Montreal, November 1, 2016  — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) applauds two recent bi-partisan motions in Parliament.  First, CJPME was happy to see the bi-partisan call for immediate help to Yazidi refugees, especially women and girls.  Second, CJPME was pleased to see the unanimous consent for an anti-Islamophobia motion.  “Both motions reflect critical maturing in Canada’s thinking on the Middle East and its peoples,” declared Thomas Woodley, President of CJPME.  “If Canadian leaders can set aside racial stereotypes and partisan politics to intervene in a humanitarian and inclusive way, then we’ve made progress,” added Woodley. 

CJPME Political Blog, Oct.25,2016

As the Harper era ended and Trudeau’s term began in late 2015, a collective sigh of relief could be heard from ethnic communities all across Canada, especially from Muslim Canadians. From opposing niqabs at citizenship ceremonies to setting up a hotline for individuals to report the “barbaric cultural practices” of their fellow Canadians - which would have undoubtedly targeted Muslims and those believed to be Muslim - Steven Harper’s Conservative government proved to be highly intolerant of certain minority communities and certainly aided in the heightening of tensions against ethnic and religious groups in the country. 

CJPME Factsheet 192, published April, 2015: This factsheet talks about Islamophobia in Canada, addressing Islamophobia as promulgated by government institutions, as well as in society at large.  

Montreal, February 3, 2015  — While all Canadians are concerned about the threat of violent extremism in the world, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) warns against the danger of growing Islamophobia in Canada.  CJPME believes that the threat of violent extremism in the world – including violent Islamic extremism – must be condemned and addressed, but that Muslims in Canada must be protected from a number of emerging forms of discrimination. “For the protection of Muslims and other minorities, and for the preservation of cherished values, we should not let global events undermine the legal right to equality in Canada,” stated Thomas Woodley, President of CJPME.

CJPME Factsheet 162, published January, 2013: This factsheet was published after the release of an amateur Islamophobic video, Innocence of Muslims, in September, 2012 led to violent demonstrations throughout the Muslim world.  The factsheet analyzes the movie and the reactions to it, both internationally, and in Canada.  

CJPME Factsheet 136, published July, 2011: This factsheets reviews Tariq Ramadan’s valuable contributions to the study of Islam and its significance in Western societies. Ramadan is a distinguished academic, philosopher and writer. His work has been hailed and criticized by Muslims and Westerners alike.