The future of our community – and of Canada - is at stake

This Ramadan, I'm asking you to stand up so that we win.

Visit Website Donate Asalamu alaikum / Peace be upon you As many of you know, our team has been on the front lines in Quebec, fighting an intense battle against Bill 21 - a law that bans hijabs, turbans, kippahs and other religious symbols in several public sector jobs. At the end of February, we finally got our result back at the Quebec Court of Appeal. The verdict this time wasn’t in our favour but make no mistake - this is a battle that will likely go to the Supreme Court of Canada. The gravity of this battle is no small matter. We want to make that very clear. The future of our community – and of Canada - is at stake. The Quebec government passed the law while invoking the “notwithstanding clause” in our Charter - a mechanism that attempts to protect Bill 21 from certain legal challenges. That’s why this battle is so critical. If we lose, it means any government in Canada can cut down religious freedoms- or many other rights- with little resistance (by also using the Notwithstanding Clause). This Ramadan, I’m asking you to stand up so that we win. We need to unite. Your fight is our fight. Stephen Brown, Chief Executive Officer, NCCM  STAND WITH COURAGEOUS STUDENTS ADVOCATING FOR PALESTINE Last year, students at the UBC Vancouver campus were defamed, harassed, and threatened for their criticisms of the bombardment of Gaza. The UBC administration has failed to step in on behalf of the harassed students, or even to look into the matter. So NCCM stepped up instead to help the UBC students, who are involed with the campus Social Justice Centre, file a lawsuit against the organization affiliated with the person behind the threats and defamation. This Ramadan, you can make a direct impact on their lives, and particularly on their ability to freely advocate for human rights issues without facing harassment and threats. Donate today! Donate Today in this Historic Ramadan

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A Step Towards Victory in Challenging the Quebec Prayer Ban

Visit Website Donate   Asalamu alaikum / Peace be upon you    As Ramadan ended, I told you that we had to be ready to take on another government in court. We did. And we have an important step towards victory towards ending the Quebec prayer ban. In a province where we saw the Quebec City Mosque massacre, where the government imposed quasi-emergency powers in Bill 21 to try to ban Muslim women wearing hijabs from becoming teachers, the Legault government tried to take the fight to our kids. They banned prayer in schools through a government decree. And we saw Muslim kids not allowed to pray - period - in a number of Quebec schools throughout the month of June. So we took the government to court. And today, we have an important update on our journey to victory. The ruling from the Quebec Court of Appeal was complex. Justice Mainville’s judgment ruling last week implies that the Decree should not be read to impose a total ban on prayer in schools, but rather, simply prohibits the designation of specific rooms as prayer spaces - like a musallah. In light of the Court of Appeal’s judgment, we will be following with interest whether the government of Quebec respects the ruling of the Court of Appeal in suggesting that the Decree should not be interpreted as a total prayer ban. In any case, we will vigilantly observe how the Decree is being applied in the coming school year and will continue to vigorously defend Muslim students’ right to practice their faith in school. What should you take from this? Right now, it means that our court battle has secured an important step and likely clarification from the courts on the scope of the prayer ban. But we need your help. We need you to do two things. 1. We need to pay our legal bills - it cost us about $50 000 to get this important clarification from the Quebec Court of Appeal. Join in on the khair - of securing the ability of kids to pray without fear - by donating today. 2. We need you to continue to raise this issue. Talk to your local representatives, your neighbours, and your colleagues about the attempt of the Quebec government to have school authorities surveil kids to see if they are praying. Once again, I thank you for your contribution and support to help us get this far. But the battle is not over. Onwards. Bismillah. Stephen Brown  CEO of NCCM  DONATE TODAY

NCCM | P.O. Box 13219, Ottawa, K2K 1X4 Canada Sent by info@nccm.ca

The Quebec government wants to spy on your kids. We won’t let that happen: National Council of Canadian Muslims

In these last hours of this blessed month, help us stand up for Muslim students in Quebec

