THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

TORONTO, Thursday, September 22, 2022
(20)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights met this day at 9:06 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 Council of Peel:

Hamid Slimi, President.

Zabiha Halal:

Sarah Khetty, Director of Marketing.

Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat of Toronto:

Shabnees Siwjee, At-Large Director.

El-Tawhid Juma Circle:

Troy Jackson, Co-Founder and President, Writer and Performer;

El-Farouk Khaki, Co-Founder, founder of Salaam Queer Muslim Community, co-founder of The Canadian Muslim Union, co-founder of the Muslim AIDS Project, founding member of the Muslim Lawyers’ Association.

Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council:

Khaled Al-Qazzaz, Senior Advisor.

As an individual:

Katherine Bullock, Lecturer, University of Toronto Mississauga.

Hamid Slimi, Sarah Khetty and Katherine Bullock each made a statement and answered questions.

At 10:37 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 10:49 a.m., the committee resumed.

Shabnees Siwjee made a statement and answered questions.

At 11:15 a.m., the committee suspended.

At 11:26 a.m., the committee resumed.

Troy Jackson, El-Farouk Khaki and Khaled Al-Qazzazeach each made a statement and answered questions.

At 12:27 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Sébastien Payet

Clerk of the Committee