Muslim group seeks action on Islamophobia 5 years after Ontario family murdered

Khaled Alqazzaz, executive director of the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC), left, and NDP member of Parliament Heather McPherson take part in a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 4, 2026, to formally launch a policy handbook on Islamophobia. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — Nearly five years after a gruesome slaying in Ontario, a national Muslim group is urging Ottawa to follow through on past recommendations to fight Islamophobia.

Saturday will mark the anniversary of the killing of the Afzaal family in a truck attack in London, Ont.

The assailant was convicted of four counts of murder and one of attempted murder after driving his truck into a family wearing traditional Muslim clothing.

The Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council is marking the occasion with a new report urging Ottawa to do more to fight anti-Muslim hate.

The group is also calling for $40 million in federal funding to protect mosques and Muslim schools, which they say is proportionate to funding recently earmarked for Jewish institutions.

Statistics Canada data shows overall reports of hate crimes in Canada nearly tripled between 2018 and 2024, due in part to significant increases in both Islamophobia and antisemitism.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2026.