbours and coworkers wearing a green felt square, as part of the NCCM’s Green Square Campaign. This initiative takes place around January 29 every year, to remember the victims and survivors of the Quebec City mosque attack. On January 29th, 2017, the Islamic […]
Dear neighbours,
In the coming days, you may notice some of your neighbours and coworkers wearing a green felt square, as part of the NCCM’s Green Square Campaign. This initiative takes place around January 29 every year, to remember the victims and survivors of the Quebec City mosque attack.
On January 29th, 2017, the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City was subjected to a tragic, hateful and Islamophobic crime. A gunman who was radicalized with white supremacist ideology entered the place of worship and opened fire on Muslim congregants, killing six men, injuring many more, and even paralyzing victims for life.
In January 2020, the Federal Government designated January 29th as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.
Since this tragedy, Canada has only seen a sharp increase in Islamophobic and hate-motivated attacks. The murder of the Afzal family in London, Ontario followed shortly after. Violent attacks on young Muslim women having their veils ripped from their heads, or assaults on Muslim employees in their workplaces have become commonplace.
As the social and political climates become increasingly polarized – in part, thanks to the divide-and-conquer tactics of political leaders, and to the online echo chambers that spread misinformation and further distance observer from subject, – it has become ever more important for us to step away from the imposed rhetoric and to refuse to be led by fear.
When we come together to collaborate on a project, to coach our kids’ sports teams, or to share a meal, it becomes immediately evident that we have more in common than our media and politicians would have us believe.
The path forward towards a safer Canada for all will be paved by those bravest of all. Not the right or the left. But by those who are willing to step outside their comfort zones to challenge their perceptions. And by the middle majority, who are able to bridge the divide and bring different people together in the name of peace, civility, and problem resolution.
Yasmeen Ibrahim
Sarnia Muslim Association, Outreach Executive
(Parts of this letter have been adapted from the National Council of Canadian Muslims “Green Square Campaign Informative Slide Deck”)
