As Muslims continue to deal with the aftermath of the Quebec City shooting, members of the community and their allies gathered at the Centre for Social Innovation (Annex) for An Evening Of Solidarity on Family Day, February 20.
Hosted by Mississauga-based Uniting Muslims and Allies for Humanity, the event was also attended by representatives of other movements, including Nigel Barriffe, president of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, and Doug Kerr, a member of the board of the LGBT Giving Network.
Sandra Noe of the Federation of Muslim Women, one of the evening’s organizers, offered that it’s important for all communities to combat Islamophobia. Too often the question being asked is what Muslims are doing to ensure that such hateful acts will not continue.
“We want to build a community relationship so we can respond to other issues in society,” said Noe.
The gathering coincided with a sister event in Brampton. Attendees ate a meal together, and then a few Muslim participants moved some furniture to make room for a prayer led by U of T chaplain Amjad Tarsin.
In the crowd was Parkdale-High Park Liberal MP Arif Virani, who serves as parliamentary secretary for multiculturalism.
In an interview with NOW later, Virani spoke emotionally about M-103, federal MP Iqra Khalid’s motion asking Parliament to denounce Islamophobia and all religious discrimination. The Ontario legislature passed a similar motion last week. Virani stressed the importance of acknowledging the existence of Islamophobia and “calling it by name.”
A number of Conservative Party leadership candidates have expressed their opposition to the motion.
But Virani says, “It’s time to lead, to show some actual commitment to the principle of inclusion and diversity.”
Randy Wright, a Toronto follower of the Baha’i faith, came to the gathering to show his support. “There is more to Islam than the front page of the newspapers,” he said.
Last week’s anti-Muslim demonstration outside the Masjid Toronto mosque on Dundas West was a major topic of conversation. “I do believe in people’s right to freedom of expression – it’s part of the Charter. But you also must respect people’s faith,” said Noe.
Virani echoed that sentiment, saying he was gratified by the response of Torontonians, some of whom organized a counter-protest to that demonstration. It’s time for Torontonians, not just Muslims, to challenge Islamophobia, he said.
“We need to capitalize on that momentum or else we’ll see more demonstrations outside of mosques instead of circles of protection,” he says.
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