FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal, Quebec, November 25^th, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) slams the recent comments by Quebec Liberal MNA Fatima Houda-Pepin regarding the PQ government’s Charter of Values.

“Ms. Pepin’s comments mimic the discrimination and xenophobia we find rampant in the PQ’s rhetoric,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “Ms. Pepin fails to realize that by taking away the right of a free woman to choose what to wear in a democratic nation, she is reducing Quebec to be the same as any oppressive state that enforces a particular dress code upon its people. The point isn’t whether a woman wears this clothing or that, but rather that their right to express themselves is enshrined in the constitution and they must be free to make their decisions about what to wear for themselves, without interference from the state. Ms. Pepin’s comments are not only hypocritical for an MNA in a democratic state, but also stink of Islamophobia and opportunism and are in contrast to the values of inclusion and pluralism that the Liberals have always stood for.”

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Montreal, Quebec, November 25^th, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) strongly criticized the Quebec Liberal Party for proposing their own version of the PQ Charter of Values to address the issue of “religious fundamentalism.”

“Quebec Liberal leader Mr. Philippe Coulliard was baited by the PQ government to propose a counter charter and instead of sending a clear and strong message of rejection to them, as the Canadian Liberals did, we are very disappointed to see him fall for this bait,” said Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “He has now reduced the Quebec Liberals to the low level of the PQ government, wasting time and resources on non-issues instead of focusing on the real problems.”

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Montreal, Quebec, November 21^st, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) condemns the LaPresse newspaper for its recent inflammatory and unfounded articles against local Montreal mosque, Al Sunnah al Nabawiah.

“We reject any insinuation that this mosque has ties to any terrorist organizations, individuals or ideology,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “Such stories that attempt to create suspicion and fear without any evidence to support their claims are unfair attacks on our community. The Al Sunnah mosque operates very transparently and is always open to the public and it is clear that there is nothing illegal or dangerous about its activities. It has been visited by numerous politicians, churches, synagogues and schools and routinely participates in events to encourage social harmony, civic contribution, engagement and integration. Al Sunnah has no connection with any of the individuals mentioned in the article.” Continue reading

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Montreal, Quebec, November 17^th, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) cautiously warns the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture that regulations to improve the standards of health and animal welfare in regards to slaughter are welcome only if they apply to the entire industry. The Minister of Agriculture announced recently that the guidelines will be revealed this fall. Continue reading

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Important Notice:
Please note that the Mosque Open Doors event has been postponed to Sunday December 1st instead of Sunday November 17th, due to other Charter activities that day.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Montreal, Quebec, November 8^th, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) strongly rejects and condemns Bill 60, the secularism charter, tabled by the PQ government today in the Quebec National Assembly.

“Over the past few months we have seen the dangerous repercussions of the PQ’s charter and instead of listening to the numerous experts who have spoken out against the charter, the PQ has gone forward to table this unnecessary, xenophobic and discriminatory bill,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “Already we have seen an increase in attacks against religious minority groups and we brace ourselves for the situation to get even worse, as the PQ has now unleashed and given legitimacy to the religious police. In tabling this bill, they have only demonstrated that they are not committed to focusing on the real issues facing Quebec, such as the economy, education and health system, but rather they prefer to create division and instigate hatred and racism in hopes to distract the public from the real issues and get re-elected. This is a sad day for Quebec.” Continue reading

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Montreal, Quebec, November 5^th, 2013 - The Muslim Council of Montreal (MCM) calls on the government to recognize the growing number of attacks against Canadian Muslims and the rise in acts of Islamaphobia and to take concrete steps to effectively address this problem.

“The government must at last acknowledge this growing problem and accept their responsibility towards all citizens,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “They must stop instigating division and suspicion against religious minority groups and instead take serious steps to stop this hatred and violence and help promote respect, tolerance and understanding. They must also make sure to take proper counsel with the Muslim community, as opposed to dealing with biased individuals who only help to enforce negative and false stereotypes about minorities.” Continue reading

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