Canada has designated a special representative to combat Islamophobia, on Thursday. This is a first-of-its-kind appointment in the world’s second largest country made after recent incidents of attacks on Muslims here.
Journalist and activist Amira Elghawaby has been chosen for the post.
The Prime minister’s office announced the appointment in an official statement. The official statement said, “she will serve as a champion, advisor, expert and representative to support and enhance the federal government’s efforts in the fight against Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination and religious intolerance.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lauded Elghawaby’s appointment as “an important step in our fight against Islamophobia and hatred in all its forms.”
“Diversity truly is one of Canada’s greatest strengths, but for many Muslims, Islamophobia is all too familiar,” he added.
Amira Elghawaby has been an active human rights campaigner and is the communications head for the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and a columnist for the Toronto Star newspaper. She has previously worked for more than a decade at public broadcaster CBC.
After being appointed as the representative she said, “It is my honour to serve in this role. I want to thank the Prime Minister of Canada @JustinTrudeau for working to fight Islamophobia and to ensure Canadian institutions from coast to coast to coast are inclusive of Canadian Muslims, and all people.”
Thank you to Minister @HonAhmedHussen, his team, and the Government of Canada for making this position a reality, as a way to foster greater diversity and inclusion across the country. 1/ 6
— Amira Elghawaby (@AmiraElghawaby) January 26, 2023
Recent attacks on Muslims in Canada
Canada has faced a number of lethal attacks over recent past years that have targeted Muslim community in Canada.
For a long time, leaders of the muslim community in the country have urged authorities to tackle issues such as racism, hate-motivated violence, and attacks by far-right groups.
According to researchers, hate groups have tripled in Canada over the past few years. The study which was made in 2020 found that anti-Muslim expressions have been the “most salient” topics among right-wing extremists online.
In June 2021, a man hit and killed four members of a Muslim family with his truck in London, Ontario.
In another incident, six Muslims died while five were injured five years ago during an attack on a mosque in Quebec City.
A national summit on Islamophobia had recommended making the new position. The federal government had organized it in June 2021 after considering the severity of the attacks.
“This is the first time the fight against Islamophobia will have an established home in the Canadian government,” National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) CEO, Stephen Brown, said in a statement.
