Sikander's Journalism Journey

Bloc declared winners in 2 races, but recounts expected ~ The Montreal Gazette

2008-10-17T10:47:00.001-04:00

Election day is over, but the fight for a couple of Montreal-area ridings has yet to be settled. Bloc Québécois candidates in the ridings of Ahuntsic and Brossard-La Prairie were declared winners by Elections Canada with margins of 142 and 143 votes, respectively, over their Liberal rivals.

But margin in Brossard-La Prairie was cut to 102 votes after the numbers were recalculated and Liberal Alexandra Mendes is not ready to call it quits.

Full Story

Car dealerships take to the road ~ The Montreal Gazette

2008-10-16T23:21:00.000-04:00

Beginning in the new year, there will be empty lots and fewer new cars for sale along Île Perrot's so-called Dealership Drive on Don Quichotte Blvd.

That's because two of the six car dealers on Île Perrot's main commercial artery are moving to brand new facilities further down Highway 20 in Pincourt. A third dealer might move later.

Full Story

Top vote-getters aren't only winners ~ The Montreal Gazette

2008-10-09T06:35:00.004-04:00

Fringe candidates know they don't have a chance of getting elected, but most expect increased visibility of being on ballot to bring attention to issues near and dear to their hearts

Looking at election signs in the downtown Westmount - Ville Marie riding, it's clear there are at least five parties vying for your vote. But on election day, the list on the ballot will be almost twice as long.

Full Story

Edited and also published in the:

- National Post (For fringe candidates, it's all about ideas)

- Calgary Herald (Fringe parties add voices to election race)

- Victoria Times-Colonist (Out on the political fringe, ideas matter more than seats)

Teachers not immune to jitters ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-30T12:33:00.000-04:00

Today is the day most young West Islanders head back to school.

And if your kids were anxious and having nightmares about going back to school, you'll want to let them in on a little secret: It happens to teachers, too.

Full Story

It's liftoff for AirMédic ambulance ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-30T12:31:00.000-04:00

It's a bird. It's a plane. No, it's an ambulance.

AirMédic, the non-profit group that aims to provide air ambulance service in Quebec, yesterday unveiled an equipped helicopter dedicated to serving the Montreal area, along with a new home for the chopper and its staff in Mirabel.

Full Story

Airports could see strike in November ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-27T12:30:00.000-04:00

Blue-collar workers at Trudeau and Mirabel airports are putting passengers and cargo operators on notice for possible strike action in November.

"There's one thing for sure," said Wayne Wilson, a spokesperson for the 280-member airport employees' union, affiliated with the Centrale des syndicats démocratiques. "We started (protesting) and ... we won't spend the winter without going on strike" if outstanding issues aren't settled, he said.

Full Story

Charkaoui awaits decision on restrictions ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-24T12:26:00.000-04:00

A confident Adil Charkaoui left court yesterday, hoping he would soon be free of the "unlivable" conditions he has had to adhere to since his release in February 2005.

"I hope the judge will apply the Supreme Court decision," Charkaoui told reporters, referring to the February ruling that rendered the security certificate, under which Charkaoui was imprisoned for 21/2 years without seeing the evidence against him, unconstitutional.

Full Story

Charkaoui looks to federal judge as his 'Père Noël' ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-23T12:21:00.000-04:00

Adil Charkaoui says Federal Court Judge Simon Noël is his children's "Père Noël," and he's waiting for the gift of permission to leave Montreal "to have some moments of joy with my children."

Full Story

Charkaoui seeks to have strict conditions dropped ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-22T12:03:00.000-04:00

Adil Charkaoui will be in federal court this morning, arguing strict conditions imposed on him be abolished.

"I feel the government doesn't apply appropriately the decision of the Supreme Court," he told The Gazette yesterday, referring to the high court decision in February that quashed the security certificates that had allowed the federal government to detain Charkaoui as a suspected terrorist for two years without laying charges or revealing the evidence against him.

Full Story

Four rabid raccoons found near St. Jean ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Animal control officials are searching for raccoons in south shore St. Jean sur Richelieu after four of the animals infected with rabies were found near the city.

This marked the first time in recent years that diseased raccoons have been found close to Montreal, a health official said.

Full Story

Quebecers support immigration levels ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

With the reasonable accommodation debate taking centre stage and the province's first public forum on the issue set for Friday, you'd think the province's appetite for immigrants would be diminished.

But that's not so, according to Jack Jedwab, executive director of the Association for Canadian Studies.

Full Story

Partnership viewed as a threat to sovereignty ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-20T23:53:00.000-04:00

A coalition of Canadian, American and Mexican energy workers' unions and nine lobby groups yesterday denounced the Security and Prosperity Partnership discussed by leaders of the three countries in Montebello, as a threat to each nation's energy sovereignty.

Full Story

When CSIS Comes Calling ~ Saturday Extra, The Montreal Gazette

2007-08-18T23:35:00.000-04:00

Muslim Montrealers say intelligence agents have been arriving at their homes unannounced to question them – and the chats aren’t always friendly. Community leaders say that’s harassment. CSIS calls it community outreach. Sikander Hashmi reports.

CSIS vists can be chilling

There's no harassment, no coercion: agency

This informant has no regret

Construction workers stream home ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-30T22:25:00.000-04:00

Canadian border guards were ready to welcome the influx of traffic at the end of Quebec's two-week construction holiday yesterday, but there wasn't all that much to do.

"Whenever there's the end of a big holiday ... we do have higher volumes coming in, so we staff accordingly," said Kareen Dionne, spokesperson for the Canadian Border Services Agency.

Full Story

TB risk 'very low,' bus passengers told ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

Public health officials are advising passengers who travelled on a bus with a tuberculosis patient between Boston and Montreal in early May that the risk of transmission is "very low."

The unidentified passenger arrived in Montreal aboard a Vermont Transit Lines bus and returned to Boston on May 8.

Full Story

Pension key to Bishop's dispute ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-20T23:12:00.000-04:00

Bishop's University has set midnight tonight as the deadline for its unionized employees to accept what the university calls it "best and final" contract offer.

If the professors, contract faculty and librarians don't accept the terms, the Lennoxville university says, it will lock them out Sunday at midnight, along with 150 non-academic staff who have already been on the picket line since June 28.

Full Story

Bankruptcy strands design students ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-19T23:10:00.000-04:00

Shanna Gervais paid about $16,000 to become an interior designer. But with just more than half her studies completed, the 22-year-old now finds herself without a school.

Full Story

City asks for patience with mess on the Main ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-16T02:08:00.000-04:00

The city of Montreal is asking Montrealers to head to the Main and is pleading for patience among merchants on St. Laurent Blvd.

The stretch between de Maisonneuve Blvd. and Mount Royal Ave. is undergoing major repairs and store owners have complained that the roadwork is choking their livelihood.

Full Story

'Bill shouldn't have died' ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-10T02:06:00.000-04:00

Darryl Lesser wants to see defibrillators at all public venues in Quebec, especially sports and fitness facilities.

Lesser and friends were playing hockey at the Sportplexe 4 Glaces in Pierrefonds last Tuesday when his linemate Bill Wishnousky, 63, collapsed on the ice.

Full Story

Czech Airways passengers to sue traveller with tuberculosis ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-06T19:52:00.000-04:00

Andrew Speaker's biography on the Speaker Law Firm website says he "concentrates his practice in personal injury litigation and family law."

The Atlanta lawyer, who made headlines this spring when he travelled aboard a commercial flight from Europe while infected with a form of tuberculosis, may soon find himself concentrating on another case - this time as the defendant.

Full Story

Man at heart of TB scare gets reprieve ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-04T19:51:00.000-04:00

Andrew Speaker has had a long an arduous journey: from his wedding in Europe to his flight to Montreal and subsequent drive to the U.S., to the front pages of newspapers and his current hospital room in Denver, Colo.

Yesterday was his "day of relief," when U.S. health officials announced Speaker doesn't have the severe form of tuberculosis they earlier feared.

Full Story

McGill research gets shot in arm ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-07-04T19:49:00.000-04:00

McGill University has been awarded more than $2.3 million in grants for 18 research projects, including some involving green chemistry, climate change and alternative fuels.

Full Story

Expressway crash no surprise to neighbours ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-27T19:44:00.000-04:00

Over the last 19 years, Tony DeSantis has seen it too many times: A vehicle exits the Ville Marie Expressway tunnel at Mountain St. south, jumps the curb and smashes into a wall or a fence.

On Sunday night, he saw it one time too many.

Full Story

Helper retiring after 27 years of hospitality, hoots of laughter ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-26T23:02:00.000-04:00

Ngaire Metcalf fondly recalls the times when a severely handicapped and overweight patient would come in for a doughnut and a drink at the Montreal General Hospital's Hospitality Corner.

As the waitress, Metcalf would brush off the evidence from the woman's chest before her dietician got wind of the crime.

Full Story

Quebec demands explanation of guards' behaviour ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-21T22:05:00.000-04:00

Quebec Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis is asking for an explanation and the Montreal Transit Corp. is investigating after metro security guards allegedly looked on as a woman was punched and kicked by a man at the Berri-UQAM metro station Monday.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

Mayor treads carefully on turf ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-19T22:52:00.000-04:00

The battle to keep artificial turf out of Westmount Park will continue for a little while longer.

Full Story

Cattle farmers get green light for suit ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-18T22:54:00.000-04:00

Quebec cattle farmers will be getting their day in court after Quebec Superior Court gave the green light to a $2-billion class-action lawsuit alleging negligence by the federal government during the mad cow crisis.

Full Story

Father sought in son's abduction ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-16T19:58:00.000-04:00

An international arrest warrant has been issued for a Montreal man suspected of abducting his 5-year-old son and taking him to Jordan, possibly en route to Iraq.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

Police shut down fraud network ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-14T22:11:00.000-04:00

A complicated yet profitable "large-scale" tax-fraud operation came to a halt yesterday after authorities made early morning raids in the Montreal area and in Toronto.

More than 180 police officers and Revenue Quebec officials took part in the raids. Officers executed search and arrest warrants in Montreal, Laval, Rosemere and Toronto.

Full Story

Sons in Saudi jail suffering from asthma, father says ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-13T12:39:00.000-04:00

Nearly a month after their story was made public, two young Montrealers are still jailed in Saudi Arabia with no indication when they'll be able to come home - if ever.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

New security measures for Champlain Bridge considered ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-12T12:29:00.000-04:00

The Champlain Bridge may soon start looking a lot like its downstream counterpart, at least from a security point of view.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

WHO criticizes U.S. ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-06T23:09:00.000-04:00

Health authorities in the United States should have done more to stop Andrew Speaker from flying out of the country, officials at the World Health Organization said yesterday.

Full Story

Sisters wait for test results in fear ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-05T23:13:00.000-04:00

Ludmela Urbanova and her sister can't forget the man seated beside them on their flight from Prague to Montreal on Thursday, May 24.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

Observers tell of Philippine vote fraud ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-04T22:47:00.000-04:00

The Philippines is a not a "vibrant thriving democracy" and the federal government should review Canada's ties with the Pacific island nation, a group of Montreal observers who witnessed the country's mid-term elections said yesterday.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

Tuberculosis case shows system works, Ottawa says ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-06-01T13:20:00.000-04:00

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement expressed confidence in Canada's public health system yesterday, one week after a man with tuberculosis flew undetected into Montreal and drove to the United States - even though officials there had ordered him not to fly.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

(Published in a number of CanWest papers as well)

Diseased man flew under the radar ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-05-31T13:16:00.000-04:00

Canadian health officials say they were not told that a U.S. man with a rare and often-fatal form of tuberculosis was on his way to Montreal on May 24.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

(Published in a number of CanWest papers as well)

Infected man took flight to Montreal ~ The Montreal Gazette

2007-05-30T13:12:00.000-04:00

Public health authorities are seeking passengers who travelled on a flight to Montreal from Prague last week after one of the passengers, a United States citizen, was found to have a severe form of tuberculosis.

