星空传媒

Canada

    • Israel-Hamas war cannot become another 9/11 moment, says anti-Islamophobia envoy

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's special representative for combating Islamophobia is warning against allowing the Israel-Hamas war to become a catalyst for the stereotyping of Muslim Canadians.

    Amira Elghawaby, who was appointed to the new role in January, released a statement this week about the effect the war is having on members of Canada's Muslim communities.

    She said people are expressing fear about a "resurgence" in Islamophobia that "has troubling echoes of the past."

    She referred to the years following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when Muslims and Arabs "felt collectively blamed, stereotyped and racially profiled."

    Elghawaby said that locally, Muslims and Arabs "felt pressured to condemn actions unrelated to our communities" and experienced what she called "a silencing effect" when it came to community members voicing their views about human rights.

    Her statement said the legacy of 9/11 is "being rekindled" in the current war.

    "Over the past 10 days, like all Canadians, I have watched the devastating scenes from the Middle East," she said in the statement released late Wednesday.

    "There are no words to describe how our hearts ache as we watch, in real time, the suffering of innocent people. These events have taken a personal toll on me, especially the most recent attack on the hospital in Gaza, and the avoidable humanitarian tragedy that is unfolding."

    A spokesperson from the Canadian Heritage department said Thursday that Elghawaby, whose job is to provide advice to the federal government on how best to respond to Islamophobia, was unavailable for an interview.

    The war began after Hamas militants stormed across the blockaded border between the Gaza Strip and Israel into southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7, a major Jewish holiday. Israel has since retaliated with strikes into Hamas-controlled Gaza and is preparing a ground invasion.

    The Gaza Health Ministry says nearly 3,800 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, and more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians caught up in the deadly Hamas incursion.

    The explosion at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City this week has become a flashpoint in the war.

    On Tuesday, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry announced that a hospital blast had left hundreds dead and quickly blamed the incident on an airstrike by Israel.

    The Israeli military has denied involvement and released a flurry of images that it says show that a Palestinian militant group misfired on the hospital.

    U.S. President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the region on Wednesday that it appeared the hospital blast was perpetrated "by the other team, not you."

    Trudeau said on Thursday that Canada was taking the "necessary time" to probe the incident before drawing any conclusions.

    Since the conflict began, Trudeau and other leaders have spoken out against a rise in both antisemitism and Islamophobia, including against Palestinian Canadians.

    The National Council of Canadian Muslims said in a statement posted to social media Thursday that the number of reports of hate incidents it has received has skyrocketed, "and is fuelled by the ongoing tragedy in Gaza."

    It called on leaders to take action.

    Trudeau and other federal leaders have all acknowledged the fear the war is stirring for members of Jewish as well as Arab and Muslim communities. They have called for the need to ensure the conflict does not lead to a rise in hate or violence against these groups.

    In the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre issued a statement calling on the government to ensure the safety of Jewish Canadians, saying there is "a heightened level of anxiety about the potential of threats and violence."

    Poilievre reacted to reports of hate crimes directed at a Hebrew school in Toronto on social media last week, saying on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: "Threats of violence like these are despicable and should never be tolerated in Canada."

    Trudeau referred to the same investigation, in which Toronto police made three arrests, when speaking about what he called "a very scary rise of antisemitism here at home" at an event in Ottawa this week held by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

    The prime minister also told Parliament this week that he has met with Muslim and Palestinians leaders to hear their concerns, saying that Hamas's actions do not represent the Palestinian people "or their legitimate aspirations."

    Hamas has been listed as a terrorist entity in Canada since 2002.

    Other parliamentarians spoke this week about the Chicago killing of a six-year-old Palestinian American and the wounding of his mother. Local police alleged that the two were targeted by their landlord in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

    Some also told personal stories. Quebec Liberal MP Sameer Zuberi, who is Muslim, told reporters that his "visibly Muslim" sister-in-law and niece were threatened on their way to school and had to turn around.

    Police agencies across Canada say they are watching for threats.

    Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said that the number of hate crime calls since the attack on Israel has gone up sharply compared to the same time period last year.

    Demkiw told a police services board meeting on Thursday that since Oct. 7, there have been 14 hate crime reports -- 12 relating to antisemitism and two about anti-Muslim incidents -- compared to five during a similar time frame last year.

    "Verified incidents of hate crimes, including mischief, uttering death threats and criminal harassment, are on the rise," he said.

    "We have been clear and we remain resolute. The Toronto Police Service will not tolerate acts of violence, intimidation or hate toward anyone or any community. We will facilitate lawful protest. We will be vigilant and resolute in our service to our communities and the residents of this city."

