We must stand united against Islamophobia in Canada

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 29, 2026 /CNW/ - To mark the National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia, Charlotte-Anne Malischewski, serving as Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, issues the following statement:

In 2017, six innocent people were killed and many others injured in the attack on the Centre culturel islamique de Québec, simply for gathering to pray. On this National Day of Remembrance and Action against Islamophobia, we honour the victims, their families, the survivors, and the community that continues to carry the weight of that loss.

We call on everyone in Canada to stand united today -- and every day -- against Islamophobia.

Nine years later, hate targeting Muslim communities has not receded – it has grown. Statistics Canada's latest data shows a 173% increase in police-reported hate crimes targeting Muslim people from 2020 to 2024. We also know these numbers are incomplete, as many manifestations of Islamophobia go unreported, out of fear or a lack of trust in the system. When hate, racism, and religious discrimination go unchecked, the consequences can be devastating, as we saw so tragically during the Québec City Mosque attack we commemorate today.

Hate divides us and eats away at the foundations of our democracy and our social fabric. When hate manifests in our communities, it is a threat to public safety and to who we are as a nation. It silences people, shuts down debate, reinforces prejudice, and dehumanizes individuals and communities. In doing so, it makes discrimination easier and desensitizes us to threats and violence.

As Canada's National Human Rights Institution, we stand strong against Islamophobia. We urge the Government to expand on its 2024 Action Plan on Combatting Hate. Canada needs a proactive regime capable of addressing the root causes of intolerance, before hate escalates into violence.

Government action alone cannot replace our collective responsibility to stand up for the safety of our neighbours. It is the responsibility of every person in Canada to speak up, refuse to look away, and reject Islamophobia – and all forms of hate and discrimination.

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SOURCE Canadian Human Rights Commission

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