“These people died of bullet wounds, but also of ignorance and hatred”
____________________Justin Trudeau
A little more than a year ago, one of the worst acts of terrorism in Canada occurred in Quebec. A mosque was attacked by a gunman, 6 people were murdered, 19 others injured.
A senseless tragedy which was a terrorist crime against all Canadians.
The Pickering Islamic Centre commemorated the anniversary of this tragedy in a special ceremony held at the mosque in central Pickering.
Imam Mannan
Imam Mufti Abdul Mannan Mulla opened the commemoration with a prayer of condolences and hope. The condolences were in memory of the 6 victims of the event, Khaled BElkacemi, Asseddine Soufiane, Boubaker Thabti, Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry and Abdelkrim Hassane. Artifical candles were held by the assembled participants in memory of these victims.
P.I.C. exec Javed Akbar
City Councillor Shaheen Butt
The gathering was addressed by mosque executive administrator Javed Akbar who stated that this even impacted and marginalized the entire community of Canada, not just the Muslims of that mosque. He reiterated that Islamaphobia will not be tolerated in our society and that we all must be work to eliminating racism, bigotry and all forms of discrimination in every part of our society, not just ethnic, racial, or cultural but also gender.
Councillor Shaheen Butt praised the positive and concrete endeavours undertaken by the Muslim community associated with the Pickering Islamic Centre: the walkathon for the needy, the mosque food bank drive, the multi-faith celebration planned for the fall, all activities intended to improve and strengthen the diverse community of Pickering.
Liberal MP Jennifer O’Connell
Federal MP for Pickering-Uxbridge, Jennifer O’Connell spoke about how such events restore faith that our community has a strong love and an emotional drive to unite and consolidate as a united society.
 
 
Ryan Slobojan, and his daughter Elizabeth shine the light
Finally, the key speaker was Ryan Slobojan, a new resident from Thunder Bay, who on that infamous day went out into the streets to greet and hug members of his municipal community as a reminder that the act of hatred in Quebec would never extinguish the light of the community, goodness and love. His candle campaign, in honour and commemoration of the departed victims of the Quebec tragedy, is a reminder that the darkness of racism and bigotry must be pushed back by the light of love and brotherhood. Then joined by his young daughter, Elizabeth, Ryan asked the gathering to raise their candles in honour of the departed victims.
The commemoration concluded by the Muslim community offering that the gathered assembly ‘break bread’ together and share the buffet they had prepared as a way to further unite everyone.
The commemoration was an impassioned reminder to all the gathered participants that we are brothers and need to love each other as such.
[ Two members of the P.I.C. community who should be thanked for their valuable input and assistance in writing this report are:Â Omair Naeem and Vaqar Raees ]
Volunteer Omair Naeem
P.I.C. Member Vaqar Raees
