Question Period Note: Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

Amira Elghawaby is appointed as the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

• Our government stands with and supports Muslim communities across Canada and reaffirms its commitment to take action to denounce and tackle Islamophobia, hate-fueled violence, and systemic discrimination against Muslims as part of our broader action against racism.

• Following an open, transparent, and merit-based selection Governor in Council process, Amira Elghawaby was appointed as the first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, beginning February 20, 2023.

• The Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia will serve as a champion, advisor, expert, and representative to the Canadian government, for the purpose of enhancing efforts to combat Islamophobia and to promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada.

• As defined in Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, Islamophobia includes racism, stereotypes, prejudice, fear or acts of hostility directed towards individual Muslims or followers of Islam in general.
• Recent years have seen a marked rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, hate crimes against Muslims and Islamophobia in Canada including attacks on mosques, overt discrimination against people wearing Islamic symbols and dress.
• According to the most recent Statistics Canada release entitled Police Reported Crime in Canada, 2021, the number of police reported hate crimes increased 27% in the second year of the pandemic; this follows a 36% increase in 2020. (hate crime counts include both confirmed and suspected hate crime incidents).
• Following three years of decline, police-reported hate crimes motivated by religion peaked in 2021; this included a 71% change for the Muslim community.
• The rate of police-reported hate crimes targeting the Muslim community was second highest (8 incidents per 100,000 population, following that targeting the Jewish population which was highest at 145 incidents per 100,000 population.
• Police-reported hate crimes increased in all provinces and territories in 2021, with the exception of Yukon.
• The majority of police-reported hate crimes (56%) were non-violent offences, primarily mischief.
• The rise in violent hate crime was the result of more incidents of several violations, including uttering threats (+30%; +98 incidents), common (level 1) assault (+23%; +81 incidents), criminal harassment (+51%; +61 incidents), and major (levels 2 and 3) assault (+35%; +58 incidents).
• Between 2018 and 2021, 256 hate crimes against Muslims were reported to the police, the majority of which were perpetrated by strangers.
• In the majority of cases, there was no injury; the median age of the Muslim hate crimes victims was 33 with nearly a 50-50 split between male and female victims.
• The tragic June 6, 2021, attack on a Muslim Canadian family demonstrated the need for urgent action to combat Islamophobia.
• On July 22, 2021, our government hosted a National Summit on Islamophobia, which identified ways the federal government could work with Muslim communities to implement federal anti-racism initiatives that specifically address Islamophobia and hate-fueled violence.
• In 2021, our government established January 29 as a National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia.
• In January 2022, our government announced its intention to appoint a Special Representative on combatting Islamophobia. The Special Representative will serve as a champion, advisor, expert, and representative to the Canadian government, for the purpose of enhancing efforts to combat Islamophobia and promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada. The Special Representative will collaborate with domestic partners, institutions, and stakeholders to support Canada’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hatred, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance.
• On June 6, 2022, our government announced the Notice of Appointment Opportunity, which invited applicants to submit their candidacy for the new position of Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.
• Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s first Special Representative to Combat Hate was appointed in early 2023 and officially began her new role on February 20th, 2023
• To push back against religious discrimination, hateful rhetoric and racism at home, Budget 2022 proposes new resources to support the new Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.
• The Special Representative will be an additional step in our government’s ongoing work through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy to tackle Islamophobia in all its forms.
• The Special Representative’s mandate will include:
o enhancing efforts to combat Islamophobia,
o raising awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims,
o protecting human rights, including freedom of religion, at home, and
o advocating for, and advancing, inclusive public policy that respects diversity and demonstrates Canada’s leadership role in combatting all forms of hate and discrimination.
• Budget 2022 proposes to provide $85 million over four years, starting in 2022-2023, to support the work underway to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

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