'It would be significant step forward': London Muslim Community hopes to see 'Our London Family Act' bill passed
CTV
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was in London Saturday morning to show support for the ‘Our London Family Act’ bill.
Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath was joined by Muslim leaders in London, Ont. Saturday morning asking for support to pass the ‘Our London Family Act’ bill.
Flanked by local NDP MPPs as well as the London Muslim Mosque's (LMM) Imam Aarij Anwer, and Rizwan Mohammed of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), Horwath described her provincial bill which would help combat Islamophobia.
"It would be a significant step forward, it would represent real progress," says Anwer, the director of religious affairs at LMM.
The gathering came on the fifth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque attack that killed six men and injured 19 others.
Alexandre Bissonnette has since pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
"In the last four years, the Muslim community in Canada has seen 11 lives taken from us," says Anwer. "Six in Quebec City, one in Etobicoke and four in London."
Horwath wants action taken immediately, saying, "No woman should have to fear walking on the street wearing her hijab for fear of being attacked or having it ripped off of her head."