Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council✓

CMPAC extends its congratulations to @oliviachow in Toronto, @AlvinTedjo in Mississauga and @patrickbrownont in Brampton on their election victories. We look forward to continued engagement with municipal leaders on issues that matter to our communities. We are encouraged by the growing participation of Canadian Muslim communities in these elections, from engaging with candidates and advocating for issues that matter to them to emphasizing the importance of principled leadership. These elections remind us of the importance of ensuring that more communities are engaged, and more voices are heard. For many community members, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has become a moral litmus test for political leadership, reinforcing the expectation that elected officials demonstrate moral courage and refuse to remain silent in the face of crimes against humanity. These concerns reflect a broader desire for leaders whose commitment to justice and human dignity extends beyond political convenience. As these leaders begin their new mandates, CMPAC looks forward to constructive consultations, meaningful accountability, and continued efforts to ensure that the concerns and priorities of diverse communities are reflected in municipal leadership. #cdnpoli

Ontario's municipal elections have brought renewed hope by bringing residents from different backgrounds and communities together to make their voices heard and help shape the future of their cities. We are especially happy to see the growing engagement of Canadian Muslim communities through taking a more active role in local democracy, engaging with candidates, advocating for the issues that matter to them and emphasizing the importance of electing leaders who demonstrate a commitment to principled positions. These elections are a reminder of what is possible when more communities are engaged, more voices are included and people come together around shared principles and a vision for a better future. CMPAC celebrates everyone who participated, volunteered, organized and helped strengthen civic engagement across Ontario. This growing participation gives us hope for a future where our communities are not only represented, but actively involved in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. #cdnpoli

🎥 WATCH: CMPAC Executive Director @kalqazzaz joins @GTAMuslimsToday to discuss #Ontario’s municipal elections! In this interview, Khaled Al-Qazzaz digs in deeper into the importance of civic engagement at the municipal level and the role Canadian Muslims can play in shaping the future of their cities. watch here:

RT @AmnestyNow: 🔥 Over one year since the ceasefire agreement, more than 1,400 people have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, nearly two million still need shelter, not a single hospital is fully functioning, and 1.4 million face crisis-level hunger.

TODAY: The @UN Commission of Inquiry has released its inquiry reporting that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The report said Israel was “continuing to commit genocidal acts with the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in Gaza.” In light of Canada's obligations under international law, CMPAC calls on PM @MarkJCarney and Foreign Affairs Minister @AnitaAnandMP to: 1. Formally recognize Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide 2. Review and suspend Canada's preferential trade agreement with Israel (CIFTA) 3. Push for and support independent investigations and concrete accountability measures, including supporting the ICC in investigating and prosecuting violations of international law 4. Demand unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza. 5. Impose a comprehensive two-way arms embargo on Israel.

Ontario Municipal Election Day is Here! As Ontarians head to the polls today, October 26, CMPAC encourages all eligible voters to participate in the democratic process and make informed decisions about the future of their cities. With closely contested races in a few cities including #Toronto and #Mississauga even a couple of votes can make the difference in determining the outcome. Before casting your ballot, it is crucial to take the time to get to know the candidates. Read their platforms and understand where they stand on the issues that matter to you. Think about how their commitments and track records align with your values. An informed vote starts with asking the right questions. Your vote is an opportunity to have a say in the future of your city. Make it count. Your City. Your Voice. Your Vote. 🗳️ Find out where to vote here:

As municipal elections approach on Monday October 26th, the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) remains committed to strengthening civic participation and political engagement among Canadian Muslim communities across the province of Ontario. CMPAC has received many requests for endorsements in different cities. However, given our primary focus on federal and provincial advocacy, CMPAC has chosen not to issue formal candidate endorsements at the municipal level. However we continue to focus on capacity building, community mobilization and facilitating meaningful participation in this election. Through volunteer training and outreach, CMPAC is supporting civic engagement initiatives and connecting community volunteers with various municipal election campaigns. CMPAC is also facilitating community consultations in municipalities across Ontario to identify shared priorities and support community-led consensus regarding potential candidates across different municipalities. #cdnpoli

