After the escalation of hate crimes against Muslims.. Canada appoints the first representative to combat Islamophobia

Canada appointed - yesterday, Thursday - the first special representative concerned with combating Islamophobia (hatred of Islam), a position created after a series of attacks targeting Muslims recently in the country.

A statement issued by the Canadian Prime Minister's office said that journalist and activist Amira Al-Ghawabi will fill the position "to be an advocate, advisor, expert and representative to support and strengthen the federal government's efforts to combat Islamophobia, systemic racism, racial discrimination and religious intolerance."

Al-Ghawabi is a human rights activist, public relations officer at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and columnist for the Toronto Star. She has also worked for more than a decade at CBC. Canadian Public Broadcasting.

She was instrumental in establishing the National Council of Canada's Muslims (NCCM), the largest Muslim organization in the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised the appointment of Gwabi, which he saw as "an important step in our fight against Islamophobia and hate in all its forms."

"Diversity is one of Canada's greatest strengths, but for many Muslims, Islamophobia is all too familiar," he added.

Merci to @HonAhmedHussen, his equipement and au gouvernement of Canada d'avoir fait de ce poste une realité afin de favoriser une plus grande diversité et inclusion à travers le pays.

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- Amira Elghawaby (@AmiraElghawaby) January 26, 2023

Over recent years, a series of bloody attacks have targeted Canadian Muslims.

In June 2021, 4 members of a Muslim family were killed when someone ran them over with his truck in Ontario.

And 4 years before that, 6 Muslims were killed and 5 injured in an attack on a mosque in Quebec City.

In a series of tweets launched by El-Ghaouabi on Thursday, she mentioned the names of the people killed in the recent attacks and wrote, "We must never forget."

The creation of the new position came as part of the recommendations of a national summit on Islamophobia organized by the federal government in June 2021, in response to these attacks.