Feb
To Keep Our Mosque Safe Canada's Security Infrastructure Program Need to Be Fixed
Written by National Council of Canadian MuslimsToday, as many of us go to our masajid for jummah to find solace and connection with the divine, I think about the sanctity of these spaces as one of the cornerstones of our communities. They are uniquely ours, and they are worth protecting, for our communities and for future generations.
In our joint op-ed with the former president of the CCIQ mosque in Quebec City, Mohammed Labidi, and the President of the London Muslim Mosque, Bilal Rahal, we explore some avenues for our communities to be able to help ourselves in face of Islamophobia, hate and violence.
We know that bigger fences do not make for better neighbours, we also know that the violence, threats, vandalism and mischief visited upon our places of worship need to be addressed urgently. One way is through federal funding for adding security measures to our mosques, such as better cameras, more secure entrances and exits, training for staff, and programs for community outreach.
The current federal Security Infrastructure Program offers this funding, but the system is broken, difficult to access, and very slow. Even masajid who have experienced direct threats, hate and acts of violence are often unable to access timely resources to beef up their security measures.
Read more about the issue in our joint op-ed.
Our advocacy team at NCCM has been working hard to fix this system, but we can’t do it without your help. Donate today to help restore the sanctity of our places of worship.
Thank you,
Stephen Brown, CEO of NCCM