CMPAC welcomes the overwhelming decision by Albertans to remain part of Canada, with approximately 76% voting against separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta, with nearly 1.9 million votes counted. In the lead-up to the October 19 referendum, CMPAC worked alongside grassroots volunteers across Alberta to strengthen civic awareness and democratic participation among Canadian Muslims through educational sessions, community outreach and voter engagement initiatives. CMPAC remains committed to empowering Canadian Muslim communities to actively engage in civic and democratic life and help shape a stronger more inclusive Canada. #cdnpoli

The UN World Food Programme @WFP has announced food assistance cuts to 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza due to funding shortages. Following the announcement, the price of a bundle of bread surged 140%, This underscores the real and devastating consequences of reduced humanitarian assistance, compounded by Israel's continued restrictions on the entry of essential goods into Gaza. International humanitarian law prohibits the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and requires that humanitarian relief for civilians in need be allowed and facilitated. In light of these obligations CMPAC calls on Foreign Affairs Minister @AnitaAnandMP to demand that Israel immediately end its restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid throughout Gaza, including food, medical supplies, and other essential goods.

CMPAC acknowledges that Public Safety Canada’s recognition of some distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism represents a positive step. However, we remain concerned by the lack of clarity in Public Safety Canada's interpretation of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, particularly its failure to establish an explicit distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Furthermore, Public Safety’s report on antisemitism relies extensively on the IHRA definition, raising concerns about its implications for legitimate political expression and advocacy for Palestinian rights. In its response, Public Safety Canada’s reassurance that criticism of Israel is acceptable when “similar to that levelled against any other country” fails to recognize that states facing accusations of genocide and war crimes will necessarily attract heightened condemnation and sustained political mobilization. The intensity of such criticism cannot reasonably serve as a basis for characterizing it as antisemitic. The government's reliance on vague, context-dependent interpretations of anti-Zionism, without clearly articulated thresholds or safeguards, creates significant risks of inconsistent and discriminatory application. Such ambiguity can have serious consequences for university students, academic freedom, employment, policing, Palestinian solidarity advocacy, civil society groups, and the exercise of Charter-protected civil liberties. CMPAC calls on Minister @gary_srp and @Safety_Canada to move beyond general assurances and establish explicit, rights-protective guidance distinguishing antisemitism from opposition to Zionism, criticism of Israeli state policies, and advocacy for Palestinian self-determination. Combating antisemitism must not provide a framework through which legitimate political expression is delegitimized, penalized or suppressed.

After significant community concern and advocacy, including much engagement by many Canadians, including NCCM, the Government of Canada has clarified in a response letter that anti-Zionism is not inherently antisemitic, reaffirming Canadians’ right to engage in open, respectful, and lawful debate about Israel, its government policies, and any political ideology. In its response to NCCM on October 16th, the Minister of Public Safety reaffirmed that the Report is not intended to suggest that all criticism of Zionism or Israel is antisemitic, nor to limit or discourage lawful political expression and public debate. While this clarification is a step in the right direction, many in our community remain concerned about the IHRA definition and how it may be applied in practice to chill legitimate political speech, even though the federal government states that it is non-prescriptive guidance and does not restrict Charter-protected freedoms. Many Canadians have lost their jobs for innocuous statements critiquing Israel. We’ve taken many of these cases to court to protect their rights and have won. We will continue to advocate for the protection of civil liberties, freedom of expression, and the right of all Canadians to engage in legitimate political debate without fear of having their views unfairly characterized.

