Statement against Hate and Fascism
February 20, 2018
Chinese Canadian, Asian Canadian, and Chinese Québec groups are concerned about recent demonstrations by some Chinese Canadians protesting against what they perceive to be anti-Chinese sentiment resulting from the falsely reported attack on an eleven-year-old girl wearing a hijab in Toronto in early January. Such individuals have zeroed in on the girl’s identification of an “Asian man” as the assailant and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s support of her and Muslim Canadians, in general, as evidence of both Trudeau’s and Muslims’ racism against the Chinese community, despite the fact that the “Asian man” was not specifically identified as Chinese, that no motives for the false report have been stated, or that the Prime Minister made no mention of the Chinese community.
We believe that this is a dangerous and unjustifiable road that these particular Chinese Canadians are choosing to go down, as they construe facts from this event in such a way so as to create a controversy where none actually exists. There is a potential for great harm in choosing to adopt such a false perspective, as it can only lead to further stigmatisation of Muslims in Canada (some of whom have Asian origins) and the expansion of Islamophobic ideas.
We would like to remind all members of our own Chinese communities here in Canada and in Quebec that any attack against one minoritized and marginalized group is an attack against us all. We are alarmed by the xenophobic speeches given during the demonstration in Ottawa on February 18, 2018, equating refugees with terrorists, twisting calls for anti-islamophobic action as promoting “inequality,” and attempting to create divisions and hierarchies among racialised minorities. It is shameful that these demonstrations have come on the heels of the first anniversary of the massacre of six Muslim men at the mosque in the Quebec City suburb of Sainte-Foy. Let us not add to the burden of pain of the Muslim community by needlessly inventing a problem to protest based on groundless fears and non-existent evidence.
It is not so long ago that we were in their shoes, facing immigration bans, racist stereotypes, and false accusations of unsavoury behaviour. One lesson learned from the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act is that by targeting legislation against one group of people, the government creates a hateful atmosphere in the larger society. Racialized communities should unite and use the virtues of empathy and solidarity in the fight against the evils of hate and fascism.
As Chinese Canadians and Quebeckers, we denounce all attempts by fascist and far right groups to co-opt members of our communities into their campaign of hate, xenophobia, and, especially, Islamophobia. We stand with our Muslim community members, we stand with asylum seekers, we stand with the First Nations, and we categorically refuse to participate in any form of hate and racism against ANY racialised group.
Chinese Workers Network (Toronto & York Region Labour Council)
Progressive Chinese of Québec (PCQ)
Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA)
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