Canada appointed its first special representative for combating Islamophobia on Friday, 27 January, a position created as the government seeks to stem hatred following a series of recent attacks which targeted the Muslim community.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that journalist and human rights advocate Amira Elghawaby will fill the post, and according to a statement from the PM's office, she will:
"Serve as a champion, advisor, expert and representative to support and enhance the federal government's efforts in the fight against Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination, and religious intolerance.”
The press release from Trudeau’s office stated that the Canadian government stands with Muslim communities across the country and “reaffirms its commitment to take action to denounce and tackle Islamophobia, hate-fuelled violence, and systemic discrimination whenever and wherever it occurs.”
“Islamophobia is a lived experience for Muslim communities across the country and requires ongoing action,” the announcement added.
Ahmed Hussen, the Canadian minister of housing and diversity and inclusion, also stated:
“Our government has listened to the lived experiences of Muslim communities from across the country and is taking action in the fight against Islamophobia….This appointment is a significant step toward building a safer and more inclusive Canada for all.”
Muslim community leaders in Canada have called authorities at all levels to tackle racism, hate motivated violence and the widespread prevalence of far right groups for several years now.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims described Elghawaby’s appointment as a "historic moment for Muslims in Canada.”
In 2020, researchers found that the number of hate groups that actively operated in the country had tripled in recent years and saw anti-muslim rhetoric become one of the “most salient” topics among right-wing extremists online.
The next year, Trudeau’s government organised national summits on Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, in a drastic attempt to tackle growing hatred.
The move came after a string of deadly attacks and incidents of harassment of Muslim communities across Canada, which sparked grave concern and led to severals calls to action.
In June 2021, four members of a Muslim family were killed after a man run them over with his truck in Ontario’s London. Meanwhile, a gunman killed six Muslim men while they prayed at a mosque in Quebec City in 2017. The caretaker of a mosque was also killed in the Toronto area in 2020.
Who Is Amira Elghawaby?
A journalist, expert on issues of equity and inclusion, and a human rights advocate, Amira Elghawaby is currently the Director of Strategic Communications and Campaigns at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.
The application process of the special representative position was launched back in June 2022 and Elghawaby was appointed “following an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process conducted for this Governor in Council position.”
Describing Elghawaby as a frequent media commentator, the release from Trudeau’s office said that she has delivered keynote presentations and workshops to a plethora of audiences.
Earlier, she held communication roles in Canada’s labour movement and also at the National Council of Canadian Muslims, where she had helped promote the civil liberties of Canadian Muslims and worked on matters around human rights.
She began her professional journey at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation where she worked as a reporter and associate producer over 14 years.
Elghawaby also has extensive experience supporting initiatives to counter hate and promote inclusion, including as a past founding board member of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network and a past board member at the Silk Road Institute.
With two terms as Commissioner on the Public Policy Forum’s Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression under her belt, she currently sits on the National Security Transparency Advisory Group, an independent, arms-length committee that advises the Deputy Minister of Public Safety.
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