Full Story

Online version (before print edition)

Praising the Prophet ~ Arab News

2007-03-01T18:02:00.000-05:00

Praising the Prophet

Sikander Z. Hashmi | Special to Review

IN 1999, Linda Delgado was a police officer in the US when she and her husband decided to host two Saudi police officers who had come for training. A week before Fuad and Abdul — whom she refers to as her “foster sons” — returned to Saudi Arabia, Delgado accepted Islam.

Last Sunday, Delgado was declared one of the winners in the first annual Praise the Prophet International Poetry Competition. Delgado’s poem, My Hero Is Your Hero, took the top prize in the adult category. In it, the 60-year-old describes a conversation between a mother, a son, and a daughter, in which the three attempt to guess each other’s heroes and drop hints about their identities.

“Son said his hero was the greatest teacher the world had ever known / Daughter giggled and said her hero and his wife played racing games.

“So I declared my hero left his Sunnah for all mankind to understand. / He recited each of Allah’s Words in our most honored Qur’an.”

The poem ends with the children realizing that they are all talking about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Delgado, of Tempe, Arizona, won up to $1,000 for airfare to Makkah and Madinah, Saudi Arabia. But she won’t be able to make the trip due to ailments, which keep her from traveling. Instead, she says she wants to use the prize money to help produce coloring and activity books for young Muslim children. These books will be based on fiqh-based comic strips Delgado creates for an American Islamic magazine.

Mai El-Sadany of Fremont, California, will also receive up to $1,000 for airfare to Makkah and Madinah. She won the first prize in the teen category for her submission titled “Remember.” El-Sadany’s rhyming poem educates readers about the life of the Prophet Muhammad by reminding them about his qualities.

“Remember the strength of mind after his tribe’s rejection / But, later, the sincere hearts he would easily win / Remember the kindness to his neighbors and enemies alike / After being bombarded with trash, thorns, and spikes.”

Eleven-year-old Amal Mohammd of Toledo, Ohio, was the youngest top prize winner. Amal’s poem “My Love For You” ranked first in the children’s category and she will receive a gift package valued at $400 US. “My Love For You” is a very personal expression of just that — love for the Prophet Muhammad.

“The crystals in my little brown eyes / Are tears that I cry when I hear the lies / about the things they said about you / The horrible things so untrue.”

A total of five winners, including poets from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Morocco, were chosen in each of the three categories. All winning submissions are posted online at www.IslamicPoetry.org.

The Praise the Prophet contest, launched 10 months ago, was inspired by a desire to react to the Danish cartoon controversy in a positive and proactive manner, said Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf, a Muslim scholar and author in Santa Barbara, California, and founder of the website behind the contest.

After witnessing the fallout of the Danish cartoon controversy, Ibn Yusuf called up other scholars and brainstormed about launching a poetry competition in praise of the Prophet Muhammad. All agreed that it was a brilliant idea.

With the support of volunteers, the contest was launched and ran from April to November 2006. Nine judges, including writers, an American imam, and a poet, shared the responsibility of judging the over 300 submissions from 12 countries.

Ibn Yusuf said he was thrilled by the response and the quality of submissions and said he believes the contest went beyond the intended goal by a mile. “This is simply an inspiring success,” he said. “Inspiring because it proves to us that by directing our collective energy in a positive way, we can educate and accomplish much, much more than we do by venting our anger and reacting emotionally.”

The contest got writers thinking creatively and writing spiritual and uplifting poetry, something the Prophet Muhammad liked, said ibn Yusuf. “At last we are on the way to fulfilling the rights of the Messenger of Allah in English poetry.”

Canadian solution for Arab companies

2006-02-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

Sikander Z. Hashmi

Saskatchewan may be known for its wheat, but that’s not the only thing the prairie province is growing for the world.

Amanah Tech Inc. grew out of Nezar Freeny’s Saskatoon apartment storage in 2001. Today, the successful web hosting and enterprise solutions provider is offering services and support in Arabic to clients in the Arabian Gulf, albeit not from the land of the living skies.

Freeny, 33, immigrated to Canada from Sudan in 1992, and after completing high school in Toronto, left for Saskatoon where he completed his bachelors in computer science at the University of Saskatchewan.

He worked for the university and the private sector, but it wasn’t too long before Freeny’s family genetics got the best of him.

“Since I was in grade one, I used to help my dad run his…furniture manufacturing business,” says Freeny. “When I was approximately 13, I was running the business in his absence.”

While dot-com companies crashed, burned and evaporated, Freeny managed to find a niche market with virtually no competitors.

Arab companies were getting their web hosting primarily from providers in the U.S., but none were offering services and support in Arabic.

Freeny jumped at the opportunity to offer comparable quality and price with service in Arabic, so customers “don’t have to worry about feeling different.”

An understanding of Arab culture proved invaluable for Freeny. For instance, Arabs like dealing directly with the CEO of a company instead of employees. As well, older Arab executives don’t take young people seriously, something Freeny overcame by being well-presented, learning history, and building good rapport with multiple contacts at large companies.

Geopolitics played a role too.

“They found it the right opportunity, saying that we are Canada, we are neutral, (and) we are at peace with everyone.”

In 2002, the company signed a $1 million, three-year deal with Saudi internet company Dar Alasr.

At the signing ceremony in Dubai attended by Canadian ambassador David Hutton, Dar Alasr president Fouad Alfarhan expressed surprise over finding a Canadian IT company offering support in Arabic.

“We never thought we would be able to find a Canadian IT company who provides 24/7 support in Arabic," Alfarhan was quoted as saying in the Khaleej Times. "Partnering with Amanah Tech allows us to provide high-end technology that our clients are looking for in Arabic.”

Amanah – Arabic for “trust” – has established itself in web hosting and is now moving forward with “Prime Digital Solutions,” solving problems for businesses and individuals through innovative solutions.

For instance, the company recently made waves in the Arab media market by developing software that automatically translates the Reuters news ticker feed into Arabic for DubaiTV, sparking interest from other Arab TV networks as well, according to Freeny.

The company has also designed a cell phone stock tracker that sends stock price fluctuation alerts directly to investors’ cell phones.

Amanah Tech, now with seven employees and $5 million in annual sales with about 50 per cent of it profit, relied heavily on federal government grants in the beginning, but the company is now seen as a Canadian success story, with a visible presence at trade shows in the Arabian Gulf.

Sales are up by 50 per cent from the previous year.

The company outgrew Saskatchewan last summer and has since settled in Toronto with over 150 other tech and telecom companies at 151 Front Street, one of North America's most connected buildings. It also offers local support from British Columbia, Cairo, Dubai, and Riyadh.

So what is Freeny’s secret to success?

“Customer satisfaction,” he says after a pause, later adding patience and no advertising to the mix.

That means becoming a doctor for businesses and keeping small clients who pay as little as $10 a month for web hosting along with some of the wealthiest businesses in the Arabian Gulf.

“You will never see someone walking to a doctor saying, ‘Today, I am feeling very well. What should I do?’” he says. “They will be crying…‘this is hurting me and I need something, how can you help me?’

“If you are not addressing them, they will go somewhere else. So it’s very important to be patient and to be a good listener.”

Freeny doesn’t believe in advertising and thus his advertising budget is zero. The savings are used for improving quality and retaining big clients with perks, such as flying big customers to Toronto for a tour of facilities.

Hatem Al-Sibai, chief information officer at one of Amanah’s larger customers, UAE’s Al Ghurair Group, is “quite satisfied” with the company and plans to increase business with Amanah next year.

“They have managed to meet or exceed or service level requirements,” Sibai wrote in an e-mail. “This is possible because (Amanah) has a hi-tech infra-structure, multiple redundant connectivity to the backbone of the Internet and state of the art security,” adding that the company has been “eager to listen…and understand special requirements and needs.”

But the attention given to larger customers hasn’t left smaller ones disappointed.

Amanah Tech has provided web hosting to Regina Huda School for the last three years and president Dr. Ayman Aboguddah has nothing but praise for the company, describing his experience with Amanah as “great.”

The Huda School website makes extensive use of multimedia and it will soon offer live webcasts from classrooms, Aboguddah said.

Freeny works towards his dream of heading a multi-billion dollar publicly traded corporation with a simple philosophy.

“There is a philosophy in business, ‘build it and they will come’. My philosophy is, ‘build it as they come.’”

A champion for `little people' ~ Toronto Star

2005-09-06T05:08:00.000-04:00

A champion for `little people'

Sep. 6, 2005. 06:57 AM

It's not too often that a lawyer has a client walk into the office brandishing a handgun. Allan Henry Hollingworth, who went from being an intelligence officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force to the judicial bench, with stops as a lawyer and a parliamentarian, died Aug. 16. He was 86. Sikander Ziad Hashmi memorializes him. [Full Story]

Muslim leaders take Civics 101 ~ Toronto Star

2005-09-03T12:09:00.000-04:00

Muslim leaders take Civics 101

Sep. 3, 2005. 09:26 AM

Mufti Ibrahim Kureshi is a Muslim religious scholar certified to issue edicts, but the 28-year-old North York native admits he's not very well versed on Canadian legislation and other matters of importance in this country. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Everyone feeling the pinch ~ Toronto Star

2005-09-01T21:38:00.000-04:00

Everyone feeling the pinch

Sep. 1, 2005. 06:35 AM

A year ago, Merkebe Birhanu was working overnights as a parking lot attendant, making about $56 a day before taxes for an eight-hour shift. Today, he sometimes finds himself coming home with as little as $30 — after a 12-hour day. For Birhanu and the approximately 8,000 licensed cab drivers in Toronto, high gasoline prices are an attack on their livelihood. Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew and Sikander Ziad Hashmi report. [Full Story]

Weakened Katrina expected to soak Ontario ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-30T21:22:00.000-04:00

Weakened Katrina expected to soak Ontario

Aug. 30, 2005. 01:00 AM

After causing billions of dollars worth of damage in the southern United States., Katrina is making her way up north to pay us a visit, but without her notorious title. [Full Story]

Just call them Loan Rangers ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-25T01:00:00.000-04:00

Just call them Loan Rangers

Aug. 25, 2005. 01:00 AM

His bicycle carries great sentimental value, but Christos didn't let emotions get in the way of lending it to a police officer in hot pursuit of a crime suspect. [Full Story]

Sex assault in park spurs alert to women ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-24T12:54:00.000-04:00

Sex assault in park spurs alert to women
Aug. 24, 2005. 01:00 AM

Toronto police are warning females to be on alert in city parks after a sexual assault last Wednesday in the Humber River Valley park system. [Full Story]

Inside a local Islamic seminary ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-22T23:22:00.000-04:00

