Archive
New BCCLA report challenges government to eliminate racial profiling
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) organized and hosted a conference in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 12, 2007. A selection of the various papers presented (but not all of them), was published by the BCCLA in 2010. Zool Suleman, Executive Director of MARU, played a role in initiating the conference with Murray Mollard in 2006-2007 (the then Executive Director of the BCCLA) and was also approached by David Eby (who was the Executive Director in 2010 and then went on to become the Premier of the Province of British Columbia) to help launch the report findings in 2010).
You can read the BCCLA report and the launch Press Release here.
Senate of Canada published Islamophobia report
In November 2023, the Senate of Canada published the findings of its year long-study into Islamophobia. “Rampant Islamophobia is costing Canadian Muslims their peace of mind, their physical well-being and even their lives”, the Senate stated in its Press Release dated November 2, 2023.
You can read the report and its 13 recommendations here.
The Impact of Racial Profiling – Working Paper February 2008
The MARU Society in partnership with the UBC Faculty of Law sought funding for a racial profiling study that focussed on people who “self-identify and or are perceived as being either Muslim and/or Arab and/or Middle Eastern and/or Persian who reside in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia.” The report includes recommendations and was funded by the Law Foundation of BC and the Centre for Research on Immigration and Integration in the Metropolis (the predecessor of Metropolis BC).
You can read the report here.
Activist group cries foul on no-fly list anniversary (June 19, 2008)
MARU Society researchers Rahat Kurd and Alnoor Gova are quoted about their research on racial profiling which was later published as “The Impact of Racial Profiling: A MARU/ UBC Law Faculty Study Final Report” in February 2008. The MARU Society in partnership with the UBC Faculty of Law sought funding for a racial profiling study that focussed on people who “self-identify and or are perceived as being either Muslim and/or Arab and/or Middle Eastern and/or Persian who reside in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland area of British Columbia.” The report includes recommendations and was funded by the Law Foundation of BC and the Centre for Research on Immigration and Integration in the Metropolis (the predecessor of Metropolis BC). You can read the MARU report here.
Tales of racial profiling heard at local forum” (March 14, 2007)(Georgia Straight)
Zool Suleman of MARU is quoted on the profiling of Muslims in post 9/11 Canada. The article references a public meeting (“Racial Profiling: Seeking Security, Fragmenting Canadian Society?”) in which Zool Suleman and Jason Gratl (then, President of the BC Civil Liberties Association) talked about racial profiling and Islamophobia. The talk was recorded to be podcast by “Canadian Voices – Public Affairs Radio. No Twist”.
The Relevance of Islamic Identity in Canada- Dialogue, Discussion and Book (March 3, 2016)
MARU’s Zool Suleman hosted a book launch at Simon Fraser University for the book “The Relevance of Islamic Identity in Canada: Culture, Politics and Self” (Mawenzi House, 2016). The launch included authors Mohamed Abualy Alibhai, Nurjehan Aziz, Ameen Merchant, and Safia Fazlul (who was added to the program after the SFU press release was published).
Discussion: In Response to Abounaddara – Let’s Talk: Syrian Refugees, Islamophobia and Canadian Identity – Post-Harper (December 45, 2015 at Centre A art gallery)
Centre A gallery hosted a talk in relation to an online exhibition “Abounaddara: Right to the Image” which offered short films about the lives of Syrians who faced restrictions on their political freedoms and human rights. Zool Suleman, Rahat Kurd, and Alnoor Gova (the two authors of the MARU study on racial profiling published in 2008) spoke about the connections between the films, Islamophobia in Canada and the then Conservative government of Canada led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Scholars of different faiths discuss Islamophobia at the Ismaili Centre in Burnaby (October 23, 2017)
The Ismaili Center in Burnaby, BC hosted a talk about Islamophobia which included Bishop Michael Ingham, Sukhwinder Gill, Rabbi Laura Kaplan, Zool Suleman and hosted by Sachi Kurl. Then, YWCA CEO, Janet Austen (who is now the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia), provided introductory comments and journalist Peter Klein, provided the keynote address.
Member of Parliament Libby Davies introduces “racial profiling” bill
Former Member of Parliament, Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP), introduced a private members Bill (Bill C-296 – An act to eliminate racial profiling), to the Parliament of Canada on November 18, 2004, for first reading. The Bill was never enacted into law since it did not have the support of the majority of Parliament. Zool Suleman of MARU played a role in discussing the draft legislation with Libby Davies and providing the community-based support in favour of the legislation. On March 21, 2005, the National Day for the Elimination of Racial Profiling, Libby Davies referred to stopracialprofiling.ca (as it then existed) as having “launched a campaign, including an incident report form.” The NDP supported the MARU stopracialprofiling.ca campaign in 2005.