January 23, 2025

 

Today marks eight years since the tragic events of January 29, 2017, when an Islamophobic and racist act of violence took the lives of six worshippers at the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec.

We remember the six individuals whose lives were senselessly taken: Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane, and Aboubaker Thabti. On this solemn day of remembrance, Unifor stands in solidarity with Muslim communities, including the survivors of this attack, to honor the lives lost to this horrifying violence.

This day is especially important as we continue to witness an alarming rise of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence during a time of increased conflict.

Canada’s Senate Committee on Human Rights reports that rampant Islamophobia in Canada is costing Canadian Muslims their wellbeing and even their lives—and these issues have a dire impact on our communities, workplaces, and our society.

On many fronts, labour unions have an important role in building a stronger sense of safety and belonging for Muslim workers. We do so through collective bargaining, demanding that employers collaborate with us to foster more safe and equitable workplaces, and by enforcing better policies to protect all people, regardless of their religion.

As workers committed to social justice, equality, and the fundamental rights of all individuals, we strongly denounce Islamophobia in all its forms.

Education is our most powerful tool in the fight against hate. Unifor calls for the inclusion of anti-Islamophobia education in school curricula, workplaces, and community programs. By working together to instill understanding and tolerance, we can create a society where acts of violence cease to exist.

As we reflect on the devastating brutality of that day, we must also reflect on ways we can each take concrete action against Islamophobia.

Let us stand united against all forms of hatred.