Canadians need to talk about racism and Islamophobia, legal advocacy groups say
VANCOUVER — A deadly attack on a Quebec City mosque is a “harsh reminder” of the reality of Islamophobia, and citizens and politicians need to talk more openly about racism in Canadian society, legal advocacy groups say.
Hasan Alam, a community liaison for the Islamophobia Legal Assistance Hotline, said Canadians often feel that race or faith-based discrimination are taboo topics and they should stick to the language of “diversity and multiculturalism.”
“But I think we need to start pushing the envelope and being comfortable talking about things such as racism and Islamophobia and xenophobia, to name a few things, in a more open and public manner,” he told a news conference Tuesday.
Alam said a range of legal groups in British Columbia started the hotline last March after the National Council of Canadian Muslims reported a significant increase in Islamophobic incidents. The hotline gives people targeted by Islamophobia access to free legal advice in multiple languages and across a number of legal fields including immigration, employment and human rights law.