By amplifying unverified allegations from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (@ISGAP) without proper context, the @nationalpost has failed in its obligation to maintain editorial independence and professional rigor. ISGAP is not an impartial research institution, it rather functions as an instrument of Israeli propaganda. Investigations by The Guardian and The Forward have documented its receipt of Israeli government funding, accounting for as much as 80% of ISGAP’s annual revenue in certain years, and its connections to former Israeli officials. When a publication amplifies a heavily state-funded advocacy group targeting domestic civil rights, basic journalistic standards require full disclosure of those financial pipelines. The report treats ordinary features of democratic participation as indicators of subversion. Canadian Muslims organizing politically, mobilizing voters, engaging elected representatives, and advocating on matters of public policy are exercising charter protected rights. Equating standard civic engagement with foreign influence does more than reflect poor analysis; it constructs a dangerous narrative that treats the lawful political participation of Canadian Muslims as inherently suspicious. This is a direct contribution to this islamophobic smear campaign. CMPAC and the Canadian Muslim communities deserve the same standards of editorial accountability afforded to any other community in Canada. The National Post must answer for the standards applied in this reporting and the consequences of legitimizing allegations that risk stigmatizing lawful Muslim civic participation. The National Post must retract this article and apologize to the Muslim community and the organizations it smeared, amplifying questionable Islamophobic sources.

Report traces alleged Muslim Brotherhood influence in Canada

Today, October 19, Albertans head to the polls to participate in the provincial referendum. In the lead-up to today's vote, CMPAC has worked alongside grassroots volunteers across Alberta to strengthen civic awareness and democratic participation among Canadian Muslims through educational sessions and community outreach. Every voice matters in shaping the future of Alberta and contributing to a stronger Canada. We encourage all eligible Albertans to familiarize themselves with the referendum questions, make informed decisions and exercise their democratic right to vote. #cdnpoli find out where your voting location is:

Israel continues to advance its so-called “Yellow Line” deeper into Gaza, a military demarcation established under the October 2025 ceasefire that divides the territory between ‘Israeli military control’ and Palestinian areas. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to expand its territorial control through military attacks and forced displacement, pushing Palestinian families into increasingly confined areas. Nearly 1,500 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire. CMPAC calls on Foreign Affairs Minister @AnitaAnandMP and the Government of Canada to demand an immediate end to Israel's territorial expansion and forced displacement of Palestinians, press for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and pursue concrete accountability measures for violations of international humanitarian law.

The latest attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian olive harvesters and journalists in the occupied West Bank reflect the escalating violence, dispossession and impunity facing Palestinian communities amid Israel's continued illegal settlement expansion. Canada has repeatedly affirmed that Israeli settlements violate international law and, alongside international partners, announced its intention to prohibit trade with illegal Israeli settlements. These commitments must be translated into concrete measures. MP @SalmaZahid15 and members of the Canada–Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group are urging Foreign Affairs Minister @AnitaAnandMP to accelerate the implementation of Canada's sanctions regime and adopt the measures proposed by the Global Sanctions Coalition under the Special Economic Measures Act. Canada must follow through on its commitment to prohibit illegal settlement trade, strengthen targeted sanctions against individuals and entities facilitating illegal settlement activity, and ensure meaningful accountability for violations of international law. Continued settlement expansion, settler violence and the displacement of Palestinian communities underscore the urgency of translating Canada's stated commitments into enforceable policy measures. #cdnpoli

CMPAC stands in solidarity with the BC Muslim coomunity and endorses BCMA’s @bc_muslim statement condemning the anti-Muslim remarks made by @katy_merrifield, Campaign Director of the Conservative Party of British Columbia @Conservative_BC, including remarks vilifying Islam and Muslim communities. Amid rising Islamophobia across Canada, such rhetoric from senior political figures risks legitimizing anti-Muslim discrimination, reinforcing harmful stereotypes, undermining the safety of Muslim communities, and contributing to a political climate in which their marginalization becomes increasingly normalized. CMPAC echoes BCMA’s call for the Leader of the Conservative Party of BC @LDoerkson to remove Merrifield from campaign leadership and public-facing roles, issue a formal public apology to Muslim British Columbians, explicitly reject anti-Muslim rhetoric, and outline concrete measures to prevent its recurrence. We further support BCMA’s call for all political parties to adopt and enforce clear standards against Islamophobia, antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, and religious bigotry, provide appropriate anti-racism and anti-Islamophobia training, and ensure swift accountability when these standards are violated.