Inside a local Islamic seminary
Aug. 22, 2005. 06:54 AM
An austere boarding school in rural Ajax is striving to shape young Muslim leaders. This low-profile school says it aims to shape `good citizens' and denies it is nurturing extremism. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Taber killer back in custody ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-17T21:20:00.000-04:00

Taber killer back in custody

Aug. 17, 2005. 07:43 AM

The young architect of a deadly high school shooting in 1999 is back in police custody just 24 hours after he slipped out of a halfway house leaving an ominous note that he would not be taken alive. Sikander Ziad Hashmi, Henry Stancu and Leslie Ferenc report. [Full Story]

Court hears tale of fight ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-16T21:40:00.000-04:00

Court hears tale of fight

Aug. 16, 2005. 01:00 AM

Three NBA players at the For Your Eyes Only strip club on King St. shouldn't have gotten their hopes too high on the night of April 11, 2003, when dancers promised to go back with them to their hotel rooms, according to witness Charmaine Soto Naranjo. [Full Story]

Missing boy, 3, home safe ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-14T21:35:00.000-04:00

Missing boy, 3, home safe

Aug. 14, 2005. 08:29 AM

The mother of a 3-year-old boy is among three people arrested after the youngster disappeared Friday evening at a McDonald's restaurant in Newmarket. Less than eight hours after an Amber Alert was issued for Denzel Wozniak, he was found safe by Toronto police after a man contacted police. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Activists speak out against sharia ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-13T12:12:00.000-04:00

Activists speak out against sharia
Aug. 13, 2005. 01:00:00

Three women facing death threats appeared in public under heavy security last night to denounce a provincial move that would allow Muslims here to settle family disputes in accordance with religious laws, outside the court system. [Full Story]

Watch, don't run, riders told ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-09T12:41:00.000-04:00

Watch, don't run, riders told

Aug. 9, 2005. 06:36 AM

Take the time to check. Tragically, that message — part of a safety drive by Toronto police and the TTC this week — came too late for a young woman struck and killed in Scarborough just hours before the launch of the campaign. Sikander Ziad Hashmi and Hilda Hoy report. [Full Story]

Guns, gangs and getting tough ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

Guns, gangs and getting tough

Aug. 7, 2005. 08:40 AM

A 27-year-old man was shot dead Friday night at a townhouse complex in the Finch Ave. and Victoria Park Rd. area. Melbourne Whittick was in an altercation with two men at a bus stop when they shot him. Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair talks to the Star about the city's recent spate of shootings and his plans to curb it [Full Story]

Shootings 'spike' as 3 slain ~ Toronto Star

2005-08-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

Shootings 'spike' as 3 slain

Aug. 1, 2005. 08:24 AM

Three fatal shootings in 12 hours have jolted the city and left a neighbourhood in fear, but police are downplaying the most recent rash of violence. "When a spike like that happens in the year, we have to remember that this stuff does level out over the average year," Toronto police Staff Insp. Jeff McGuire told a news conference yesterday. [Full Story]

Want a cat? Keep it indoors! ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-31T11:04:00.000-04:00

Want a cat? Keep it indoors!
2005-07-31 08:17:46
Despite going through its most "most desperate crisis ever" with more than 500 cats on the property looking for a home, the Toronto Humane Society isn't loosening up its adoption policy. Potential cat owners who insist on de-clawing their cat or letting it out on the loose will still find themselves walking away empty-handed.

Police call for safe, fun Caribana ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-30T23:20:00.000-04:00

Police call for safe, fun Caribana

Jul. 30, 2005. 01:00 AM

Toronto police are working with Caribana organizers to ensure there are enough officers where and when they're needed most, Chief Bill Blair said yesterday. [Full Story]

2 by-lines ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-29T11:36:00.000-04:00

Imams bring their concerns to Martin

Jul. 29, 2005. 06:50 AM

Leading imams from across the country, after meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin in a Mississauga hotel yesterday, said more must be done to encourage Canadian Muslims to become part of Canadian society. Star reporter Sikander Ziad Hashmi was there. [Full Story]

Scholar linked to suicide bomber preached in Canada

Jul. 29, 2005. 01:00 AM

Muslim Canadians are no strangers to the life and work of Bilal Philips, the religion professor whose teachings may have influenced a suspect in last week's botched suicide bombings in London. [Full Story]

Canadian imams denounce terrorism, extremism ~ TheStar.com

2005-07-22T00:21:00.000-04:00

Canadian imams denounce terrorism, extremism

Jul. 21, 2005. 05:04 PM

For the first time, Canadian imams have joined together to issue a statement denouncing terrorism and calling upon Canadian Muslims to confront extremism. “Those who would use violence for their twisted acts betray the most basic value of the sanctity of the human life,” said Imam Ahmad Kutty in a prepared statement on behalf of 120 imams from across Canada. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Note: This is a same-day online story written shortly after the event. A more detailed story will appear in tomorrow's paper.

4-year sailing odyssey ends ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-21T11:04:00.000-04:00

4-year sailing odyssey ends

Jul. 21, 2005. 06:47 AM

They've done it again. A few minutes after 11 a.m. yesterday, veteran Toronto sailors Paul Howard and Fiona McCall sailed the Carpe Diem into York Quay and set foot on dry land, bringing to an end their four-year, 40,000-kilometre odyssey around two Cape Horns — one in Iceland, the other in Chile. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

City soldiers on in extreme heat ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-13T23:23:00.000-04:00

City soldiers on in extreme heat
2005-07-13 01:00:01
Toronto residents needing some relief from the uncomfortable weather were able to drop in to one of four "cooling centres" yesterday after the city issued an extreme heat alert for the second consecutive day. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports.

Readers respond to "Explosions bring sorrow, fear and soul-searching"

2005-07-11T23:03:00.000-04:00

I've received a number of supportive e-mails and a couple of calls from readers, staff, and university associates following the publication of the article entitled "Explosions bring sorrow, fear and soul-searching" on July 8. In all honesty, I wasn't expecting such a heartwarming response. My sincerest thanks to everyone who took the time to write or call to offer their support. When the going gets tough, it's reassuring to know that there are friends out there in the public - friends who truly care.

The city editor told me today that there was a "tremendous response" to the piece. I'm not sure what that means in terms of numbers of letters to the editor received, but two letters were printed, one on Saturday and the other today.

Muslim reporter gives another view of attacks

Jul. 9, 2005. 01:00 AM

Explosions bring sorrow, fear and soul-searching [Full Story]

Don't judge all Muslims by actions of a few maniacs

Jul. 11, 2005. 01:00 AM

Explosions bring horror, fear and soul-searching [Full Story]

Muslim leaders condemn attacks ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

Muslim leaders condemn attacks
Not available on thestar.com

Prominent Muslim organizations across Canada sent out news releases just hours after the attacks in London, condemning them as "cowardly" and a "crime against humanity." That message was echoed loud and clear by local imams yesterday, as Muslims across the GTA gathered for prayers. Hicham Safieddine and Sikander Ziad Hashmi report. [Full Story]

Explosions bring sorrow, fear and soul-searching ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-09T01:41:00.000-04:00

Explosions bring sorrow, fear and soul-searching
2005-07-08 01:00:00
Yesterday morning, I cried. It was a regular morning as I rolled out of bed and headed for my laptop. As I began realizing what happened, I felt the breaking-news adrenaline rush journalists often feel — then the sorrow, anger, frustration and uncertainty swept over. By Sikander Ziad Hashmi.

Man, 18, killed outside daycare ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-07T23:23:00.000-04:00

Man, 18, killed outside daycare

Jul. 7, 2005. 05:51 PM

An 18-year-old man was shot to death yesterday afternoon in front of an Etobicoke apartment complex housing a daycare. Police received reports of gunshots on Islington Ave. at about 2 p.m. yesterday near Finch Ave. W. and found the victim lying unconscious on the ground. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Activists follow a hard path ~ Toronto Star

2005-07-06T23:35:00.000-04:00

Activists follow a hard path
2005-07-06 01:00:01
Each night, over 40,000 children in rural Uganda walk as many as 12 kilometres to urban centres such as the town of Gulu, just to sleep in relative safety and to avoid abduction. Yet no one seems to notice. That's where GuluWalk comes in. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports.

Blind advocate takes TTC battle to tribunal ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-29T15:53:00.000-04:00

Blind advocate takes TTC battle to tribunal

Jun. 29, 2005. 01:00 AM

Blind people on the TTC should have the same rights as sighted riders, a lawyer has told an Ontario human rights tribunal hearing his complaint about the lack of subway announcements. [Full Story]

Many seize chance to be heard ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-23T20:41:00.000-04:00

Many seize chance to be heard

Jun. 23, 2005. 01:00 AM

Debessai Ghermatzion thinks it was about time Toronto got more powers. [Full Story]

Oil barrelling upwards (shared by-line) ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-22T00:14:00.000-04:00

Oil barrelling upwards

Jun. 21, 2005. 03:37 AM

Canadians should be prepared for more pain when they're travelling this summer — whether they're flying or filling up at the pumps — as oil prices continue to hit record highs, economists warn. [Full Story]

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Couriers honour mentor ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-19T04:15:00.000-04:00

Couriers honour mentor

Jun. 18, 2005. 09:25 AM

He was their mentor, their "grandfather."They were his life. More than 100 bike couriers working in the city's core came out to remember Bob Byers, who died Thursday while on the job. He was 58. Sikander Ziad. Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

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2 stories ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-17T11:32:00.000-04:00

'I look like Frankenstein'

Jun. 17, 2005. 09:09 AM

It was the first time she was holding a needle to stitch something, but Lisa Blackwood took the challenge head on — on her husband Garry's head. Blackwood stitched a gaping wound in her husband's head — it ran from his forehead to the back of his skull — without anaesthetic after their yacht was wrecked by a storm in the South Pacific. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

Mother of burned, beaten boy charged

Jun. 17, 2005. 01:00 AM

The mother of a 6-year-old boy who was severely burned and beaten was arrested yesterday, almost a month after horrified TTC riders and the driver saw the child on a bus in Scarborough. [Full Story]

12-year-old can't recall being hit by car ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

12-year-old can't recall being hit by car

Jun. 16, 2005. 06:39 AM

"Why am I here in the hospital?" That's what 12-year-old Mansoor Sadiq asked his dad, Asmatullah, when he was finally able to speak after being hit by a vehicle while crossing an East York street Monday afternoon. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

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Ball hockey goes global ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-15T05:54:00.000-04:00

Ball hockey goes global

Jun. 15, 2005. 06:48 AM

Talk about hockey with someone who's just moved from Pakistan and you'll probably trigger images of fields, short sticks and guys in shorts. Meet Team Pakistan, which is competing at the World Street Hockey Championships in Pittsburgh. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

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First by-line(s) ~ Toronto Star

2005-06-03T18:48:00.000-04:00

Foreign aid right from the heart

Jun. 3, 2005. 06:25 AM

Having a tough time paying the rent and supporting your immediate family? Meet Michael Laidley. The 20-year-old chef supports his brother, sister and visually impaired mother — and manages to send close to $6,000 to relatives in Trinidad about every six months. Sikander Ziad Hashmi reports. [Full Story]

'Muslim-style' meals won't fly

Jun. 3, 2005. 06:36 AM

Like other devout Muslims, Imtiyaz Khatri — a Toronto businessman and frequent flyer — doesn't consume meat unless it's from ritually slaughtered animals. But he is getting mixed messages from Air Canada on whether the airline's meals meet strict Islamic dietary requirements and are 'halal'. [Full Story]

(Registration required; free and quick)

Somehow, they both ended up on page A1 on the same day...

