January 27 2026

Content Warning: This article includes themes of Islamophobia and violence. If you require mental health support, you can access https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html for resources available in your area.

On January 29, 2017, a gunman entered and open fired in an Islamic Cultural Centre in Ste-Foy Quebec, deliberately targeting Muslims during their evening prayer. Six men were murdered, their names are Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane, and Azzedine Soufiane. Nineteen other people were injured in the gunfire.

Nearly a decade has passed since this horrific mass shooting. Islamophobia has remained a constant in Canadian society. Secularism laws, assaults, violence, vandalism, gendered racism, systemic racism, and mainstream Islamophobic public opinions are just some of the non-fatal examples of what the Muslim community must navigate and resist every day.

We use this day of remembrance to demand change, combat Islamophobia, and create a Canadian society that is safe for all.