In order to continue being part of NCCAR and support its valuable ongoing and expanding initiatives, we invite you to:

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As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, continue their webinar series with a special webinar on Multiculturalism and Inclusion.

Raja Khouri and Jehad Aliweiwi will discuss how multiculturalism has impacted our lives, the degree of inclusion in Canadian society and about the politics and controversies surrounding the niqab and religious accommodation.

Please register here

Our Presenters

Jehad Aliweiwi

Jehad Aliweiwi is a strategic leader with more than 15 years of experience in senior management positions in social, settlement and community service organizations.

He is the Executive Director of the Laidlaw Foundation. He has served as Executive Director with Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office, Metro Regional Director of Catholic Cross-Cultural Services and as Race Relations Officer and Executive Director with the Canadian Arab Federation.  A Trustee of the Ontario Science Centre, a former Board member of Fred Victor Services and OCASI, Jehad has received the Local Hero and William P. Hubbard Race Relations Awards.

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

Join the Webinar

This event will be hosted on a Fuze Webinar. For the optimal Fuze experience, we suggest you download Fuze before the event.

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As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, continue their webinar series with a special webinar on national security and civil rights.

Watch this webinar to learn about legislation and cases that have impacted Arabs and Muslims over the past year. To what extent does Bill C-51 threat Canadian’s rights? Whose citizenship is in danger of revocation following the passage of Bill C-24? Did you know that Canada has a law that is called Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act? Learn answers to these questions and much more with Prof. Faisal Kutty on Sep 30th.

Please register here

Our Presenters

Faisal Kutty

Faisal Kutty is an associate professor and director of the International LL.M. Program at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University.

He is a co-founder and currently serves as counsel to KSM Law, a Toronto-based law firm. During his 18-year legal career he has represented dozens of individuals and institutions caught up in anti-terror investigations and national security matters.

He co-founded and served as general counsel for the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association (CMCLA) while still a law student.  He also co-founded and served as vice-chair and legal counsel to the Canadian Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) now known as the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

He is a regular commentator on anti-terrorism law, national security, Islamic law, constitutional law, human rights and Muslims. He has been quoted in numerous academic and non-academic publications and by media outlets around the world.  His Opeds have appeared in The Toronto Star, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, Al Jazeera, Arab News, Al ahram, Indian Express and numerous other publications. He also blogs at the Huffington Post.

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

Join the Webinar

This event will be hosted on a Fuze Webinar. For the optimal Fuze experience, we suggest you download Fuze before the event.

The post Join our Webinar on National Security and Civil Rights appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

NDP leader Tom Mulcair shakes hands with Conservative leader Stephen Harper as Liberal leader Justin Trudeau looks on during their introduction prior to the Globe and Mail hosted leaders’ debate in Calgary on Thursday, September 17, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations in hosting a special webinar for its members and friends this Monday, September 28 at 6:30 EDT, covering the debate on Canada’s foreign policy as envisioned by Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

We will watch the Munk Debate together and comment on it live during the debate using our webinar chat window. After the debate, we will have an interactive discussion to allow our panel and participants to share their analysis of the debate as it relates to Canadian policies on the Middle East and Security, rights and freedoms. 

Join us from the comfort of your home anywhere in Canada or in the world!

To register, click here

To Join the Webinar

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As part of the Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, continue their webinar series with a special event on Canada’s Party Platform on Mideast Policy.

This webinar will examine what the three major Canadian political parties, Conservatives, Liberals, and NDP, have posited about their future Mideast policies.

Thus far, the parties have provided positions on how to combat ISIS, Syrian refugees, humanitarian commitments, and relations with Iran. Dr. Momani will discuss how these policies compare and the potential challenge and merits of these competing policy platforms.

To register, click here

Our Presenters

Bessma Momani

Dr. Bessma Momani is an Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo and the Balsillie School of International Affairs, and Senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance and Innovation (CIGI). She has been a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., a visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Mortara Center, and at the Amman Institute in Jordan. She has authored and co-edited over six books and over 55 scholarly, peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters that have examined the IMF, the World Bank, petrodollars, regional trade agreements in the Middle East and economic liberalization throughout the Arab Gulf & the Middle East.

Dr. Momani has received a number of Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council awards and prizes for her research on global economic governance & political economy of the Middle East. Dr. Momani has been a public commentator and analyst on the Global Economy, Middle East and the Arab Spring. She is a regular contributor to CBC radio and is a Middle East analyst on CTV News, CBC’s The National, Al-Jazeera English, Bloomberg TV, BNN and TVOs the Agenda. She has also published numerous op-eds on the Arab Spring in Canadian & international news outlets as well maintaining her own blogs on the Huffington Post, Open Canada, and CIGI.

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

Join the Webinar

This event will be hosted on a Fuze Webinar. For the optimal Fuze experience, we suggest you download Fuze before the event.

The post Webinar: Canada’s Party Platform on Mideast Policy appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

As part of its Your Voice voter education campaign, the Canadian-Arab Institute, in partnership with the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, is hosting a webinar on Immigration and Citizenship in Canada.