CBC Fresh Voice

2005-03-09T20:03:00.000-05:00

This year, CBC held the second Fresh Voice competition. It's a nationwide contest that gives journalism students the chance to submit a one-page story pitch. If accepted, students get to present the story on air.

There were 236 entries and 17 winners were chosen. Concordia University took 5 of the 17. Naturally, the journalism department was ecstatic.

Audio: http://www.cbc.ca/freshvoice/ram/sikander_hashimi.ram

Show log: http://www.cbc.ca/insite/SOUNDS_LIKE_CANADA/2005/3/4.html

Overflow crowds mark Ramadan's end ~ The Montreal Gazette

2004-11-18T12:14:00.000-05:00

Overflow crowds mark Ramadan's end

Eid al-Fitr Prayers at Holiday Inn

One of the great feasts of Muslim lunar year draws 1,500 for observances, socializing

Sikander Z. Hashmi
Special to The Gazette

The ballroom at the Holiday Inn Pointe Claire became a prayer room Sunday morning, as the music, tables and chairs were replaced by speeches, prayers, and rows of Muslim faithful.

Men, women, and children, many sporting new clothes, converged on the hotel to offer their Eid al-Fitr prayers. Eid al-Fitr, one of the two great feasts of the Muslim lunar year, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and sensual pleasures from dawn to dusk. Ramadhan ended Saturday evening.

An unexpected surge in attendance sent the crowd overflowing into the lobby and organizers arranged for a second prayer to accommodate everyone.

In his sermon, Sheikh Ismail Jogiyat reminded the worshippers that Eid al-Fitr was a time for love, charity and forgiveness.

Muslims must offer charity and look after the poor, Jogiyat said. He reminded worshippers to pay the fitra, a $6 donation that must be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer so poor Muslims can enjoy the feast, too.

Organizers began a fundraising drive for the expansion of their Gouin Blvd. mosque prior to the prayer but were cut short when a couple of worshippers voiced their displeasure over coupling fundraising with prayers.

An estimated 1,500 people attended the service, organizers said.

Omar Haniff was one of them and was thrilled by the high attendance.

“This is fabulous; it’s one of the best occasions for me," the Kirkland resident said. "The more people that are here, the more emotional it gets, because we know the importance of Eid al-Fitr. This is good for us."

Adil, a St. Laurent resident who didn’t want his last name published, and his wife came to the Holiday Inn after offering their prayers at the Islamic Centre of Quebec mosque in St. Laurent.

For Adil, the service at the Holiday Inn is also a socializing event.

“Most of the people we know come to the prayer at the Holiday Inn. It’s one of the more, I would say, friendlier atmospheres.

"You see a lot of people meeting each other in a very cordial and happy manner, something I wanted to be a part of.

“The religious aspect is at all prayer places, but there’s just a little bit more here. I find there are a lot of people who know and meet each other very well here. It’s good to see.”

Children received bags of candies and other goodies. Children are usually offered gifts on Eid al-Fitr.

Prayers were also held at other locations on the West Island. Approximately 4,000 prayed at the Canadian Islamic Centre Al Jamieh in Dollard des Ormeaux, which held two prayer sessions to accommodate the large crowds, and about 150 were present at the Islamic Centre of West Island.

http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/
westisland/story.html?id=e5f6d369-537f-4177-bcea-bd010edbd678

Theatre is a conduit for culture ~ The Link (Concordia)

2004-11-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

Theatre is a conduit for culture

Sikander Hashmi, The Link

“I’m holding on with my fingertips. How much longer I can hold on, I don’t know.”

That’s how Bryna Wasserman, artistic director of Montreal's most renowned multi-disciplinary art centre, the Saidye Bronfman Centre, described her feelings about the future of Anglo theatre in Montreal.

Wasserman was the latest guest at the weekly journalism lecture series for Concordia’s first-year journalism students held Tuesdays at Hingston Hall.

The lecture began with Wasserman asking the students what it was that “this little woman standing in front of you is so passionate about?” She went on to answer her own question.

Wasserman made it clear that she was passionate – very passionate – about theatre. Her mission is to foster an environment that permits English theatre to survive as a minority, she said, pointing out that each of her choices must have a “social significance”.

In describing her job, Wasserman said: “A theatre play doesn’t exist on paper. I call it from the page to the stage.”

The award-winning director said her passion is fuelled by the importance of preserving English culture.

“I’ve watched the erosion of cultural institutions. Theatre passes on culture.”

She recognized that other theatres may show translations of English plays, but she sees staging a play in its original language to be of special importance.

The cultural community needs to keep flourishing, said Wasserman. She described two essential elements for achieving that: keeping it open to everyone and anyone, and government support.
“There should be no one in the city who can’t see a play at the Saidye,” Wasserman declared.

After praising the provincial government for recognizing the role of the Saiyde and supporting it financially, she criticized the federal government and the Canada Council for the Arts.

“The federal government doesn’t understand. We are unique. We need special attention,” she said. The Council, a federal agency, recently turned down the theatre’s request for an operating grant for the seventh year in a row.

The theatre is struggling, cutting costs, and trying to make ends meet, said Wasserman. “Whether that can continue, I don’t know.”

Still reeling from Matt Radz’s unflattering review of Man of La Mancha – a play that she not only chose but also directed – in The Gazette (October 17), Wasserman seized the opportunity to lecture students on their responsibilities as future journalists. Among other things, Radz had expressed surprise that the Saidye Bronfman Centre “defied the prevailing box-office wisdom by staging […] a full- bore musical produced in Montreal.”

“Do you understand the power you have over the population?” she asked. “You have the power to create; you have the power to destroy.”

“Use your privilege, your authority, your pen to create,” she advised.

Wasserman said she found Radz’s criticism to be unfair and unsubstantiated. She also said that since there is only one English daily in Montreal, one review can make it or break it for a play. Toronto, she said, with its multiple newspapers, has room for dissenting opinions. But not Montreal.

She acknowledged her helplessness: “I cry; I’m depressed for two weeks.”

According to Wasserman, reviews have a profound effect on the box office. In this case, ticket sales for Man of La Mancha dropped by half.

Still, she’s not against criticism, she said. “That’s not to say that I don’t expect a negative review. We can all accept criticism.”

She also took shot at Radz’s October 23 Gazette article on the Montreal English Critics' Circle Awards, in which he reported that Saidye Bronfman took an award, but then suggested that in his opinion, the runner-up was a “more worthy, if not entirely satisfying” top choice for the award.

For Wasserman, it’s a matter of responsibility.

“Is it about you and how clever you are, or is it about the material you’re writing about? Do you want to destroy what already exists?” she asked the students.

The one-hour lecture ended after a question and answer session in which Wasserman discussed funding, fringe arts, and the role of theatre in today’s day and age.

Past guests at the journalism lecture series have included Alan Allnutt, publisher of The Gazette, Saint-Laurent borough president and Montreal city councillor Alan DeSousa, and documentary filmmaker Barry Lazar.

http://thelink.concordia.ca/special/04/11/02/0132214.shtml

Barry Lazar Presentation ~ Assignment

2004-10-26T06:18:00.000-04:00

250-word article on Barry Lazar presentation

Sikander Ziad Hashmi
Jour 201, Concordia University

War and elections – there’s nothing more editorial cartoonists Aislin and Chapleau could ask for. That just one of the many facts Concordia’s first year journalism students learned last Tuesday.

The guest at the weekly series of Tuesday conferences was Barry Lazar, co-producer of “Nothing Sacred”, a NFB/ONF documentary focused on the Gazette’s Aislin (Terry Mosher) and La Presse’s Chapleau (Serge Chapleau). It explores the role of the artists as journalistic court jesters.

Lazar began by explaining the documentary-making process. He said that each documentary is unique in the approach it ends up taking.

In his 14 years of making documentaries, he has yet to use the same approach twice, said Lazar.

After about 10 revised proposals, the NFB/ONF finally approved the required $100 000 in funding.

Following the introduction, students were treated to a screening of the film, about half of which was in French with English subtitles.

Since the documentary is centered on Aislin and Chapleau, it brought to light many of their human qualities that aren’t apparent through their drawings. Students learned about Mosher’s life crisis, as well as his and Chapleau’s feelings towards the politicians they often ridicule.

Another mystery that was solved was how Mosher got the penname “Aislin”. It turns out that it’s his daughter’s name. She too is featured in the documentary.

One of the most interesting aspects of the documentary is that Lazar managed to interview some of the politicians that the cartoonists often depict. He was able to present their feelings about the depictions.

After the screening, Lazar took questions from students, which brought some interesting facts to light, such as the fact that aides for Stephane Dion (who Chapleau always characterizes as a rat) didn’t respond to Lazar’s repeated efforts to include him in the documentary.

Quebec Municipal Mergers/Demergers ~ Assignment

2004-10-26T06:02:00.000-04:00

250-word write-up on Quebec municipal mergers/demergers

Sikander Ziad Hashmi
Jour 201, Concordia University

In January 2002, 212 Quebec municipalities were forced to merge into 42 new cities by the then-PQ government.

Referred to as ‘forced fusions’ by opponents, the move was opposed by many who thought the level of services they were receiving would diminish as a result of larger municipalities. Proponents predicted savings due to amalgamation of duplicate administrative positions and coordination of services.

The government’s move was unpopular, as was demonstrated by the defeat of the PQ at the hands of Jean Charest and the Liberals in April of 2003. Although he had supported the mergers, Charest had promised to hold ‘demerger’ referendums to give citizens a chance to reclaim their former cities.

After seven months, the government passed Bill 9 and set the rules for demerger. It called for a minimum of 10 percent of eligible voters to sign a register in a (former) municipality to trigger a referendum. 89 former municipalities garnered enough signatures to hold a vote. The referendum was set for June 20, 2004.

In the vote, 32 former municipalities (15 in Montreal) voted to demerge, despite the tough conditions laid out in Bill 9. Instead of a 50 per cent plus 1 formula to decide the winner, the bill stated that for a former municipality to demerge from the megacity, more ‘yes’ votes must be cast and their number must be equal to or greater than 35 per cent of eligible voters.

Although Charest had warned that the municipalities would not go back to their former state, break-up negotiations are now on-going and the demergers will become reality on January 1, 2006.

Students allege police harassment at rally ~ The Link (Concordia)

2004-10-12T09:55:00.001-04:00

Students allege police harassment at rally

Plainclothes officers asked student "what side are you on?"

Sikander Hashmi, The Link

A handful of Concordia students at last Tuesday's freedom of speech rally are accusing Montreal police of harassment, claiming they were singled out on the basis of their faith and appearance. The six students involved are of Muslim, Arab, Indian or Pakistani descent.

As spectators at the rally organized by Concordia Hillel in response to the University administration's decision not to allow former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak to speak on campus, they were approached by police.

"The four of us were standing near the group of demonstrators on the street when we were directed by a policewoman to stand on the sidewalk instead," said computer engineering student Anas Al-Khatib. The students said they complied.

Saad Syed, another engineering student, said they were listening to the speeches and discussing the strengths and weaknesses amongst themselves. They were asked to step aside by a plain-clothes police officer in a very firm tone.

According to student Shujaat Wasty, the police were interested in knowing where their sympathies laid.

