COMMUNITY MATTERS
Calgary Islamic Schools Mainstream The Muslim Council of Calgary (MCC) and the Muslim Community Foundation of Calgary (MCFC) received Calgary’s Palliser Regional School Division’s authorization to operate both campuses of their Calgary Islamic School (CIS) as an alternative program effective September 2015. The resulting increase in the schools’ funding has allowed them to lower their tuition rates and receive more funds to expand the schools, according to MCC chairman Abduljalil Elkadri and MCFC president Mudhir Mohamed. This relationship also enhances their programs, including the core Arabic and Islamic studies. The CIS, founded in 1992 as a private school, has about 900
students in K-12 at its Akram Jomaa Campus and about 380 K-9 students at its Omar Bin Al-Khattab Campus. They now have access to Palliser’s expertise in early learning, literacy, technology integration and other supports. The school’s just-over 100 staff, 65 of whom are certificated teachers, now have access to Palliser’s professional development and collaboration programs and instructional supports. Palliser Regional Schools, a diverse studentand literacy-focused division, serves 15 community schools, eight Christian faith-based schools, alternative programs for Low Germanspeaking Mennonite students, outreach high schools, 17 Hutterite colony schools and an online school.
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Canada Hosts First Official Iftar
Prime Minister Stephen Harper made Canadian history on June 22 when he hosted the first iftar at his official residence, known as 24 Sussex. Invitees included Muslim leaders and Tim Uppal, a Sikh, junior minister for multiculturalism, and Conservative Party member of the Canadian House of Commons. Other guests included Sen. Salma Ataullahjan, whom he appointed to the Senate of Canada in July 2010 and helped organize the event; three Conservative candidates for the October 19 election, namely, Abdul Abdi, Karim Jivraj and Qais Hamidi; and Samir Dossal, president of the Canada Pakistan Business Council. Harper has been criticized for not reaching out to mainstream Muslims. During this event, Harper, whose Con-
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servative government’s relationship with the Muslim community has been highly unsavory, said, “This house belongs ultimately to all Canadians. And I hope all Canadians, especially our Muslim friends and neighbours, share in these blessings tonight.” Critics saw this as election-eve pandering, for Harper has extremely high Islamophobic credentials. Andrew Mitrovica (iPloitics, Jun 26, 2015) reminded the public that Harper had blocked Heal100 Kids, to which physicians, nurses, governments, businesses, unions and countless other Canadians had vowed to lend their time, money and services to help, largely for free, the children in Gaza who have been mercilessly brutalized by the Israeli occupation.
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Islamic Relief USA gave a grant to support the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Foundation for the university’s physical therapy clinic at the Community Care Center of Winston-Salem (CCC). The $24,500 grant will enable WSSU’s Department of Physical Therapy to expand its services and hours and to purchase supplies and equipment for the clinic. It will also allow WSSU’s Department of Occupational Therapy to purchase the supplies needed to establish an occupational therapy clinic at the CCC. In 2009, WSSU’s School of Physical Therapy established the free clinic at this center — one of North Carolina’s only two free university physical therapy clinics. The CCC, which serves the medically uninsured and underserved residents of Forsyth, Stokes and Davie counties, is the state’s largest free medical clinic. It has over 17,000 patient visits annually. Director Jim Robinson said that “we are thrilled to count Islamic Relief USA as a partner in this important work.” Derrick Lea, U.S. programs director for Islamic Relief, USA, added, “We rely on compassionate medical professionals and partners like WSSU, who so eagerly share their talents and skills to serve our patients.” He emphasized the importance of funding this project to serve the community.
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ISLAMIC HORIZONS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015