As-salamu ‘alaykum. Warmest wishes to our Muslim friends during this celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Like us, you’ve probably realized that we’re living at a crisis in history – where politicians feel free to attack minority groups, especially Muslim-Canadians. As a human rights organization, we believe it’s especially important to protect the rights of Canadians of Middle East origin. So today, we’re asking for your help with three projects that enable us to protect the civil liberties of Muslims in Canada.
CJPME depends on your generous support to be able to continue this type of advocacy work. If you are Muslim, would you consider supporting these projects for your zakat this Ramadan? A monthly donation makes a huge difference; but any amount helps. You can also call at 438-380-5410, or print and send the form here. Please see our key projects below and consider helping out!
#1: Help us Oppose Bill 21 in Quebec: Introduced by Quebec’s new conservative government, Bill 21 is just the latest legislative manifestation of Islamophobia in Quebec. If passed, Bill 21 will deny jobs in key sectors to visible Muslims and members of other religious minorities, including school teachers, judges and police officers. CJPME has worked closely in a task force with partners from the Muslim community in Quebec to oppose this legislation. Thus far, over 4000 Canadians have participated in a CJPME campaign to email Quebec’s political leaders ask them to reject this legislation, and results are already beginning to show. Can you support us so we can do more to oppose Bill 21?
And if you haven’t joined our campaign, now’s the time! Don’t worry if you’re not from Quebec, every little bit helps.
#2: Make January 29 a Day of Action against Islamophobia: The New Zealand mosque shootings remind us of the fury of Islamophobia, and the need to demystify Canadian multi-culturalism. In October, 2018, with the Canadian Muslim Forum (CMF), CJPME launched a massive campaign to have January 29th designated a national day of remembrance and action on Islamophobia, just as Dec. 6 is a day of action against violence against women. Via our campaign, over 7000 Canadians have sent a postcard to their MP and an email to Trudeau and other political leaders. Can you support us so we can take this January 29th campaign further?
If you haven’t yet added your voice, do so now with one click! Check out the campaign Website at http://january29.ca
#3: Support our lobbying efforts on Islamophobia: Several organizations are working to combat Islamophobia in Canada, but we feel we are especially effective with Members of Parliament. We’ve already met with over 100 MPs on of Islamophobia in the past year, and this Thursday, we’ve got another 20 appointments. Some members of Parliament have sought to deflect attention by diluting or denying the issue. Help us keep the issue of Islamophobia at the fore.
Other ways we’re combatting Islamophobia
In addition to the initiatives above, CJPME has been addressing the problem of Islamophobia in Canada in many other ways too:
Parliament Hill Press Conference on January 29. On the second anniversary of the Quebec City mosque attack, CJPME hosted a press conference on Parliament Hill with the CMF. This press conference received national coverage, and pushed for recognition of January 29th.
Activism Website for January 29. As mentioned above, published a Website dedicated to making January 29 a day of action against Islamophobia. It has a response page, resources with postcards and posters, the justification, and much more!
January 29 Kiosque at the RIS. CJPME and the CMF also hosted a kiosque at the Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference (RIS) in Toronto at the end of December.
CJPME was thrilled to host a kiosque at the Reviving the Islamic Spirit (RIS) Conference in Toronto in December. Thanks to our many friends and supporters who came by to support the campaign.
Outreach to organizations and academics on January 29. CJPME and the CMF reached over 80 professors who endorsed our campaign to have January 29 designated as a day of action against Islamophobia. This, in addition to over 100 organizations who also endorsed the January 29 campaign.
Press statements and op-eds calling for more action on January 29. Whether it’s Bill 21 or an Islamophobic attack somewhere, it’s important to respond and alert the public. Here are a few of our statements:
- CJPME Condemns New Quebec “Secularism” Bill
- CJPME Renews Call for Jan. 29 Designation Following New Zealand Mosque Massacre
- CJPME Rejects Legault’s Comments on Islamophobia
- Remembrance of January 29: Call for Action on Islamophobia
- CJPME Applauds NDP Support for January 29 Campaign
- Statistics Canada Confirms Need for January 29 Campaign on Islamophobia
CJPME and the Middle East
In addition to our work on Islamophobia in Canada, CJPME has also been hard at work on many other issues. CJPME has been meeting with politicians about the ongoing crises in the Israel-Palestine situation. For example, late last year, CJPME lobbied successfully to have Canadian funding for Palestinian refugees increased. CJPME is also pushing the government hard to ensure that Canada does not acquiesce to Israel’s plans to annex the Golan Heights or parts of the West Bank.
CJPME is always hard at work on Middle East issues, from Palestine-Israel, to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. Here, CJPME volunteers participate in a Nakba demonstration in Montreal.
CJPME has also been lobbying for Canada to take a stronger position against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria. In parallel, CJPME has been working hard on the arms control file, pushing the government to impose greater restrictions on the sale of arms to the Middle East. While not all these initiatives are successful, many politicians repeatedly thank us for being a voice on the Hill for justice and human rights for ALL peoples of the Middle East.
Working hard for civil rights and human rights
The CJPME team has worked hard for values and principles that we all hold dear, both for Canada and in the Middle East. While we do as much as we can, we depend on your ongoing support for the continuance of our work.
Your zakat enables us to continue our important work advancing Muslim rights in Canada and Canadian support for human rights across the Middle East. We deeply appreciate your valuable support and wish you a happy and healthy Ramadan.
Ramadan Kareem!
The CJPME Team
