MPs mark anniversary of mosque massacre
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Islamophobia and racism are to blame for the murders of six men in a Quebec mosque last year and can never have a place in this country.
Trudeau made the assertion Monday just hours before he was to attend a vigil in Quebec City to mark one year since a gunman killed six and injured 19 others when he fired into the Islamic cultural centre during prayers. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, along with opposition leaders, were also to be there to commemorate the grim anniversary.
In the Commons earlier Monday, Trudeau called on all MPs to stand against Islamophobia.
“We owe it to (the victims) to speak up and stand tall and explicitly against Islamophobia and discrimination in all its forms,” he said.
His call to action received just tepid applause, conjuring up memories of the heated debate about the use of the term Islamophobia which took off after Liberal MP Iqra Khalid introduced a 2016 motion that also called on parliamentarians to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of discrimination and have a committee study how to combat it.
Most Conservative MPs opposed the non-binding motion because they said Islamophobia is an ill-defined term that could lead to stifling criticism of Islamic doctrine. Some complained it was singling out one religion for special treatment, although many motions had passed previously condemning acts of hatred against Jews or Yazidis.
In his speech marking the anniversary of the mosque shootings, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer did not use the term “Islamophobia” but condemned the shooting as an “act of terror” and a “hate crime.”
“This shooting was an act of terror that shook up the entire region, province and country,” Scheer said.
Scheer and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh were also to be at the vigil Monday.