"We were shocked. We asked them what the problem was. They asked us which side we were on. We were even more shocked by this," said the 22-year-old. "I asked them why they were asking us this question, and why only us, while there were many others standing around. They said they wanted to keep things peaceful."

Wasty said he told police that their actions were unconstitutional and that it was racial profiling.

"I asked them if it was my skin colour, or my friend's beard that made them approach us like this. I told them I know the Constitution of Canada and I know my rights, and my standing in front of my school is not illegal, nor does it warrant them harassing us, and only us," said the Pointe-Claire resident.

Lissia de Bellefeuille, head of communications and media relations at the Montreal police, refused to comment on the students' allegations.

"Unfortunately, we receive too many requests from the national media and do not respond to any university's publication," she wrote in an email.

Aisha Khan, a first-year political science student, said police had no problem with where she and a friend were standing until a Muslim woman wearing a face-veil came to speak to them.

"That's when the cops realized we were Muslims," she said.

"As we were talking, a policewoman came up to us and said, 'You can't stand here anymore, go there‚' and she pointed to the sidewalk," said Naurin Malick. "The girl with the face-veil moved but my friend and I didn't comply because we knew we were being moved because they realized we weren't Jews." She also said that neither she nor Khan are visibly Muslim.

"About a minute later, the policewoman came back and started shoving me off the street and telling my friend to leave again. I turned around and told her not to touch me," said the third-year economics student.

Khan said she and Malick then did as they were instructed to avoid confrontation. The women then left the rally.

"The cops were completely fine with us as long as they thought we weren't Muslims. They had a problem with us being on the street only after they found out we were Muslims," noted 19-year-old Khan.

"They were completely racist," she said. "We should not have to face racism and harassment by those who are put into place to protect us."

Al-Khatib feels the police action was unwarranted. "We were standing next to at least four uniformed policemen who were all within earshot of us; we were all talking loud enough for them to know we weren't planning anything. And they were close enough to keep an eye on us if they wanted," he said.

Syed found the presence of plainclothes officers at the rally disturbing.

"I have major issues with plainclothes police officers walking amongst a crowd of university students, on campus and pulling them aside and intimidating them. How is this supposed to make me feel? he asked. Am I supposed to feel welcome as a member of a community that places importance on freedom of assembly?"

Although Syed admitted he can't be sure of what drove police to pick him and his friends out of the crowd, he said, "I still have a hard time believing that we weren't picked out because the police perceived us to be different from a crowd of people who are apparently in support of Israel."

Wasty said this was the first time he was subjected to "blatant racism" of "this magnitude". He described it as being "honestly disgusting".

When filmmaker Michka Saäl released her documentary Zero Tolerance last March about the relationship between Montreal police and ethnic minorities, the police department reiterated that racial profiling is against its official policy and would not be tolerated.

Some of the students involved said they will file a formal complaint against the police, as well as demand an apology from the force.

http://thelink.concordia.ca/article.pl?sid=04/10/11/236248

(Web edition is missing quotation marks for some reason. Note: I'm aware of the fact that there's no such thing as 'Muslim descent', as stated in the first paragraph. An editor did that by changing around my original words.)

Goodbye, Expos ~ The Washington Times

2004-10-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

(Note: Was meant to be an op-ed. Got edited quite a bit, but oh well...)

Goodbye, Expos

Letters, The Washington Times

This week, as your article "Expos bid adieu with loss" (Sports, Monday) noted, we in Montreal watched our Expos play their last game as a Montreal team. The losing score was 8-1 against the Mets at Shea Stadium.
The feelings are mixed. Like a bad mother whose children are taken away and sent to a foster home, there is guilt, jealousy and hope. I must confess that in my 22 years of life in this city, I have headed to the "Big O," as we call the stadium around here, only once to watch an Expos game — and that was thanks to the free tickets my dad got at work.
The game I attended was earlier this year against the Phillies. We arrived after the game started and left before it ended. My friend fell asleep during the game, and I paid more attention to wackiness in the crowd of 3,000 than the game itself. I marveled at the tens of thousands of empty seats.
I've always had a soft corner in my heart for the Expos, yet it never translated into anything concrete. Sure, I wish them the best. Sometimes I'd tune into games on the radio, but I never bothered spending any money on the Expos — not on games or memorabilia. I never donned an Expos shirt or cap.
I must also admit that I'm jealous. My Expos — if I can call them that — are being taken away by Washington. Even though I never really did anything for them, they were still the Montreal Expos and I am a Montrealer. Nobody likes seeing their possessions, no matter how neglected, taken away.
Yet at the same time, I'm hopeful. I admit that we didn't give the Expos the care and attention they deserved, and in some ways, I'm happy that Washington is willing to take them in. I hope Washington treats my Expos well.
The Expos can't be accused of being indifferent to the low attendance. The marketing department did all it could under the circumstances to draw in more fans, but we didn't respond. Nobody wanted to spend a beautiful summer evening watching a mediocre team in a concrete dump under a huge orange or blue canopy.
We love to cry over the 1994 semiseason. The Expos were the team that could but were held back by the strike. It was our one chance that wasn't meant to be. The one that spelled doom for our team.
I'd like to hand over my Expos with some sincere advice: Please give our Expos a nice home. Had we been able to take the team out of its slum and give it a new home downtown, I might not be writing this today. Be careful who becomes custodian of the team. We've had some really terrible experiences with owners. The one that makes our blood boil is Jeffrey Loria, the man who paraded into town as the savior, yet ran away with all he and his staff could get away with (literally).
Please show all the support you can. Apart from the few tears we shed as the pop fly was caught to end the Expos' last game in Montreal, we have neglected the team for a very long time. It's about time it got some love and compassion from someone. There isn't much we can do now. Some of us still think "anything is possible" and are hoping that this is another false alarm like the ones in previous years. Yet, for most of us, reality is sinking in. It was inevitable. Years of mismanagement and neglect, together with bad luck and a horrible venue, don't make for a pleasant mix.
Much of the city is still trying to imagine a spring with no opening day at Olympic Stadium. A huge crowd (by our standards) of 30,000 to 40,000 would make its way to the stadium, only to have a meager 8,000 or so at the next game. Similarly, a large number of us would show up for the last homestand of the season, just in case it was to be the last season. Our relationship with the Expos was focused on the first date and the last date. Unfortunately, that kind of relationship doesn't last for too long. As for that used Expos vs. Phillies ticket still sitting on my desk, maybe I'll give it a shot on eBay 40 years from now.

http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20041009-103358-4092r.htm

Stingers fans come, go home happy ~ The Link (Concordia)

2004-10-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

Stingers fans come, go home happy

Oh yeah, they're very excited

Sikander Hashmi, The Link

Gray skies and a wet weather forecast didn't discourage fans from attending Saturday's Homecoming football game between the Concordia Stingers and McGill Redmen.

The diverse crowd of 3,719 fought off brisk winds and a steady downpour in the later part of the game to witness the cross-town rivals battle it out for the 36th Shaughnessy Cup at Loyola field.

Among the crowd was Rupert Richards, uncle of Stingers' safety Darnell Danglade. Prior to the game, the excited uncle was expecting his nephew's team to take the game.

"Hopefully, Concordia will take McGill because it's a big rivalry, like always. It's going to be very exciting," said the Laval resident.

The potential storm wasn't going to deter Richards, an eight-year football coach, from cheering on his nephew. He assessed the weather to be great for football.

"This is football; I've played football, coached football in Laval, and this is great, great weather," Richards explained.

Although this was the first time he was attending a football game at Loyola field, Richards thought that the field and the atmosphere were just right.

"I love this field. It seems to have great turf. It's outdoors and not indoors, so it's exciting," he said.

Brian Hughes, a class of '69 Concordia graduate and resident of Port Perry, Ontario, also attended the game. He calls himself a "big Stingers fan" and makes the trip to Montreal every year for the Homecoming Game.

He too liked what he saw of Loyola field: "I've been here twice now since the stadium was renovated. I think the atmosphere is wonderful. The field is beautiful." There was new field-turf installed prior to the start of last year's football season at the stadium.

University and Canadian football aficionado Ian Stevenson wasn't taking sides, but the downtown Montreal resident pegged the Stingers as the better team and was expecting a Concordia win.

He said the renovated field is an improvement: "The atmosphere is much better now. The field itself just brings more people out to the game. It's a great atmosphere here, as it is at McGill." Stevenson often attends games at McGill's stadium as well as at Concordia.

Nine year-old Christian Wright was also rooting for the Stingers. He was asked how he would feel if McGill was to romp over Concordia: "Really, really bad," he replied, as a bee buzzed around his hot dog.

The raindrops weren't going to deter Christian from the game either. He was prepared to tough it out with the aid of a rain jacket.

Stinger fans Connorde Jesus and Adam Freilich, both 11, were attending their first-ever football game. Connorde's mom had just found out about the game and they decided to attend.

When asked if he was excited about the game, Connorde replied: "Oh yeah, I'm very excited!"

Fortunately for excited Stinger fans such as Connorde and Adam, it was worth it to endure the late rain. Richard's expectations and Stevenson's predictions came true as the Stingers went on to buzz by the Redmen, 29-26 in overtime.

http://thelink.concordia.ca/sports/04/10/05/1411256.shtml

Lynne Robson ~ Assignment

2004-10-04T02:35:00.004-04:00

400-word backgrounder on Lynne Robson

Sikander Ziad Hashmi
Jour 200, Concordia University

As Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC has National News reporters in major centres across the country. One of those reporters is Montreal-based veteran journalist Lynne Robson, who has been with the CBC for 16 years.

The 48 year-old Winnipeg native graduated with a degree in Communications, and worked there for a private radio station as well as an advertising firm.

Ms. Robson began her foray into Eastern Canada by moving to Ottawa, where the Prime Minister’s Office hired her as a Press Attaché.

She moved to Montreal in 1985. For 3 years, she served as Vice-President, Communications, at the upscale Ogilvy's department store.

It was in 1989 that Ms. Robson began her career at the CBC. At first, she was a local reporter, but was later promoted to National News. She has been there since.

In 2002, Ms. Robson was chosen as the CBC Radio-Canada Fellow at Massey College.

As a recipient of the fellowship, Ms. Robson went on sabbatical and immersed herself in the study of world politics, history, modern espionage, fiction and poetry. She also joined the choir and took squash and yoga lessons.

It was quite a change for a seasoned journalist such as Ms. Robson.

“I left my house, my job, my friends, my car, my cell phone, a busy lifestyle and I now live on campus in a small apartment and I’m a nobody studying things that I’m not particularly smart in,” she is quoted as saying in the September 23, 2002 issue of the University of Toronto’s The Bulletin.

Until recently, Ms. Robson was a general assignment reporter. She filed her last report in that capacity in late June and now works on documentaries.

Although Ms. Robson is affiliated with the National, she can be asked to work for any number of programs. This was not so prior to 2003, but since the integration of TV, radio and new media news at the CBC, a reporter working for the public broadcaster can be asked to work for any program. As such, Ms. Robson finds herself reporting and working for a variety of CBC programs such as Canada Now, Absolutely Canadian, and the National, and even for the CBC’s cable-news channel, Newsworld.

Ms. Robson has covered a number of major news stories at the CBC, including the 1995 Quebec referendum and the deaths of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and hockey legend Maurice “Rocket” Richard.

