National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia

On January 29, 2017, six worshippers lost their lives at a Québec City mosque. Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane, and Aboubaker Thabti were fathers, sons, husbands, brothers, and community members.

This year will mark the seventh anniversary of that tragic night that changed our country - and the third National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.

In November 2023, a senate report was released on Islamophobia in Canada saying that urgent action is needed to reverse the rising tide of hate and discrimination against Muslims in Canada.

January 29 serves as a reminder of the work we must do to eradicate Islamophobia, hate and racism in Canada. Learn more below about ways you can support.

Islamophobia-Motivated Incident Reporting Tool

A coalition of Canada Muslim organizations, including the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, has launched a mobile application called IMIRT – Islamophobia-Motivated Incident Reporting Tool – to create a safer and more inclusive community.

Islamophobic incidents are spiking across the country and this new hate crime reporting tool is designed to bridge the gap between underreported hate incidents and official statistics.

Learn more about the Islamophobia-Motivated Incident Reporting tool at IMIRT.ca.

Wear a Green Square

The Green Square Campaign is an NCCM initiative that takes place in the week leading up to January 29th every year to remember the victims and survivors of the Quebec City mosque attack. The campaign encourages Canada to wear a patch of green fabric in solidarity with the victims and survivors.  The green square represents the green carpets of the Quebec City mosque, where the victims last stood to pray. Learn more here.

National Action Plan on Combatting Hate

Hate-related incidents are on the rise across Canada. The federal government promised that they would provide a National Action Plan to Combat Hate. It is critical that the government provide a progress report and a timeline regarding its release. Take action now at www.ufcw.ca/stopthehate.

Anti-Islamophobia Resources

In the workplace, this day of remembrance is also an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with UFCW Canada Anti-Islamophobia resources, created in partnership with the NCCM:

My Rights To Religious Accommodation at Work - Action Card #1

Tips on Requesting Religious Accommodations - Action Card #2

Tips on Handling Discrimination / Harassment at Work - Action Card #3

Challenging Islamophobia Through Bystander Intervention - Action Card #4

Challenge Islamophobia – Observing Ramadan - Action Card #5

Challenge Islamophobia – The Importance of Praying at Work and Ablution - Action Card #6

Challenge Islamophobia – Greetings and the Muslim Faith - Action Card #7

Challenging Islamophobia – Why Time Off For Eid is Important - Action Card #8

On this date, and everyday let us continue to support organizations leading this fight and continue to affirm our solidarity with Muslim communities across Canada.

To find out more about UFCW Canada’s Social Justice work, click here.