Anti-Islamophobia Day of Remembrance

Imtiaz Popat of the Coalition Against Bigotry - Pacific talks to Molly Caron of Full Figure Media, formerly Access TV about a campaign to mark January 29th as day of remembrance and action against  Islamophobia to mark the anniversary of the massacre at the Quebec grand mosque. 

Popat explains why marking this day is important to remember, and why there needs to be  a day of action against the preponderence of Islamophobia across Canada. Many cities across Canada, including Vancouver,  now mark January 29 as day of remembrance and action against Islamophobia.

Marking this day is a start. Much more action needs to take place in addition to marking this day. Politicians make speeches about Islamophobia, racism and bigotry, but they don’t do anything about it. There are words, but no action. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s response to a racial attack on refugee's was that "This is not who we are" is denial of the racist reality of Canada. This is who we are. We are a racist country, built on racism. 

In the last federal election, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh's response to racism was that we must have ‘Love and Courage’. Does that mean that we are on our own and that the government has no responsibility to deal with racism? There is a lot of talk but no action. 

We are seeing the rise of white supremacist groups across Canada with Islamophobic and anti-Semitic campaigns. However, laws against hate are weak and there is a lack of deterrence against racists attacks against Canadians. Alexandre Bissonnette, the person who murdered six people praying in the Quebec grand mosque, was not charged with any hate crime or act of terrorism. 

We are seeing blatant Islamophobic and racist laws in Quebec with a denial that these laws are racist or Islamophobic. We are seeing that there is systemic and structural racism in the very fabric of Canada. But we are not seeing any systemic, structural changes. The laws are also not on our side. 

While these days of remembrance and action are being observed across Canada, politicians continue to make empty speeches. There is remembrance, but there is no action. We need to see more action from our governments around Islamophobia, racism and all forms of bigotry. We need money for anti-racism anti-bigotry campaigns. We need systemic and structural changes and we need to scrap racists and bigoted laws and make stronger laws against the promoting of hate and racial violence. 

While Prime Minister Trudeau apologized for his misguided black/brown face in his younger years, he says we must do better. Talk is cheap. Yes we need to remember those who have died due to Islamophobia, racism and bigotry. As the Prime Minister says, ‘We must do better’. Lets see it! 

Written by Imtiaz Popat - Coalition Against Bigotry - Pacific.