ICLMG joins member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre, Salma Zahid, in a press conference announcing the tabling of Bill C-331, An Act to amend the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act (duty of candour). The bill aims to ensure greater transparency and accountability when CSIS misleads the courts and breaches its duty of candour. ICLMG’s intervention starts at 9:08.

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Bill C-331 An Act to amend the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act (duty of candour), which follows a public consultation process launched last summer, consists of three elements:

• Include in the annual report by the Director of CSIS to the Minister of Public Safety information on the number of breaches of the duty of candour to the courts, a description of each breach, and any remedial action taken. This classified report is also provided to the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency.
• Require the Minister to table annually in the House of Commons an unclassified copy of the information described above related to breaches and remedial action taken.
• Amend the Oath of Office sworn by the CSIS director and employees to include duties owed to the courts, such as the duty of candour.

For more information on the bill, click here.

Sunday, January 29, 2023 marks the sixth anniversary of the horrific attack on the Centre Culturel Islamique du Québec. We remember Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane & Azzedine Soufiane, the nineteen wounded, their families and their community.

Jan. 29th is also the National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Islamophobia. We have seen important developments, including the long-awaited recent appointment of Amira Elghawaby as the federal Special representative on Islamophobia.

But January 29th is also a reminder that more needs to be done to fight violence and hate directed towards Muslims in Canada. For 21 years, we have seen how Canada’s anti-terrorism policies and support for the so-called “War on Terror” are both a cause and consequence of Islamophobia across Canada and around the world. This ranges from Muslim Canadians still being predominantly affected by unproven and discriminatory border policies like the No Fly List, to the ongoing detention of Muslim Canadians in northeast Syria, to Muslim-led charities being disproportionately singled out for surveillance, audits, and punishment.

We join with others in calling for the Canadian government to take further, concrete action by ending the systemic Islamophobia that continues to cause so much harm, and that helps to reinforce and justify individuals in their own hateful acts.

We encourage everyone to join local and virtual vigils on Sunday, Jan. 29th, and to take action:

• In-person outdoors vigil in Ottawa (unceded Algonquin land): Jan 29, 6PM at the Human Rights Monument (220 Elgin st, corner of Lisgar). Dress warmly and wear a mask/keep your distance. Organized by Canadians United Against Hate. Share on Facebook + Twitter + Instagram
• Register for the virtual vigil organized by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women
• Attend in person or online the Commémoration citoyenne de l’attentat de la Grande Mosquée de Québec
• Check out NCCM’s Green Square Campaign calls to action, including a new letter-writing campaign urging the federal government to establish a National Support Fund for Victims of Hate-Motivated Crimes.
• For more information on the impacts and ways to counter Islamophobia, visit: https://iclmg.ca/resources-against-islamophobia

Thank you.