Join this webinar to learn about Canadian developments over the past 15 years, and how these developments relate to international trends, national responses, and party positions.

What is happening with immigration and refugee policy in Canada today? How does it compare to the past, and to other countries? Is Canadian citizenship changing, and if so how?

Our Presenters

Yasmeen Abu-Laban

Yasmeen is professor of Political Science at the University of Alberta.  Her research interests centre on the Canadian and comparative dimensions of ethnic and gender politics; nationalism, globalization and processes of racialization; immigration policies and politics; surveillance and border control; human rights, and citizenship theory.  Her work has been supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC), and she has also served on national SSHRC adjudication committees.

Dr. Abu-Laban sits on the editorial board of Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada, the Board of Directors of the Canadian Arab Institute, has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA), and chaired the CPSA Diversity Task Force.  She has given numerous invited presentations across Canada and internationally, and regularly speaks and works with Canadian-government and community organizations.  In 2013 she was awarded a Killam Professorship on the basis of “outstanding scholarship and teaching [and] a record of substantial contributions to the community.”

Raja Khouri

Rula Odeh 

Join the Webinar

This event will be hosted on a Fuze Webinar. For the optimal Fuze experience, we suggest you download Fuze before the event.

The post Join our Webinar on Immigration and Citizenship in Canada appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

The Nakba (or “Catastrophe”) refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians preceding and following the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948. About 700,000 Palestinians are estimated to have fled or been expelled from their towns and villages that were later depopulated or destroyed. The refugees were never allowed to return home.

About the Event

This fundraising event focuses on the situation in Gaza and scrutinizes how Gaza is effectively the museum of the Nakba: it reflects the plight of Palestinian refugees since 1948 as well as the ongoing destruction of Palestinian homes, lives and society. Potential options for Israel and the Palestinians moving forward will be evaluated.

The Reverend Robert Assaly, Chair of NECEF-Sabeel (which includes Canadian Friends of Sabeel) and past Anglican Vicar of Gaza, just visited Gaza in December 2014. He will share poignant observations and challenging reflections on the harsh realities of life in Gaza.

After a buffet dinner, Peter Larson, Chair of the National Education Committee on Israel-Palestine (NECIP), a committee of NCCAR, will analyze the recent brutal attacks on Gaza by Israel with a focus on the true root causes for Israel’s perception of Gaza as a threat. He will evaluate what Israel’s options might be moving forward and the implications for the Palestinians and the international community.

NEW: We are delighted to add Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Canadian emergency physician, to our program. He will describe a fascinating project he is spearheading entitled “Empower Gaza” that will bring solar energy panels to four major Gaza hospitals to avoid blackouts and death for many patients. 

A Q&A session will follow each presentation. The presentations will be in English with Q&A in English and French.

Our Speakers

 Peter Larson

Peter Larson is the Chair of the National Education Committee on Israel-Palestine (NECIP), a committee of NCCAR. His professional background includes periods at the Public Policy Forum, the Conference Board of Canada and the French language daily “Le Droit”. He has authored or directed many studies on governance and public administration, and has worked as a consultant in Canada and internationally on projects with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and various UN agencies including the ILO and the UNDP.

In recent years, he has taken a particular interest in human rights issues in the Middle East. He has made several trips to the area, including the Palestinian occupied territories of the West Bank, Israel, Jordan and Iran.

Robert Assaly 

The Reverend Robert Assaly was ordained an Anglican priest 23 years ago in Ottawa. In 1992 he was sent to be the Director of the Middle East Council of Churches’ Jerusalem office. While there he was appointed Anglican Vicar of Gaza, returning to Canada after three years. He has been a member of the Church’s Middle East Working Group since the late-80s, and is Chair of NECEF-Sabeel (which includes Canadian Friends of Sabeel (CFOS)).

The event is organized by:

The National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR)

Canadian Friends of Sabeel (CFOS), a project of NECEF-Sabeel Canada

The post Gaza: The Museum of the Nakba appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

We will have single, focused, moderated conversation together as we enjoy our meal. The opening questions is: “What could Canada’s policies be in the Arab World and Middle East moving forward?” The idea is to have a stimulating discussion and emerge empowered with new perspectives, directions and connections.

By invitation only to NCCAR members, contributors and supporters due to limited space in the private residence hosting this dinner.

Coming soon to Ottawa!

The post Dine & Discuss: Canada’s role in the Arab World and Middle East (Montreal) appeared first on National Council on Canada-Arab Relations.

NCCAR launched this year’s webinar series with a fascinating and educational presentation entitled “The Destruction of Palestinian Homes and Villages – When Will It End?” on April 1, 2015 at 8 p.m. (Eastern Time). Featuring video interviews on the ground with Palestinians who have lost their homes and villages.

Attendees were able to join us from the comfort of their home anywhere in Canada or in the world!

Donations to support our future webinars would be appreciated.

The destruction of Palestinian homes and villages

Peter Larson, chair of the National Education Committee on Israel-Palestine (NECIP), examined the ongoing destruction of Palestinian homes and villages that started in 1948. He focused his analysis on six cases and share short videos of interviews he conducted on the ground recently with Palestinians who lost their homes.

