THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TORONTO, Wednesday, September 21, 2022
(19)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 9:10 a.m. ET, in the Trillium Ballroom, Main floor, Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport Hotel, the chair, the Honourable Salma Ataullahjan, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Arnot, Ataullahjan, Gerba and Oh (4).
Participating in the meeting: Mireille Aubé, Procedural Clerk, and Lyne Héroux, Logistics Officer, Committees Directorate; Robert Mason and Brendan Naef, analysts, Library of Parliament; Amely Coulombe, Senate Events Coordinator, Communications Directorate.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, March 3, 2022, the committee continued its study of such issues as may arise from time to time relating to human rights generally. (Topic: Islamophobia in Canada)
WITNESSES:
Muslim Educators Network of Ontario:
Omar Zia, Educator;
Rizwana Kaderdina, Educator.
Canadian Council of Imams:
Dr. Mohammad Iqbal Al-Nadvi, Chairman;
Refaat Mohamed, President;
Taha Ghayyur, Member.
Muslim Medical Association of Canada:
Dr. Arfeen Malick, Mental Health Director.
Concentus Citizenship Education Foundation:
Heather Fenyes, Board Chair;
David Fisher, Executive Director.
Soul Brothers Pakistan:
Furqan Abbassi, Member and Entrepreneur.
As an individual:
Rabia Khokhar, Teacher and Equity and Education Consultant.
Omar Zia, Rizwana Kaderdina and Rabia Khokhar each made a statement and answered questions.
At 10:31 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 10:45 a.m., the committee resumed.
Refaat Mohamed, Taha Ghayyur, Arfeen Malick and Heather Fenyes each made a statement and, together with Mohammad Iqbal Al-Nadvi and David Fisher, answered questions.
At 11:46 a.m., the committee suspended.
At 11:56 a.m., the committee resumed.
Furqan Abbassi made a statement and answered questions.
At 12:15 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Sébastien Payet
Clerk of the Committee