Bryna Wasserman ~ Assignment

2004-10-01T03:17:00.000-04:00

250-word write-up on Bryna Wasserman

Sikander Ziad Hashmi
Jour 201, Concordia University

Bryna Wasserman is the artistic director of the Saidye Bronfman Centre Theatre and the Yiddish Theatre, both located in Montreal. Born in Vienna in 1948, she immigrated to Canada at the age of two with her mother Dora Wasserman (known as the “Grande Dame of Montréal Theatre”), her father Sam, and elder sister Ella.

Wasserman grew up watching her mother foster Canada’s only Yiddish theatre. She left Canada for New York in the late 1960s, where she studied theatre at New York University’s Tisch School of Fine Arts. There she earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Her talent took her to a number of theatres including the Vivian Beaumont at Lincoln Centre, Mercer Street, Vancouver Opera House, and American Place.

While in New York City, she directed The Karl Marx Play, The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria and The House of Bernarda Alba among others.

In 1996, she began directing the Yiddish Theatre in Montreal. At around the same time, her mother suffered a stroke and Wasserman assumed her mother’s responsibilities at the theatre.

Bryna Wasserman was offered the post of artistic director of the English theatre in 1998, which she accepted. She holds the position to this day.

Since becoming artistic director, Wasserman has received a number of distinctive honours such as the Masque, MECCA, and Montreal English Critics Circle Awards. She was awarded the former two for her English theatre productions and the latter for the Yiddish Theatre's production of The Great Houdini and the Threepenny Opera.

(Source: The Gazette Montreal, Que.: March 6, 2004. p. H2; Encyclopedia of Canadian Theatre: www.canadiantheatre.com; Saidye Bronfman Centre for the Arts: www.saidyebronfman.org)

‘Hi-tech’ Halal poultry plant a first for UK ~ eat-halal.com

2004-09-30T05:24:00.000-04:00

‘Hi-tech’ Halal poultry plant a first for UK

£6 million plant set to open after Ramadhan

Sikander Z. Hashmi, eat-halal.com

As it stands now, most of the Halal chickens that land in plates across the UK aren’t processed in state-of-the-art Muslim-owned plants devoted to Halal slaughter.

That will soon change when Gafoor Poultry Products Ltd. of Preston, Lancashire, unveils its new £6 million ($14 million CAD) Halal poultry processing plant.

The gleaming new plant, built on 3 acres of land, will begin pumping out Halal chickens and poultry products after Ramadhan.

Tahir Vaza, the young business manager of the family-owned business, cites market demand as the thrust behind this giant leap for the twenty-five year-old company.

‘The need for expansion was to service the demand in the marketplace and my intention is to have a state-of-the-art killing and added-value further processing plant specifically catered for the Halal Muslim marketplace,’ he explains.

Vaza pegs Halal poultry consumption in the UK at just below 5 million chickens per week. According to him, Gafoor Poultry Products has a current output of close to 100 000 chickens per week, while his competitors (who he refers to as his ‘colleagues’) produce another 250 000 chickens weekly between three plants.

Another reason for the expansion is the new set of European Union regulations that processing plants must soon conform to. These new regulations have been introduced to safeguard consumers following outbreaks of diseases such as avian influenza and BSE. All processing plants in EU member countries must conform to the new standards.

‘The existing facility we have will not meet the new EU directives which are now coming in force,’ says Vaza.

Apart from conforming to European Union directives, the new plant will also meet the strict Halal guidelines of the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC) of Leicester. In fact, Vaza says that the company has even considered the organization’s input in the designing of the plant.

‘We are liaising with them on a regular basis and therefore applying their input to our designs and ensuring that we can comply 101% with Islamic Shariah Law.’

Vaza is confident that his company can follow through on HMC’s strict Halal guidelines, even with such a large-scale operation.

‘Insha-Allah, we will be able to do the complete operation with the best practice, specifically, we do not intend to stun in our new poultry processing facility,’ states Vaza. HMC does not allow the stunning of animals.

It’s evident that the company, and specifically Vaza, have put tremendous effort into the project and feel very passionately about it.

‘It will be a one of its kind hi-tech poultry processing plant that not very many factories will be able to match in Europe,’ he declares. In fact, Vaza feels it’s safe to call his new plant a ‘one of its kind’ in the Western World.

He’s probably right. There aren’t many state-of-the-art plants devoted solely to full-time production of Halal poultry in North America and Europe.

However, with countries that enjoy the luxury of lower production costs than the UK joining the European Union and subsequently sending their cheap poultry to the country, can such a plant survive in the long run?

Tahir Vaza thinks so.

‘There will always be a demand for Halal produce, specifically one in the communities where people can come and observe that the products are guaranteed Halal,’ predicts Vaza.

‘Secondly there is sufficient room for lots of plants, and hopefully our intention is that if this plant is successful, then we can maybe start a few more of those in the rest of the country similar to what we have here.’

Ensuring that everything at the new plant is done ‘just right’ seems to be a priority for Gafoor Poultry Products, and it’s something Tahir Vaza clearly prides himself in.

‘Everything has been designed to meet the requirement of the end consumer and our mission is basically source guaranteed Halal; that’s from farm to plate, which includes animal additives…processed in a very, very stringent manner where there are no doubts whatsoever with regards to the purity of the product. Our integrity is that basically we want to achieve the best practice for all our people in the Muslim world.’

As Ramadhan quickly approaches, it’ll only be a matter of weeks before the ribbon is cut at the new plant and the inaugural Halal chicken makes its way out of the facility en route to its destination – a plate in the UK, via a Halal meat store.

Back to School (feature) ~ The Montreal Minaret

2004-09-01T22:15:00.000-04:00

Back to School

Sikander Ziad Hashmi
The Montreal Minaret

I just couldn’t fall asleep after Fajr. Bursting with a mix of excitement and fear, I’d hop out of bed every 10 minutes or so, to see if the sun had risen yet, while
making sure that my parents didn’t spot me. The anxiety and suspense were almost unbearable. Finally, my mom fetched me from my room and dressed me. I ate breakfast and I soon found myself climbing up the steps of an enormous yellow school bus.

It was Monday August 31st, 1987 and this five yearold Muslim kid was off to his very first day at school, armed with a thinly populated English vocabulary of exactly five words: I missed the bus (a phrase that my mom hammered into me, lest I ever missed the bus) and washroom.

Seventeen years and eight days later, the feeling will be the same as I hop onto a train and head to university for the very first time, albeit with a somewhat improved
vocabulary. Similar scenes will be repeated across Montréal and the rest of the country, as students, new and old, head back to school for a new academic year.

In most cases, butterflies are definitely in the stomach. Whether one is making the jump from high school to CÉGEP, or from CÉGEP to university, or even if one is a returning student, there is usually a little anxiety.

After all, as each year passes, one enters into uncharted territory -unless of course one is repeating the grade!

However, for Muslim students, and especially the students heading to a new place for the first time, isn’t there just a little extra anxiety? After all, perhaps we have more to worry about than our non-Muslim counterparts.

There are salah (prayer) timings to fit into class schedules, iftar (breaking of
the fast) issues during the holy month of Ramadan, possible reactions to hijabs (headscarves), and beards (who knows who might take them as a symbol of Islamic extremism?), potentially biased teachers/professors, and being caught with the foot in the sink while making wudu (ablution).

Sixteen year-old Samrah Sher will be heading to CÉGEP this Fall, for the first time. She sees it as a big step forward and likens the transition from high school to
CÉGEP with adulthood.

“During CÉGEP, I’ll probably end up getting my driver’s permit, learn how to use city buses, get my driver’s license, go to summer school, go to school for registration, make my own schedule and this is when education counts the most,” she remarked. “All this responsibility adds up to my becoming an adult.” For Samrah, it all boils down to responsibility.

“When I become this Muslim adult, I’m more aware that people can choose to look up to me, so I have to be extra cautious of my actions, be more aware of what I do, and most importantly, I feel more responsible than ever for my intentions and my actions.”

Samrah concedes that while she is “always up for a good challenge”, she does “feel a little tinge” in her stomach. For her, it’s almost the same feeling she had going into Grade seven, though that feeling was more nerve-wracking.

“That was when I first decided to start wearing the hijab,” she recalled. “So, to help me out, I equipped myself with short but practical answers for the bombarding
questions I was expecting, and as predicted, I got. (‘Have you heard of a religion called Islam? That’s what I follow. You see, I don’t only cover my hair, but my body, too. Well, we’re really keen on modesty.’).”

Come September, the Brossard resident will be heading to Champlain College. The
well-established Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Champlain offers Samrah a sense of security and comfort, and she’s anxious to get involved.

“[Champlain College] already has a successful and established MSA, including a room that is solely dedicated as the MSA Musallah (prayer room). This MSA organizes bake sales, hosts Islamic events, and has Dawah (awareness) Booths, so they could openly increase awareness of Islam, and decrease ignorance.

"Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), I can’t wait to be a part of this MSA and this new college community, which is my home, Insha-Allah (God willing), for the next two years.”

Rooha Sabah Janjua will be entering Grade Eight this September, and the École Secondaire Dorval-Jean XXIII student is excited about heading back to school. She looks forward to seeing her friends again and meeting her new teachers.

But things weren’t so exciting last year in Grade Seven. That was when Rooha, like Samrah, started wearing the hijab, which left her extremely nervous.

“I wasn’t sure if anyone would mind about the way I dress, since we hijabis don’t dress like the other girls we see around,” recalls the Pierrefonds resident. “But after a while, I got the hang of it and some of the girls liked the way I dressed since I always matched (my clothes) with my hijab, so they thought it was cool.”

Rooha was shocked though by the reaction of some of her old friends. “One of the girls wasn’t my friend anymore because of me wearing the hijab. She said that it looked like I wear the scarf because I didn’t have hair. I found that really mean and couldn’t take it anymore.”

One positive thing came out of the whole ordeal was that her beginning to wear the hijab acted as a filter, and she learned a lesson about choosing friends wisely.

“The best part is that when you wear it, you find out who just used you and who are your real friends. I like that because I am annoyed of having bad friends, so now I choose wisely.”

As a Muslim high school student, Rooha says she doesn’t face many problems, although
she is annoyed by the way some people dress. However, finding a place to pray remains an issue for the time being.

“Insha-Allah, when school starts, I’ll figure out a way,” says the optimistic 13 year-old.

Bilal Ruzzeh came to Montréal as an international student. Finding himself in a new city and a new university environment, he had a few concerns. How was he supposed to find a good group of Muslims to hang out with? What about discrimination? And like Rooha, finding a place to pray on campus was also an issue. After all, he was new to the city, he didn’t know much about the Muslim community and wasn’t aware of prayer
places on campus.

The McGill student vividly recalls his early days in Montréal.

“I went into a store owned by a Muslim -I knew that from the halal written in Arabic on the window- and I got the prayer times calendar,” he explains. “I didn’t know about a prayer place in the university, and actually I blame myself that I didn’t even bother to reach out to the Student Society to search for Muslims. I just used to run back home for prayer and go back to classes for around eight months, until I asked a Muslim about the prayer room. Then I met the MSA President in one of my courses. He told me about the prayer room, and I was introduced to Muslim brothers, Alhamdulillah. For the first eight months, my policy was actually ‘preserve’ rather than ‘enhance’, in terms of Islamic knowledge and practices. Reading Quran at night before sleep was the only thing I did.”

Bilal still faces a number of challenges as a Muslim university student. But preserving his identity as a Muslim tops the list of challenges for this 25 year-old Mechanical Engineering student.

