— Canada prime minister announces ‘intent’ to appoint special envoy to combat Islamophobia
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday welcomed a statement by his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau, condemning the rising tides of Islamophobia in the West and called for an end to hatred against Muslims.
Trudeau, on the fifth anniversary of the 2017 Quebec mosque attacks on Saturday, announced to appoint a special representative on combatting Islamophobia as part of the nation’s anti-racism strategy.
In 2021, Canada declared January 29 a National Day of Remembrance for six Muslims that were killed and 19 wounded in the shooting rampage.
“Islamophobia is unacceptable. Full stop. We need to put an end to this hate and make our communities safer for Muslim Canadians. To help with that, we intend to appoint a Special Representative on combatting Islamophobia,” he tweeted.
Islamophobia is unacceptable. Full stop. We need to put an end to this hate and make our communities safer for Muslim Canadians. To help with that, we intend to appoint a Special Representative on combatting Islamophobia. More details here: https://t.co/sEiOYlLRaw
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 29, 2022
Pointing out the need to end Islamophobia, Khan appreciated Trudeau’s intent to appoint a special representative to combat anti-Muslim sentiments in the West.
“I welcome Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s unequivocal condemnation of #Islamophobia & his plan to appoint a Special Representative to combat this contemporary scourge,” he wrote.
I welcome Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau‘s unequivocal condemnation of #Islamophobia & his plan to appoint a Special Representative to combat this contemporary scourge. His timely call to action resonates with what I have long argued. Let us join hands to put an end to this menace
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 30, 2022
“His timely call to action resonates with what I have long argued. Let us join hands to put an end to this menace.”
In a statement announcing the move, Ottawa underlined that Islamophobia is a reality for Muslims across Canada and around the world, noting that building a more inclusive country and combatting discrimination is a must.
“This year, on the eve of the five-year anniversary of this act of terror [mosque attack in Quebec], the Government of Canada stands with and supports Muslim communities across Canada and reaffirms its commitment to take action to denounce and tackle Islamophobia and hate-fueled violence,” it said in a statement.
“The special representative appointment […] will be an additional step in the government’s ongoing work through Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy to tackle Islamophobia in all its forms,” said the statement, noting this had been recommended during a National Summit on Islamophobia held in July last year.
— With input from Anadolu Agency
