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PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - The Running Buffalo Women's Singers Drum group sings and drums at a Tuesday evening Memorial for six men shot and killed at a Montreal Mosque in 2017. - January 29, 2019. "On January 29th, 2017 six men were shot and killed while nineteen were injured, some permanently, as they practiced their faith through evening prayers. This is by far the deadliest example of Islamophobia in Canada but by no means the only one. Statistics Canada reported last December that crimes targeting Muslims accounted for almost 1 in 5 of all reported hate crimes in Canada. On January 10th, 2019, a man felt emboldened enough to state at an open, televised town hall meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada that our “open border” was allowing the “tyranny coming down on us” that he went on to identify as Islam. Here in Winnipeg, we have our share of racism and intolerance. As residents of Treaty 1 Territory, the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Cree, OjiCree, Dakota, Dene peoples and the homeland of the Metis Nation, we acknowledge that they were the first recipients of discrimination, racism and oppression on this land. Unfortunately, the racism they face, continues to today. Our goal for this Day of Remembrance is to stand in solidarity with everyone who understands that if one group of Canadians due to their race or religion can be labelled as the ‘other’, ‘lesser’ or worse ‘to be feared’, then any group of people can be labelled as such, and consequently marginalized. We invite all Winnipeggers to join us in taking the time to pause, reflect, and reiterate our commitment to unity and solidarity against all hate-fueled and bigoted actions that would seek to divide us."