Local initiative aims to get out the Muslim Vote for the Ottawa Municipal Election

They have been running sessions at local mosques starting in August informing community members on:

How municipal government impacts your daily life (childcare, snow removal, road repair, garbage collection, recreation sites, bus services, policing, property taxes, school boards)
How to run for City Councillor or School Board Trustee (events before the deadline of August 21).
How to volunteer on a municipal election campaign to support your preferred candidate

Presented by Dr. Aisha Sherazi, these presentations have previously been run at Masjid ar Rahmah in August with one coming up at Stittsville Muslim Association on September 13 (click here for details)

The initiative has also partnered with the national organization Canadian Muslim Vote (CMV) for a workshop on door to door canvassing for youth ages 16 to 30 on September 12 (registration required), where participants will learn important skills needed to volunteer on the campaigns of their preferred candidates for city council or the school board.

The initiative has partnered with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) to host townhalls with candidates for mayor.

Although these townhalls with mayoral candidates Niel Saravanamuttoo (August 14) and Mark Sutcliffe (September 4) covered ordinary municipal issues, such as parking and traffic issues in relation to mosques during Friday prayer, more controversial questions were also posed by Dr. Aisha Sherazi, who has facilitated these sessions.

Candidates were asked for their responses to rising Islamophobia in the city, including violent attacks on Muslims, particularly on Muslim women wearing hijab in the city. The handling by the Ottawa Police Service, a municipally funded institution, of some of these incidents was also discussed.

Candidates were also posed tough questions about the impact of the genocide in Gaza on residents of the city, including treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters, raising of the Palestinian Flag at Ottawa City Hall, and treatment of the Capital Pride Parade organizers over the last few years in retaliation for their condemnation of the genocide in Gaza.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) shared the video below of candidate for mayor Niel Saravanamuttoo which summarizes his position on Palestine which he discussed at the August 14th Townhall he attended.

There is an upcoming townhall with mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper on September 19, registration required.

To learn more reach out to Ottawa Muslim Vote