Weekly Update – June 11
June 11, 2021
Weekly Update – June 11
CUASA condemns attack on Muslim family in London, ON
CUASA stands in solidarity and in sorrow with the family, friends, and members of the Muslim community in London, Ontario and across Canada. This loss of three generations of one family, the injury and losses endured by the young son of the family, are all unimaginable. This is a time of a profound grief that must be given space and time.
Yet we also recognize that this racially and religiously motivated hate crime against this family will reverberate in Muslim communities across Canada whose sense of safety and belonging will yet again be shaken and undermined.
We urge all sectors of government and broader society to come together to safeguard the safety and well-being of Muslim community members and to unequivocally stand against all forms of speech and action that perpetuate hatred against this community.
CUASA Business
Vacant Steering Positions
We are still seeking volunteers for the following Steering positions for terms beginning July 1 (click on the title below to see the position description):
* The Steering committee has allocated a 0.5 course release for the Vice President and Chair, Internal Affairs positions, respectively.
Information on the nominations process can be found on our How to Volunteer page. Remember that our Association is only as strong as its membership, so we count on the time and commitment of our members to achieve our goals. If you are interested in one of these positions, or wish to nominate a colleague, please contact us for a nomination form at [email protected].
Call for Volunteers: JHSC
We are seeking two CUASA members to volunteer to be the Association’s representatives on the University’s Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC). If you are interested, please contact [email protected].
Academic Community Updates
OCUFA condemns hateful murder of Muslim family in London
Ontario’s university faculty and academic librarians were deeply disturbed to learn of the recent attack and murder of a Muslim family in London, Ontario—Madiha Salman, Salman Afzaal, their daughter Yumna Afzaal, and Salman’s mother. Madiha and Salman’s son Fayez remains in hospital, recovering. The family was targeted because of their Islamic faith. OCUFA and its members condemn this hateful, violent act and send our solidarity and support to London’s Muslim community.
Click here to read OCUFA’s full statement.
CAUT condemns anti-Muslim violence in all its forms, from the streets to the workplace
The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), representing 72,000 academic faculty and staff at 125 universities across Canada, stands in solidarity with the people of London, Ontario and Muslims across Canada reeling from the mass murder of four out of five members of the Salman family on Sunday night.
Click here to read CAUT’s full statement.
Updates on the campaign to save Laurentian University
Click here to read the latest from OCUFA on the campaign to save Laurentian.
CAUT calls for the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design to be accountable
The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) must immediately release all relevant documents related to its decision last year to dismiss its President and the role commercial interests may have played in that decision, says CAUT.
To keep reading, click here.
Join OCUFA and the OFL for the Education Assembly on June 26
Join OCUFA and the OFL for another virtual Province-Wide Education Assembly to discuss what Ontarians need from our education systems during COVID-19 and beyond. The assembly takes place on Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Parents, teachers, students, child care workers, faculty, and support staff across education sectors are invited to come together to envision and discuss a seamless plan that works for the entire education sector, from child care to postsecondary education.
For more information and to register, click here.
Labour Community Updates
Canada’s unions condemn hate-motivated terrorist attack against Canadian Muslim family; express concern over rising incidents of hate
Canada’s unions unequivocally condemn the recent escalation of hate crimes and violence against members of numerous racialized and religious minority communities across the country.
To read the CLC’s full statement, click here.
OFL: Ford’s use of notwithstanding clause threatens democracy
After a decisive judgement by Justice Edward M. Morgan recognized the unconstitutionality of Bill 254’s amendments to the Ontario Election Act, Ford’s Conservative government has announced they will recall the legislature and invoke the notwithstanding clause to overturn the ruling. The Ontario Federation of Labour is deeply concerned by Ford’s move to silence his critics and trample Ontarian’s constitutionally protected Charter Rights.
To keep reading, click here.
