19 year old Iraqi Canadian Yosif Al-Hasnawi, a first year Brock University Medical Sciences student and aspiring doctor, was shot in December 2, 2017 outside of the Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre. He died from his wound. Hundreds gathered at Brock University on December 8, 2017 and at Hamilton City Hall on December 9, 2017 to mourn him and call for justice.

Yazidi Canadian Nafiya Naso has initiated a Parliamentary Petition to the House of Commons requesting that "the Government of Canada to expand the definition of family to include extended family members for Yazidi refugees given that they are genocide survivors and given that many of their immediate family members are deceased or missing in action and to immediately clear the backlog in the existing sponsorship cases under the One Year Window provision for children."

Two paramedics have been charged in the death of 19 year old Brock University student Yosif Al Hasnawi, who many call a Good Samaritan for intervening when an older man was being attacked near Al Moustafa Islamic Centre in Hamilton.

Muslim Canadian journalist Muhammad Lila from Toronto crowdfunded for a gift for Jake Taylor, an ordinary Canadian who intervened during the violent Islamophobia-motivated assault of a young Muslim woman, Noor Fadel, on the Skytrain in Vancouver in November.

As Noor Fadel stated on her Instagram, "Out of all the passengers he alone stepped in and protected me. He got off the train and comforted me until police paramedics came by. He means the world to me and more than anything I’m honoured to call him a friend."

Several Iraqi Canadian youth have come together to organize a fundraiser for Displaced Iraqis. The funds raised will be contributed to Human Concern International (HCI)’s “Iraq” Fund. The event takes place on February 27th at the St. Elias Banquet Hall with tickets selling for $30 (Students) and $35 (General Admission).

"What do you like about life in Canada?"

"Quite honestly, it's the peace and security. Knowing that our kids and our families are living in a safe place is what we can be thankful for. We lived through all the devastating wars. It's peace we are happy with." [translated from Arabic]

~ Um Naeem and Um Imad, Iraqi community elders

The Iraqi Students' Association of Carleton University (ISACU) partnered with local Muslim charity Human Concern International (HCI) to organize a community BBQ on Sept. 28th at Britannia Park to raise funds for Iraqi refugees.
The organizers made it clear in their messaging that funds would go to Iraqi refugees, irrespective of religion or ethnicity. This message resonated with Ottawa's Iraqi community who are made up of Arabs and Kurds, Sunni and Shia Muslims, as well as Christians.

“Say: travel through the land and observe how He began creation.” [29:20]

Sailing down the Nile River on my way to work in Aswan City, I stopped to reflect before the breathtaking scene unfolding before me: the empowering sun overbearing above, an uncompromising terrain spanning rugged mountains and winding sand dunes with quaint homes dotting in between. These banks were once home to the mighty Pharaohs and Kings of antiquity. I spent a moment to take in the majesty of one of the most spectacular cities I’ve ever visited…for the last time.

Berak Hussain discovered her passion for counselling back when she was a student at Gloucester High School.