Visit Website Donate ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ --Le message en français suivra-- Asalamu alaikum / Peace be upon you all,      Today, as we come to a close of this blessed month of Ramadan, I want you to celebrate Eid with a smile on your face. I, for one, am planning to take my kids out here in Montreal tomorrow to enjoy Eid with our family, to remember Allah’s infinite mercies, and to remember why we do what we do.    But there’s one thing we must talk about first.     Before you hold your children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren during Eid celebrations tomorrow, I want you to know that another major challenge lies in front of us. An unprecedented breach that threatens the safety and integrity of our children in schools.     Yesterday, the Government of Quebec issued a directive designed to ban prayer in schools.     In an extraordinary move, the Quebec government is violating our sacred right to worship.    By banning what the Quebec government calls “conspicuous” prayer, it is clear which communities will be specifically impacted by this new directive.    It is also clear that this will require teachers and classmates to spy on their Muslim classmates to determine if they are trying to breach the new Ministerial Directive.    This is unacceptable and shameful.     But I promise you:    Our team at NCCM will be fighting this new directive every step of the way, in solidarity and partnership with all Quebec Muslim organizations and non-Muslim partners.     We expect to announce our legal challenge shortly.    But if we are going to fight, I need your help today.    I need you to donate today.   Help us pave this #PathtoJustice as we close out Ramadan and gear up for a new battle.     We cannot allow our children to be spied on and bullied at the behest of the Quebec government.     Join the fight.   Stephen Brown, CEO of NCCM DONATE TODAY Asalamu alaikum / Que la Paix soit sur vous tous,      Aujourd’hui, alors que ce mois béni du Ramadan touche à sa fin, je veux que vous célébriez l’Eid avec un sourire au visage. De mon côté, je prévois sortir avec mes enfants dans Montréal demain pour profiter du Eid en famiile, pour nous rappeler des miséricordes infinies d’Allah et de nous rappeler pourquoi nous faisons ce que nous faisons.     Mais il y a une chose dont nous devons parler en premier.    Avant d’enlacer vos enfants, vos nièces et vos neveux et vos petits-enfants durant la célébration de l’Eid demain, je veux que vous sachiez qu’il y a un autre défi majeur devant nous.Une violation sans précédent qui menace la sécurité et l’intégrité de nos enfants dans les écoles.    Hier, le gouvernement du Québec a émis une directive pour interdire la prière à l’école.    D’une manière extraordinaire, le gouvernement du Québec viole notre droit sacré d’adorer.    En interdisant ce que le gouvernement du Québec appelle la prière “visible”, il est clair quelles communautés seront spécifiquement impactées par cette nouvelle directive.    Il est aussi clair que ceci va nécessiter que des enseignants et que des camarades de classe espionnent sur leur camarades musulmans pour déterminer s’ils sont entrain d’enfreindre la nouvelle directive ministérielle.    Ceci est inacceptable et honteux.    Mais je vous promets:    Notre équipe au CNMC combattera cette nouvelle directive à chaque étape du chemin, en solidarité et en partenariat avec toutes les organisations musulmanes québécoises et partenaires non-musulmans.    Nous prévoyons annoncer notre contestation judiciaire sous peu.    Mais si nous devons nous battre, j’ai besoin de votre aide aujourd’hui.    J’ai besoin que vous fassiez un don aujourd’hui.   Aidez-nous à tracer cette voie vers la justice alors que nous clotûrons le Ramadan et nous nous préparons pour un nouveau combat.    Nous ne pouvons pas permettre que nos enfants soient espionnés et intimidés sur commandement du gouvernement du The resolution presented by Azerbaijan on behalf of Non-Aligned countries noted the impact of sanctions on key rights related to life, health, and freedom from hunger. It was predictably rejected by the US and its allies     Joignez-vous au combat.   Stephen Brown, CEO of NCCM FAITES UN DON AUJOUD'HUI!

NCCM | P.O. Box 13219, Ottawa, Ontario K2K 1X4 Canada