    Police have been maintaining increased visibility around synagogues and mosques, Demkiw said.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2023.

    With files from The Associated Press and Allison Jones in Toronto.

    CTVNews.ca 星空传媒

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A teenager has been charged with multiple offences related to stabbings that occurred in Surrey's Newton neighbourhood last week.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • Michael Ford, Ontario's minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, says he is taking a leave of absence from cabinet to prioritize his health.

    • Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is urging the Alberta government to preserve pieces of the massive Green Line transit project now being dissolved.

    • It will be the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge as a memorial is held Friday in Calgary.

    • It's billed as 'Canada鈥檚 Largest Halloween Festival' and it's taken weeks to set up over 10,000 carved pumpkins that transform the WinSport bobsleigh track into a spooky spectacle.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • Maplewood Secondary School is scheduled to open Monday after receiving a permit Friday morning allowing 50 per cent of the building to be occupied.

    • Police in western Quebec say a driver has been arrested after almost crashing into a school bus near La P锚che Friday morning.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Three men were injured after a man armed with a knife entered a Montreal-area Islamic cultural centre Friday afternoon.

    • A new garden and microforest, years in the making, have been inaugurated at John Abbott College in Montreal.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    • Mounties say there was an increased police presence in the Emerald Hills area of Sherwood Park on Friday morning as officers searched for a man who is wanted by police.

    • There are plenty of fun happenings in Edmonton this weekend. It's time to savour that last little bit of the summer season before the leaves really start coming down.

    • Alberta Health Services says an E. coli outbreak at a daycare in Blackfalds has ended.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Relatives of a 60-year-old man who took his own life in a Nova Scotia jail after long periods of confinement in his cell have launched a lawsuit against the province.

    • Family, friends and fans of late hip hop artist and battle rapper, Pat Stay will gather at events held in his honour on Saturday and Sunday.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A Manitoba veterinary clinic has two new ways of figuring out what鈥檚 causing a horse to be lame.

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      A large police presence can be seen outside Regina鈥檚 Miller High School on Friday afternoon.

    • A 21-year-old man from Codette, Sask. is facing numerous charges in connection to a fatal crash near Wapella, Sask. Wednesday night that claimed the life of a 22-year-old Alberta woman.

    • Arguments between UR Pride and the Government of Saskatchewan on the Parents鈥 Bill of Rights will be moving ahead to the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan beginning on Monday, Sept. 23.

    • Levels of hydrogen sulfide gas are being monitored at Brantford Collegiate Institute after a leak in their geothermal system.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • A 69-year-old woman from Outlook, Saskatchewan is dead and three people are injured after a truck and SUV collided on Highway 15 on Thursday.

    • A garage fire in Saskatoon鈥檚 Willows neighbourhood on Friday narrowly missed igniting an attached home, according to the fire department.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • The timeline is short, but London officials are confident in their ability to submit a strong application for a Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub that the province will begin funding next year.

    • A man is in hospital with life threatening injuries following a collision between a motorcycle and a vehicle on Friday afternoon.

    • A new outdoor music festival is launching this weekend in London - tickets are still available for the inaugural Fairway Fest at East Park.

    • A section of Grove Street in Barrie's east end will be closed for several weeks as part of the City's ongoing road work.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • A 17-year-old from Markham is facing serious charges after an August 11 shooting at a party in Caledon.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family鈥檚 backyard pool.

    • There is no threats to public safety following an incident involving a gun at a local high school.

    • A LaSalle couple has won $1 million after buying a ticket for the Aug. 13 LottoMax draw.

    • New Democrat Leader David Eby has launched his British Columbia election campaign a day early, making the key battle ground of Surrey his first stop.

    • The Old Man Lake wildfire near Sooke is the only one currently burning on Vancouver Island. It鈥檚 a region of the province that this year saw a drastic drop in blazes in the backcountry.

    • The debate over sexual orientation and gender identity education in schools is heating up. Protests both for and against SOGI in the curriculum took place across the country Friday.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • A Vulcan, Alta., man has been charged with a Lethbridge woman's murder after her body was found in the Oyen area.

    • A Lethbridge couple got a good reminder as to why you should keep your vehicle doors locked at all times.

    • Lethbridge residents who live near the police range can expect to hear plenty of shots fired Wednesday and Thursday.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It will be the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge as a memorial is held Friday in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    • The Winnipeg Jets have some huge holes to fill on both offence and defence this season.

    Autos

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow CTV News