OTTAWA, CANADA

 Dear Dr. Alfredo Maiolese:

On behalf of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding the horrific murder of four people in London, Ontario simply because they were Muslim.

Islamophobia has no place in our communities, but we are once again tragically reminded of its pervasive threat through an act motivated by terror and hatred. We grieve with our Muslim communities across Canada and stand with them in solidarity during this difficult time.

To better protect Muslim communities in Canada, our government will increase investments in initiatives such as the Security Infrastructure Program to help protect communities at risk, and their schools and places of worship. We strongly denounce those who advance racist, xenophobic and white supremacist beliefs. Too many lives have been lost to this type of violent hatred and extremism which is why we approved the first listings of white supremacist entities as terrorist organizations to the Canadian Criminal Code back in 2019. This year. we announced the inclusion of an additional four groups including the Proud Boys. This sends a strong message that Canada will continue to adapt to evolving threats and will act to prevent and dismantle these motivated acts of violence. Our government declared January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. We committed an additional $50 million to anti-racism initiatives through the Federal Economic Statement (FES) 2020, and Budget 2021 proposes to provide $2 million to not-for-profit organizations such as places of worship, schools, and community centres to enhance their security infrastructure.

As we build back consciously more inclusive, all of us must step up, be allies, and do what we can to make workplaces, communities, and public spaces safer. We have also proposed creating a director of Terrorism Prosecution to bring those who participate in terrorist organizations to justice, and are developing new ways to address the growing challenge of online hatred and abuse, to ensure the safety of all Canadians, on and off-line. We will continue to work on making Canada stronger by ensuring that our laws and practices reflect and protect our country's rich diversity.

Our government denounces all acts of discrimination, including Islamophobia. The senseless attack in London, Ontario shows us that Islamophobia is a serious issue and it has no place in Canada and around the world. It is our collective responsibility to combat hatred and condemn it in the strongest possible terms, and it is incumbent upon all of us to confront racism and violence wherever it exists, so that we can create a country safe and welcoming for everyone.

Thank you once again for writing to the Prime Minister.

Sincerely,

Jean-Luc Marion

Senior Manager, Prime Minister's Correspondence

Office of the Prime Minister