On October 17, 2017 the CIC National Capital Branch hosted the event, Canada and the World: Views from Canadian Muslims.

The video recording of this event is available at:

http://www.cpac.ca/en/programs/public-record/episodes/54318088 (CPAC video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr9SKPacLNw (CIC video)

Background information

Canadians aspire to values of tolerance, respect for diversity and a smarter, more caring country. Yet we are increasingly aware that populism and anti-immigrant feelings create divisions both in communities around the world and here in Canada. This event featured speakers at the forefront of examining how these issues relate to Muslim Canadians:

Amira Elghawaby is a prominent advocate for the human rights and civil liberties of diverse communities. She has worked as communications director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims (2012- 2017), leading its media relations, public engagement and strategic communications. A 2001 Carleton University graduate in journalism and law, she has also produced and written for CBC Radio, the Ottawa Citizen, the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.

Dr. Monia Mazigh is a civic leader and author of three books (Hope and Despair, 2008 memoir; Mirrors and Mirages, 2014; Hope has Two Daughters, 2017). She has been an academic, teaching at universities including Carleton, and remains a passionate human rights advocate. She battled successfully for the release of her husband Maher Arar, the Ottawa telecommunications engineer who was wrongly deported in 2002 to Syria, imprisoned, tortured and finally returned only after one year. She ran in the 2004 federal election, unsuccessfully, but with a strong showing. She is the former national coordinator of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group. Dr. Mazigh emigrated to Canada from Tunisia at the age of 21. She holds a PhD in Finance from McGill University.

The event was moderated by Dr. Melanie Adrian. She holds a PhD in social anthropology and the study of religion from Harvard University and is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Law and Legal Studies at Carleton University.