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“NUPGE condemns the violent and abhorrent Islamophobic attack. Targeting innocent people based on their faith is repulsive and must stop. The federal government needs to step up to the plate and designate more funding for anti-Islamophobia initiatives. They have a duty to protect people of all faiths living in Canada.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President
Ottawa (07 June 2021) — The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is deeply saddened and angry at the murder of 4 Muslim individuals and at the violence inflicted on a young Muslim child in London, Ontario on Sunday June 6. Police have charged a suspect and confirmed there is evidence that the attack was premeditated and motivated by hate.
“NUPGE condemns the violent and abhorrent Islamophobic attack. Targeting innocent people based on their faith is repulsive and must stop,” said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. “The federal government needs to step up and designate more funding for anti-Islamophobia initiatives. It has a duty to protect people of all faiths living in Canada.”
Anti-Islamophobia funding tied up with anti-racism funding
Little has happened since the federal Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage published their report, Taking Action Against Systematic Racism and Religious Discrimination Including Islamophobia, in 2018. In October 2020, it was announced that the federal government was providing $15 million for 85 anti-racism projects, “which will address barriers to employment, justice, and social participation among Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities” (Canada.ca).
An article in Ricochet notes, that although approximately 10% of the promised $15 million went to Muslim-led organizations, “the pattern of limited engagement with organizations led by Muslims most likely to experience systemic barriers persists. Just over 3% of funds through this program were secured by organizations meaningfully-led by hijab-wearing Muslim women, 1.4% to organizations led by Black Muslims, and 2.5% to first-time Muslim recipients of federal public funding.”
We shouldn’t wait for another attack before we take action
NUPGE calls on the federal government to increase the amount of funding going to anti-hate initiatives focused on religion, and designate a specific amount to be used on anti-Islamophobia initiatives. In particular, the federal government should ensure the funds go to Muslim-led organizations with consideration for how other demographics such as race, gender, and class combine with Islamophobia and make some people more vulnerable than others.
“We need more funding for anti-hate initiatives, but we also need to take more action in our daily lives,” said Bert Blundon, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer. “Call out hate speech and Islamophobic ‘jokes’ when you hear them. Correct fake news about Islam and Canada’s refugee and immigration policies when you see it spread on social media. Ignorance breeds fear and hatred, but we have the power to influence those around us.”