Five years after four members of the Afzaal family were killed in a deadly anti-Muslim attack, Muslim advocacy groups on Thursday urged the Canadian federal government to take stronger and more effective action to combat Islamophobia. A new policy handbook aimed at addressing anti-Muslim hate was also released.
According to the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC), the 30-page handbook outlines recommendations to improve security at mosques and Islamic schools, strengthen accountability within public institutions, and expand federal support for Muslim communities.
Speaking in Ottawa, CMPAC Executive Director Khaled Alqazzaz said the 2021 attack in London, Ontario, which prosecutors described as an act of terrorism motivated by white nationalist ideology, exposed deep-rooted challenges faced by Muslims across Canada.
Muslim leaders and human rights advocates have raised concerns about the growing number of anti-Muslim hate crimes, calling on the government to move beyond symbolic gestures and implement meaningful policy measures. The handbook was released on the anniversary of the attack that claimed the lives of three generations of the Afzaal family. The tragedy remains one of the deadliest acts of anti-Muslim violence in Canadian history.
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