“To preserve my identity as a Muslim by practicing the basic acts of worship and sticking to my Islamic views, principles of life and behaviour is the first challenge,” he says. Bilal cites a number of examples of challenges, such as salah and class timing conflicts, fasting, and parties where alcohol is served.

“The prayer times do not necessarily fit into my schedule and then I must be ready to leave class if I am to catch the prayer on time,” he explains. “I have to fast (in Ramadan) even if I have exams or finals. I have to be determinant in quitting gatherings where there is drinking and/or useless talks, and be polite in rejecting
invitations by professors, classmates or the department to such parties.”

As with Samrah, a well-established MSA hasn’t left much to worry about from a religious point of view. MSA McGill has made life much easier for Bilal and he feels comfortable in the university environment. He has learned to deal with most of his concerns and has adjusted well to university life, thanks in part to the way he looks at things.

“If I have clear idea of how to deal with people and situations, a clear view of principles to follow and a list of priorities, it will not be a problem to adapt things to my personal preferences,” he says. “It is natural to face some difficulties, because of the system, but I believe they are always solvable. It takes work, patience, management, and before all, trust in Allah, for nothing
happens without Allah’s Will.”

Bilal and Rooha both offer words of wisdom for new Muslim students.

First and foremost, Bilal advises all Muslim students (including himself) should put their trust in Allah and to not be ashamed of being a Muslim and practicing Islam.

“Be confident and proud of your Islam, and be firm and clear in asking what you want,” he stressed. “Don’t hesitate to say ‘I do this because I am a Muslim’, yet be polite too.” He also encourages new students to get involved with the MSA.

Meanwhile, Rooha has important advice for first time Muslim high school students. “Don’t worry, it’s just like elementary but bigger - a lot more classes and lots and lots of different people. Just make sure you study hard and concentrate on your work, and don’t mind the other students. Make friends wisely and don’t get influenced into bad things and ideas.”

As the days pass by and the time ticks closer to zero hour, the excitement and fear continue to grow. The climax will keep building, and then in a fraction of the amount of time it took to come, the moment will be gone. We will slowly settle into our daily routines and life will go on.

From pre-school, to elementary, to high school, to CÉGEP, and then to university and beyond, it is a long journey and it’s really easy to get carried away. As we slowly crawl ahead each day, let’s not forget to take a moment to say Alhamdulillah, for it is only Allah who taught us how to crawl, then walk, and then run, and to Him one day we must return. 

Sikander Hashmi is a Journalism student at Concordia University and is the editor of eat-halal.com

Islam teaches justice vs. injustice ~ United Views Toronto

2004-07-05T20:54:00.000-04:00

Islam teaches justice vs. injustice

Sikander Z. Hashmi
Contributor, United Views

The dehumanizing abuses at Abu Ghraib, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Israeli occupation of and aggressions in the Palestinian territories, the loss of basic human and civil rights, foreign troops in the Holy Lands, unwanted foreign involvement in internal affairs, and the list goes on and on.

There’s no question that there’s more than enough to make Muslims really angry and seriously hurt. Naturally, people tend to react to anger in different ways.

Some are so furious that they want to wipe out entire nations off the face of the earth, while others want to exterminate their leaders. Others are content with whomsoever they can lay their raw hands on, while others just resort to feisty and fiery verbal bursts. Many resort to silent hope and prayer.

All these are very basic, human reactions, and any human, be it a Muslim or non-Muslim, can understandably react in such ways when in a super ticked off mood, as many Muslims find themselves these days.

However, as Muslims, it’s our duty to ensure that our actions are in-line with the teachings of Islam – not only in good times, but even when we find ourselves as victims and underdogs.

While many of the injustices that fuel the anger and outrage are undoubtedly appalling and abhorrent, we must not forget our sense of fairness and justice in our actions and responses.

Allah, the Most High, has said:

"O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." [Quran, 4:35]

Allah tells us to stand out for justice, even if it is against ourselves, our families, or against the rich or poor. Hence, we are expected to be just (and fair) all the time.

As the victim, we can naturally find ourselves hating the oppressor or the victimizer. But even that shouldn’t stop us from being just. Allah says:

"O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do." [Quran, 5:8]

Thus, we must be fair and just all the time, even in dealings with the enemy and the oppressor, which is no easy task by any means. In fact, we must fight for justice, but without perpetrating injustices of our own.

Justice does mean making one pay for his/her actions, and Islam does agree with the concept of "an eye for an eye." Yet, we must be careful not to take that to mean “an innocent eye for an innocent eye”, because if we do, there will be nothing to differentiate us (the victims) from the perpetrators. We must take into account the true meaning; the eye of the perpetrator for the eye of the victim.

As victims, the worst thing we can do is fight back with injustices of our own. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Beware of injustice. Injustice will be darkness on the Day of Rising. Beware of avarice. Avarice destroyed those before you and prompted them to shed each other's blood and make lawful what was unlawful." [Reported by Muslim]

Things are gloomy enough for us these days. Let’s make sure we don’t end up making the Day of Resurrection dark for ourselves as well.

Hey dudes, the parties are after our vote ~ The Montreal Gazette

2004-06-03T18:20:00.000-04:00

Hey dudes, the parties are after our vote

Targetting youth. Quebecer considers his options in going to polls for the first time

Sikander Hashmi
Freelance, The Montreal Gazette

June 3, 2004

Dude, we're in demand, aren't we? The Gazette and canada.com have special features on the "youth vote," while Elections Canada and the CBC have a contest called Student Vote 2004.

We're so important that the Elections Canada Web site even has a special section for us titled Young Voters. The Liberals, Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois all have special sections for us on their Web sites as well. The Bloc is even planning to visit bars and clubs in an attempt to reach out to us.

Important adults across the country are wondering how to make voting hip and cool, with the ultimate goal of getting us out to our local polling stations on election day.

Statistics fuel their worries. "According to Elections Canada, only about 22 per cent of voters aged 18-24 came out to vote in the last federal election. The number is part of a downward trend in youth voting: In the 1993 federal election, 38 per cent voted; in 1997, the number was about 27 per cent," says the CBC Web site (cbc.ca)

OK, so maybe we should care. After all, voting and elections are the very basic elements of a democracy, and since we are lucky enough to live in a wonderful democracy such as Canada (as opposed to a kingdom or dictatorship), we should be thankful. What better way to express our thanks than to drive down to the polling station on June 28 and mark an X beside a name?

So I look at my options. I've been brought up as a Liberal, but I'd like to vote for a cool party with a cool leader. Paul Martin is far from cool. He's always serious, has a weird picture on his election posters, and on top of that, there's that sponsorship scandal. As if that wasn't enough, I fired off an e-mail about high gas prices to my Liberal MP a few weeks ago, but he didn't even bother to reply.

I don't see much reason to vote for them anyway. They keep scaring me about Stephen Harper and I don't remember the Liberals offering anything good except for Martin's $9-billion health-care announcement. Why are they being so defensive anyway? I don't care about Stephen Harper. I want to know what the Liberals have to offer. It doesn't seem as if they have much, since they keep talking about Harper. Thus, the Liberals are off my list.

That Bloc candidate keeps peeking at me whenever I go around town, though I still didn't figure out how to pronounce her name. I love those colourful election posters though, especially the ones featuring Gilles Duceppe. The Bloc posters might be cool, but do I really want to send a Bloc MP to Ottawa? I'm not a separatist, and I'm not sure if I should vote for a separatist party. Hmm, well, at least if a Bloc MP wins, it will mean one less Liberal. Yeah, so maybe the Bloc.

Stephen Harper doesn't seem as scary as the Liberals want me to believe he is. He is sort of cool, but whenever I think of him, I think of tax cuts, privatized health care, Canadian troops in Iraq and being best buddies with Dubya. While the first two might not be all that bad, the last two freak me out. He seems like a good guy, though, and perhaps if he hadn't been associated with some of those scary Canadian Alliance dudes, I might have considered voting for the Conservatives.

The NDP and Jack Layton have always been of interest to me. While I'm not a big fan of all the orange and Jack's moustache, they seem to have something going. Their platform caught my interest, but for some reason, I keep getting the gut feeling that the NDP's ideas are only good on paper. NDP screw-ups in B.C. and Ontario also keep haunting me. They might not be good in governing, but if the Liberals get a minority government, perhaps they can form a government with the NDP.

But I don't even know who the NDP candidate is in my riding, plus I'm sure he/she doesn't have a chance in the world of winning. I can either vote for the NDP and let my vote go to waste, or vote for the Bloc, and help defeat the Liberal incumbent, thus helping the Liberals in getting a minority.

You know, this is sort of fun.

While exploring the Elections Canada Web site, I found about the Green Party. I checked out their Web site, and I found their ideas to be really cool. Maybe I should vote for them. But we don't have proportional representation, and if I'm going to vote for the Greens, I might as well not vote, because my vote won't make any difference.

Does my vote really do count? I'm beginning to wonder about that now. As long as I don't vote for one of the parties that really has a shot at winning, there's not much point in voting, is there?

I've never voted before, so maybe I'll just do it for the fun of it. It probably would have been more fun though if the Rhinoceros Party were still around.

Sikander Hashmi, 21, lives in Vaudreuil-Dorion and is editor of the Web site www.eat-halal.com.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2004

Maple Lodge Farms' "Zabiha Halal" products hit stores with new look ~ eat-halal.com

2003-07-16T23:53:00.000-04:00

Maple Lodge Farms' "Zabiha Halal" products hit stores with new look

Chickens still killed by machine; Imam refers to practice as "against Sunnah"

Sikander Hashmi, eat-halal.com

(July 16, 2003) It took over a year of research and careful planning, but the new revamped line of "Halal" products from Canada’s largest chicken producer has arrived on the market.

Norval, Ontario-based Maple Lodge Farms launched its new "Zabiha Halal" line of products on June 20. The line includes many products such as wieners, bologna, loaf, polish sausages, nuggets, strips, burgers, and a variety of different fresh chicken parts and Premium ground chicken. The products come in distinctive green packaging with "Zabiha Halal" inscribed on the front along with a Maple Lodge Farms logo. The products are currently available in Ontario, and should show up in the rest of the country soon. They are also being exported to countries such as the UAE, Singapore, and Malaysia. Maple Lodge Farms' products are also sold in over 30 other countries from Armenia to Uzbekistan.

Fred Marques, the marketing manager at Maple Lodge Farms, says the new line of products is the result of research within the Muslim community and current competition.

"Competition started to become strong, and we started to notice it. And once you start to notice the competition, it forces you to review, and that's all we did. As a marketing manager I reviewed sales, offerings, packaging and our approach." This review led the company to research the Halal market and find out what consumers really wanted.

"This is all because of research; consumers saying I want stuff that I would go to a restaurant and buy," said Mr. Marques. He says that the company started the research at the end of 2001, and when the results came in, it was evident that among other things, Muslim consumers wanted a wider range of products to choose from, that were easier to find.

Mr. Marques admitted that another factor in the review was the controversy surrounding Maple Lodge’s products.

"[There were] lots of rumours going out there that we had tape recordings, that we didn't use Muslims, that our process was wrong, [and that] it wasn't true. I heard everything under the sun."

