CMPAC’s Open Letter to Prime Minister Carney on Muslim Community Expectations

The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada

Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister Carney,

As you embark on your leadership journey as the new Prime Minister of Canada and the elected leader of the Liberal party, we write to you on behalf of the Canadian Muslim community, deeply invested in the future of our country and the protection of our values. The challenges facing Canada today demand leadership rooted in moral courage and a firm commitment to justice. Your entry into politics comes at a critical time, one where Canadians are frustrated with the failed policies of Justin Trudeau’s government, particularly concerning issues of human rights, justice, and civil liberties.

One of the most glaring failures under the Trudeau government has been its unprincipled response to Israel’s ongoing violence and genocide in Gaza. Canada’s continued endorsement and support for Israel, both politically and militarily, have made this country complicit in the war crimes in Palestine. In the aftermath of October 7th, Canada’s refusal to take meaningful action, such as imposing a two-way arms embargo, holding Israel accountable for its war crimes, or demanding an end to the blockade and occupation of Gaza, has further exposed our country’s moral and political failures on the global stage. The government’s failure on this issue is not limited to foreign policy; it has also fueled a repressive climate here at home. In recent months, Canadians who have spoken out against the genocide in Gaza have faced intimidation, job suspensions, censorship, and public vilification. This suppression of free speech and political expression represents a dangerous erosion of democratic rights. 

The federal government’s failure to condemn anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate, while actively suppressing pro-Palestine expression, has fostered Islamophobic rhetoric and discrimination across institutions, leaving Muslim communities vulnerable and unprotected. Instead of addressing the surge in hate crimes, the government has enabled the crackdown on peaceful advocacy, vilifying pro-Palestine demonstrations despite their overwhelmingly peaceful nature. Law enforcement agencies have engaged in intimidation tactics, such as monitoring student activists and violently disrupting campus protests. Furthermore, the misuse of terror listing mechanisms to intimidate Palestinian organizations and humanitarian groups has only deepened the systemic criminalization of pro-Palestine advocacy. It has become clear that the government was more focused on suppressing free speech related to Palestine than on protecting its citizens, neglecting to safeguard the rights of all Canadians equally.

We also cannot overlook the rise of structural and systemic Islamophobia under Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a crisis that has worsened over the past several years and intensified in the aftermath of October 7th. As you may be aware, Muslims in Canada have faced the most extreme forms of Islamophobia under this government, with rising hate crimes, systemic discrimination, and the erosion of civil liberties. Canada remains the only G7 country where multiple deadly attacks against Muslims have occurred in recent years, including the Quebec City mosque massacre (2017) and the London, Ontario truck attack (2021). Early findings from a Senate committee studying Islamophobia revealed that Muslim women, especially those wearing hijabs, are disproportionately affected by these hate crimes.The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has documented a 1,300% increase in Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian incidents following October 7, 2023. Beyond these attacks, Islamophobia is deeply embedded systemically and structurally in Canadian institutions. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has disproportionately targeted Muslim charities under the guise of counterterrorism audits, effectively criminalizing religious and humanitarian work. Security agencies have engaged in discriminatory practices, subjecting Muslim Canadians to heightened surveillance, racial profiling, arbitrary delays in security screenings, and unjustified no-fly list designations. These systemic policies reinforce anti-Muslim bias at the highest levels of government, creating an environment where Muslim Canadians are treated as security threats rather than equal citizens.

In light of these grave concerns, we urge you, as the next leader of Canada, to take immediate and decisive action on several key issues that have been neglected under Trudeau’s leadership. Specifically, we call on you to:

1. End Canada’s complicity in the Gaza genocide: Canada must no longer be complicit in the genocide in Gaza. We demand the immediate implementation of a two-way arms embargo on Israel and sanctions against Israeli officials responsible for war crimes. Canada must also recognize Palestinian statehood and demand an immediate end to Israel’s blockade and occupation of Gaza.
   
2. Condemn the use of starvation as a weapon: Canada must speak out against Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war, demand unrestricted humanitarian aid for Gaza and expand the support for UNRWA.
   
3. Defend civil liberties and freedom of expression: We call on you to guarantee the protection of civil liberties for all Canadians, particularly in regard to freedom of expression related to Palestine.

4. Immediately Facilitate the Gaza Reunification TRV Program: The Gaza Reunification Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) program is marred by discriminatory practices, unclear criteria, bureaucratic delays, and inefficient security clearances, making it nearly impossible for those in need of family reunification to gain entry into Canada. We demand immediate reform and implementation of an improved program to reunite Palestinian families safely in Canada.

5. Address systemic Islamophobia and Anti-Palestinian Racism: Acknowledge the rise of Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism (APR) and their deep entrenchment in Canadian institutions. We urge you to implement concrete measures, including a national action plan with enforceable federal policies to combat both forms of racism, protect affected communities from hate crimes, and ensure accountability for systemic bias across government. This includes taking a clear stance against Quebec’s Bill 21 and committing federal intervention in the ongoing Supreme Court challenge to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms of religious minorities in Canada.

Prime Minister Carney, Canada stands at a crossroads, and the Muslim community, along with all those who stand for justice, are watching closely. We can no longer afford to remain neutral in the face of injustice, whether it be in Palestine or here at home. After witnessing the repeated failures of the previous government, we are demanding immediate action, not just words. The expectations of the Muslim community outlined above are decisions that you, as the new Prime Minister, must make without delay. Failure to act decisively will have serious consequences, both for Canada’s moral standing and for the Muslim community’s vote in the upcoming federal election. The time is now to demonstrate the leadership that our country so desperately needs.