Muslims in Canada release guide to combat Islamophobia

Muslims in Canada. Photo: ANSAR

On Thursday, June 4, 2026, the National Council of Canadian Muslims presented a policy document aimed at combating Islamophobia. The guide was prepared in memory of three generations of the Afzaal family, who were killed in 2021, Anadolu Ajansı reports.

Council Executive Director Khaled Al-Qazzaz told a press conference in Ottawa that Muslims continue to face violence and unequal treatment despite years of promises from the authorities. Activists urged the federal government to move beyond symbolic gestures and implement long-standing recommendations to protect religious communities.

The document sets out a four-point plan to counter aggression. Muslim representatives called for stronger security at mosques and schools, as well as an accountability system within state institutions to eliminate systemic bias.

Al-Qazzaz expressed concern over Prime Minister Carney’s decision to abolish the office of the special representative on combating Islamophobia and replace it with an advisory council. He stressed that believers’ expectations for the new body remain high and require concrete results.

Statistics Canada recorded a 94 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslims in 2023. Taha Ghayyur, director of Justice For All Canada, said that behind these figures are real people and children who are afraid to wear religious clothing or attend mosques.

The activist linked the surge in violence to a global ideology of dehumanizing believers, which fuels attacks around the world, from New Zealand to the United States. Opposition representatives in parliament confirmed that religious communities across the country have reported cases of vandalism and intimidation.

As previously reported by the UOJ, PACE raised concerns over the fight against antisemitism and Islamophobia.

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