End Islamophobia Statement

AAISA is appalled and deeply troubled by the recent violence and acts of hate directed at the Muslim community across Canada. There has been a string of violent Islamophobic attacks, rooted in systems and beliefs of white supremacy and white privilege that exist throughout Canadian society and underlie government policy. 

The attack of two sisters in St. Albert last week was a deliberate act of Islamophobia and systemic racism. This is the latest vicious attack among too many in the last year including attacks on Somali Canadian woman in Edmonton in February 2021, two Muslim women in Edmonton in December 2020, the Afzaal family killing in London, Ontario in June 2021, and a stabbing at a Toronto Mosque in September 2020. 

Islamophobia cannot be seen in isolation from the concerning increase in xenophobia and hate speech against minorities in Canada, including immigrants and diverse faith communities.  Such vile acts are violations to the Universal Human Rights and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and particularly the freedom of conscience and religion, and freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. 

The fear of immigrants of different religious traditions has a long history in Canada, since the racist rules of the Immigration Act 1869, The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885, Immigration Act of 1906, and Chinese Immigration Act of 1923. Although Canada committed to support multiculturalism with the Canadian Multiculturalism Policy of 1971 and Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988, 30 years later racial separatism, hatred, and violence towards minority groups has been escalating in Canada. 

As AAISA strives to build a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging society, we commit to speak out and take actions against hate, systemic racism, and social inequality and condemn Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and religious discrimination. We urge federal and provincial governments to develop a country-wide approach for reducing or eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination in the spirit of building safer and more inclusive communities for all Canadians.