Controversy brews over slaughter method

All chickens at Maple Lodge Farms are slaughtered by machine. According to Mr. Marques, two Muslims stand at each of the two production lines. One pronounces a blessing with the name of Allah (tasmiyah) during the slaughter process, while the other makes sure that the machine has missed no chickens. A fifth "spare" stands-by to cover breaks, lunches, and prayer. Muslims have total control of the line, and also recite the name of Allah at the start of the line every time. Each line slaughters 140 chickens per minute or 8400 chickens per hour, which according to Mr. Marques, is the industry average. At any given time, the "blessers" bless for 2 hours straight, although they may leave for prayer.

Machine-slaughter has become a contentious issue in some circles, as many Muslims don't consider machine-slaughter to be an acceptable method of slaughter, and instead demand that chickens be slaughtered by Muslims holding individual knives. This method is often referred to as "hand-slaughter".

ISNA Canada is the organization that certifies Maple Lodge’s "Zabiha Halal" products as Halal. In a statement posted on the organization’s web site, ISNA Canada’s Director General, Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, states that, "Islamically there is no difference between hand or machine slaughtered chicken." He also claims that, "there is an ignorance on the part of many Muslims and even some scholars (Ulema) that machine slaughtered poultry is not Halal."

Many Muslim religious scholars reject these types of claims, and insist that chickens must be hand-slaughtered.

Internationally renowned scholar, jurist, former member of the Shariah appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, and Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC) Jeddah, Mufti Taqi Usmani, witnessed the slaughter at Maple Lodge Farms during his visit to Canada in 1994.

In his book Contemporary Fatawaa, Mufti Taqi Usmani mentions his visit to Maple Lodge Farms, and suggests that, "three Muslims be employed to cut the throats of the chickens manually." He goes on to say that, "this procedure has been practised in a number of countries where the objective of mass production was never harmed or adversely affected."

Many proponents of machine-slaughter argue that it is virtually impossible to hand-slaughter chickens in today’s high-speed processing plants. However, opponents say that this argument doesn't stand because there are processing plants in Canada that have adopted hand-slaughter as the method of choice for Halal production, and as noted by Mufti Taqi Usmani, the method is also practised at facilities in numerous countries.

Others say that regardless of whether machine-slaughter is allowed or not, hand-slaughter should be the method of choice because it is universally accepted by all Muslims, and as mentioned earlier, is already in practice at a number of plants in Canada and around the globe.

Attempted survey of Canadian Imams inconclusive

In an attempt to grasp the general feeling of Imams on the issue of machine-slaughter, eat-halal.com tried to contact the Imams of 23 randomly selected Mosques from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia. Only 2 Imams were reached, while messages were left at 14 Mosques, but none of the calls were returned. The calls to the other Mosques were met with no pickup (3), full voice mailboxes (2), no option for leaving a message (1), and in one case, a wrong number. (Click here to see the list of Mosques contacted)

eat-halal.com also contacted the Islamic Council of Imams-Canada, but the Council declined to comment on the issue.

Imam refers to practice as "against Sunnah"

One of the Imams eat-halal.com was able to reach was Sheikh Syed Fida Bukhari. He’s a graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia and is the Imam of the Islamic Centre of Quebec in Montreal, one of the oldest Mosques in North America. Sheikh Bukhari says that slaughtering by machine is just not enough to satisfy the demands of the Islamic method of slaughter.

"First of all, this method is against the Sunnah and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon Him)," said Sheikh Bukhari from his office in Montreal. "This is against the Sunnah, so at the very least it is doubtful, and the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) has stopped us from eating [that which is] doubtful."

When told about the "blessers" blessing the chickens before they are slaughtered by machines, Sheikh Bukhari presented the following hypothetical scenario: Right before a chicken is slaughtered by a machine, a Muslim "blesser" pronounces the Islamic blessing (i.e. "In the Name of Allah, Allah is Great"). At the very same moment, another person near-by says a blessing for something other than Allah. Which blessing will be given preference?

Sheikh Bukhari says that there is no satisfactory answer for this scenario in the light of Islamic Law, simply because there was no human intent from either individual in the actual act of slaughter, which according to Sheikh Bukhari, is a prerequisite for rendering the meat of an animal Halal.

The only other Imam eat-halal.com was able to reach was Sheikh Younus Kathrada of Vancouver’s Dar Al-Madinah Islamic Society. He says that the method of slaughter at Maple Lodge Farms is something that needs to be witnessed, but from what he’s hearing, it doesn't sound to him "at all as though this is something which is acceptable."

"This sounds completely unreasonable and doesn’t appear to me that this is a possibility that each and every chicken...somebody has recited tasmiyah over it," said a sceptical Sheikh Kathrada, when told about the speed at which the chickens are blessed, and then subsequently slaughtered by machines. (Two "blessers" bless 140 chickens each, every minute, which amounts to one blessing every 0.43 seconds for each person). "Each and every chicken has to have the tasmiyah recited over it, and the slaughterer has to have control of that."

Company considered hand-slaughter

Maple Lodge Farms is aware of the fact that a segment of the Muslim population is not in favour of machine-slaughter. As such, the company doesn’t expect to target 100% of the market. According to the company’s research, 30% of Muslims are against machine-slaughter, but Mr. Marques admits that this number varies, depending on who you talk to.

He says that during the review process, he discussed the possibility of switching the plant to hand-slaughter with the CEO of the company. In the end though, it came down to cost and practicality.

"As far as l know, there is no company doing a 100% hand-slaughter of production due to the cost; another issue that arises is the percentage of birds that are decapitated during a hand-slaughter process. I personally have visited two hand-slaughter plants and have witnessed approximately 10-20% of the birds being decapitated and not removed from the line. That creates doubt in my mind about hand-slaughter, and it should also to the end consumer. In a machine-slaughter environment, we guarantee no decapitation and proper bleeding.

"We gave it a fair-shake, we looked at it, and we felt that the product would hit the retail shelves [at a price] too high due to the cost of production and that Muslims would not pay the price. We chose not to, but what we did do was, we insured that we did everything in our power to conform to the standards required by ISNA, and plus them. We’ve covered it over and above what we’re expected to do to ensure that our process is 100%."

Lobbying against products not a concern for Maple Lodge

Shortly after the launch of Maple Lodge’s "Zabiha Halal" product line, Toronto’s Maulana Asif Qasmi reportedly appeared on a community radio show and warned listeners against consuming Maple Lodge’s "Halal" products. Other Imams and scholars are also expected to bring the issue to the forefront.

Mr. Marques says this type of lobbying is not of concern to the company, and he’s confident that his company is doing the right thing.

"Nobody has convinced me that this so-called hand-slaughter is more proper than a machine-slaughter. As a company, obviously, we wouldn't be doing it if we thought that we were cheating the consumer."

Whether it’s a concern for Maple Lodge or not, there seems to be no end in sight for the machine-slaughter controversy, and neither side seems to be willing to call it quits just yet.

Halal exporters hit hard by Mad Cow Disease ~ eat-halal.com

2003-05-26T01:42:00.000-04:00

Halal exporters hit hard by Mad Cow Disease

But business as usual at local Halal meat shops

Sikander Hashmi, eat-halal.com

(Sunday, May 25, 2003) Last week, Canada reported its first case of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) or Mad Cow Disease in over a decade. This has brought on a barrage of import bans on Canadian beef from an ever-growing list of countries, including the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, and South Korea.

The Canadian beef industry has been hit hard by the import bans. Exports make the bulk of Canadian beef sales, and production at Canada’s beef processing plants - including Halal beef operations – has dropped substantially. Although the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has not stopped production at any beef processing plant, many beef operations have come to a standstill and have laid off their employees, simply because there is nowhere to send their products due to the import bans.

Abdulazizi Quraishi, the owner and president of Edmonton-based Al-Noor Halal Food Products, a supplier of livestock and finished meat products, describes the situation as “devastation”.

“Basically, the business has come to a standstill. We export livestock and box-ready beef, and goat and lamb as well, and everything has come to a standstill. It’s not just affecting me personally with the business, (but) as well as my suppliers and farmers who supply me with livestock,” said Mr. Quraishi, whose company sells 95% of its products in the United States. 35% to 45% of Al-Noor’s products are beef products.

The products that were destined for the United States are now sitting in storage.

“We’re trying to have them utilized in the local market as much as we can, but the local market is a glut, so eventually it’s going to end up in the freezers, and once it’s frozen, it’s not as good of a product.”

Mr. Quraishi’s live lamb and sheep aren’t making it across the border either, because they can be potential carriers of the disease, and he is pessimistic that the issue will be resolved quickly.

“It won’t be a short-term thing, because as they have quarantined another few farms in British Columbia, so they’re getting to the bottom of it…it’s going to take at least two or three weeks before I think this will all be resolved.”

In Guelph, Ontario, Better Beef was reported to have laid off 75 to 100 people shortly after the imposing of the import bans. The Halal beef processing plant is still operational, but is only producing for the domestic market.

“They (Better Beef) have cut down on production, and business-wise, it is affecting operations. But as far as Mad Cow Disease is concerned, the government is well positioned to make sure whatever goes into the slaughtering plant is safe. There is Halal slaughter going on, but production has been cut down. Insha-Allah, hopefully next week, it will go back to full capacity,” said Ehsan Sairally, director of IFANCA Canada, the Halal certification organization that certifies Better Beef.

Business as usual at local Halal shops

Despite all the hardships faced by the exporters, it seemed to be business as usual at Halal shops across Canada on Saturday. eat-halal.com contacted Halal meat shops in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Cornwall, Ontario, and all had Halal beef available for sale and none reported any price fluctuations.

Reports from Montreal and Toronto also confirmed that Halal beef was readily available.

Most Halal shops receive their meat from provincial processing plants. Since provincial processing plants and slaughterhouses are not allowed to export products, they are not affected by the import bans. Only federally-approved meat plants are allowed to export products to foreign countries.

No need to avoid Canadian beef – yet

The CFIA has not yet advised consumers to avoid Canadian beef and beef products, because they “have no reason at this point to believe that there is a risk to human health.”

“We are working closely with our partners to gather additional information. Given that the cattle get the disease by eating contaminated feed and there is a feed ban in place, the probability of having more infected animals is very low,” reads a notice on the CFIA’s web site (www.inspection.gc.ca).

Rizanoor Ferouz agrees. He’s a food technologist with 8 years experience in the Canadian meat industry. He sees no reason to avoid Canadian beef at the moment, however, he thinks this is a wake-up call for Muslims to start “supporting the drive to go back towards what’s right”.

“I think the whole thing with Mad Cow and the whole practices that we have here, for us, as Muslims, reminds us of supporting the drive to go back towards what was right; supporting the people who feed properly and supporting the people who slaughter properly. I think this whole thing is a wake-up call for us to support movements like organic,” said Mr. Ferouz.

Mr. Ferouz stresses the need to remind people that while they can eat the Halal beef sold these days, it is up to the consumer to demand that animals not be fed feed made from the waste of other animals, and instead be grown organically.

Mad Cow Disease not contagious

Contrary to what people may think, Mad Cow Disease and its human variant are not contagious and cannot be spread from person-to-person.

The human variant of BSE (Mad Cow Disease) is not contagious, meaning it doesn’t spread by person-to-person contact, unlike SARS. The chance of getting the disease depends on consumption of the meat from the infected animal, so there is no need for ‘masks’, ‘isolation’, and ‘quarantine’ of humans.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 125 cases of vCJD have been reported in the world (as of April 2, 2002).