Biography:

Peter Larson is the Chair of the National Education Committee on Israel-Palestine (NECIP), a committee of NCCAR. His professional background includes periods at the Public Policy Forum, the Conference Board of Canada and the French language daily “Le Droit”. He has authored or directed many studies on governance and public administration, and has worked as a consultant in Canada and internationally on projects with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and various UN agencies including the ILO and the UNDP.

In recent years, he has taken a particular interest in human rights issues in the Middle East. He has made several trips to the area, including the Palestinian occupied territories of the West Bank, Israel, Jordan and Iran.

The event was organized by:

National Educational Committee on Israel-Palestine (NECIP), a committee of the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations (NCCAR)
www.canadatalksisraelpalestine.ca

La destruction des maisons et villages palestiniens – À quand la fin?

Le CNRCA a lancé cette année sa série de webinaires avec une présentation fascinante et éducative intitulée : “La destruction des maisons et villages palestiniens – À quand la fin?” le 1er avril 2015, à 20h00 (heure de l’Est).

Les participants ont pu nous rejoindre du confort de leurs maisons partout au Canada ou dans le monde!

Les dons pour soutenir nos futurs webinaires seront les bienvenus.

La destruction des maisons et villages palestiniens

Peter Larson, le président du Comité national d’éducation sur Israel-Palestine (CNEIP), a examiné la destruction récurrente des maisons et villages qui débuta en 1948. Il s’est attardé sur six cas et a partagé de courtes vidéos d’entretiens qu’il a mené sur le terrain récemment avec des Palestiniens ayant perdu leurs maisons.

Biographie:

Peter Larson est le président du Comité national d’éducation sur Israel-Palestine (CNEIP), un comité du CNRCA. Son expérience professionnelle inclut ses années au Forum des politiques publiques, le think tank canadien Conference Board du Canada et le quotidien francophone Le Droit. Il a écrit et dirigé de nombreuses études sur la gouvernance et l’administration publique et a travaillé en tant que consultant au Canada et dans le monde sur des projets du Secrétariat du Commonwealth et diverses agences de l’ONU dont l’OIT et le PNUD.

Ces dernières années, il s’intéresse tout particulièrement à la question des droits de l’Homme au Moyen-Orient et a voyagé à de nombreuses reprises dans la région, notamment dans les territoires palestiniens occupés en Cisjordanie, en Israël, en Jordanie et en Iran.

L’évènement fut organisé par:

Le Comité national d’éducation sur Israel-Palestine (CNEIP), un comité du Conseil National des Relations Canado-Arabes.
www.canadatalksisraelpalestine.ca

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The Q&A with the film-maker Kathy Wazana will be held over dinner at the restaurant, Menthe et Couscous at 361 Émery St, Montreal, at individuals’ own cost. NCCAR has arranged for a delicious special-priced 5-course menu (appetizer, soup, salad, main dish, dessert, mint tea) for $25+tx per person (paid by each guest directly). Moroccan wine will be provided by a generous donor.

SYNOPSIS
This film raises challenging questions about the issue of Jewish migration from the Arab world.

Casablanca-born filmmaker Kathy Wazana set out to discover why hundreds of thousands of Jews left Morocco in the 1960s, believing their Arab homeland had become enemy territory. What she found was a country still grieving the loss of its Jewish population.

They Were Promised the Sea is an investigation into the circumstances that led to the mass migration of Jews from Morocco, an exodus inextricably linked to the Partition of Palestine, the creation of the State of Israel, and the dispossession and exile of the Palestinian people.

You can watch the trailer here.

TICKETS
We request that your purchase your tickets in advance as space is limited. We will meet at the front of the box office at 2:45 PM to give you your pre-purchased tickets (NCCAR-event tickets only available through NCCAR, not through box office). Film starts at 3 pm. Contact NCCAR Coordinator, Chrissy Burton, at events@nccar.ca or call 613-238-3795.

RSVP: Please RSVP so that we know how many people will be joining us for this event and to reserve a table at the restaurant. Contact NCCAR Coordinator, Chrissy Burton, at events@nccar.ca or call 613-238-3795.

TESTIMONIALS
“[…] explores an important episode in the history of the Maghreb, Palestine and Israel. A necessary contribution […] controversial and thought-provoking.”
–– Joslyn Barnes, Louverture Films, New York: The Time That Remains; The House I Live In; Black Power Mixtapes

“Combining poetry, music and hauntingly gorgeous high definition images, Kathy Wazana has produced a film that offers viewers a journey of discovery and reveals a Judeo-Arab narrative that challenges the notion of an assumed historical enemy and the dominant view that Jews are refugees from the Arab world.”
–– Michael Ostroff, Director : Winds of Heaven, Canvas of War

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT: NCCAR’s cultural events and educational programs require resources to organize and depend on your support. Please consider making a small gift to help us organize more events and let us know the types of events you are most interested in; click here to donate.

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