After the London attack, politics and Islamophobia

Party Lines

In the wake of a fatal attack on a Muslim family in London, Ont., we've heard some familiar sentiments: “This is not who we are.” “This is not what Canada is about.” “This cannot happen here.” Elamin Abdelmahmoud, who brings lived experience to this conversation, wants to unpack some of that language — and discuss how it squares with the main messages coming from federal politicians of all political stripes. Nearly all party leaders condemned Islamophobia in general at a massive vigil earlier this week, but most carefully avoided mention of specific policy and legislation (like Quebec’s controversial Bill 21, or the 2017 anti-Islamophobia motion M-103.) Plus, Rosie Barton connects the dots to last week's conversation about reconciliation, and how this country talks about its past, especially the residential school system. As statues like that of Egerton Ryerson continue to topple, she wonders how Canada plans to move the conversation beyond monuments and names on buildings.