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7 | Friday, M arch 1 7 , 2 0 1 7 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | w w w .insideH A LTO N .com Addressing racism and discrimination in Canadian communities country. M any Canadians have been shocked by recent attacks targeting religious groups in communities across the Parliamentarians, including me, are dis mayed by these acts of violence and vandal ism, as they do not reflect the laws and values of this country. It will take a collective effort to guard against these reprehensible acts and ensure we retain the inclusivity, acceptance, fairness and human decency for which Cana dians are known. This is the Canada I believe in: a country willing to stand up against in tolerance and discrimination. Canada has well-established laws in place that protect freedom of religions of all faiths. The 1977 Canadian Human Rights Act in cludes religion as a prohibited ground of dis crimination, and the 1982 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression. Despite the existence of these laws, hate crimes against some religious groups are increasing. This trend leads many of us to wonder if more can be done to guard against religious discrimination in Canada. One of m y fellow Parliamentarians, MP Iqra Khalid, recently introduced a motion in the House of Commons to study the issue of systemic racism and religious discrimination. Motion 103 is about finding peaceful ways to live together in a multicultural, secular so- John Oliver Oakville MP ciety It deals with how racism and religious discrimination of all forms affect our soci ety and it helps us focus on how to ensure Canada remains a place where people from all backgrounds and faiths are welcomed. I am encouraged by the fact that hate crimes are on a downward trend in Halton, as shown in a recent Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) report. In 2 0 1 6 , there were 25 hate related occurrences in Halton Re gion, which is the lowest number recorded in the past decade. HRPS also reports that there are no active hate groups operating in our community, which is reassuring. It pleases me that so many Oakvillians share m y belief in living in peace and harmony with people of all backgrounds and faiths. Through my experiences in the com m u nity, I have seen that Oakvillians respect the rights of friends and neighbours to worship the faith of their choosing. However, we must remain aware of the influence of global events and political forces that can give rise to intolerance. It may seem that the world is getting less inclusive and more fearful of the multicul tural fabric of humanity. Canada has shown the world that a multicultural society can succeed, but we m ust guard against ideolo gies that seek to promote hatred. Let's all do our part to ensure that Oakville remains a welcoming and accepting com munity that views diversity as a strength. Save Now jt K r Q A A $d 8 Q ln ftm to T 20 lb. Bags of Nature Shop Come and See Us! OPEN 7 DAYS BiRD SEED AND SUET CAKES Sale Ends March 20, 2017 3 3 5 0 F A IR V IE W S T R E E T , B U R L IN G T O N 9 0 5 -6 3 4 -7 7 0 0 · E M A IL : w b u 1 @ b e lln e t.c a WE BRiNG PEOPLE & NATURE TOGETHER Bhandari Family Dentistry returns to Oakville BRiNG iN YOUR FAMILY FOR A CHECK-UP AT OUR NEW MODERN CLiNIC Dr. Bhandari is an advocate of oral health w ith 31 years of experience. He and his team pride them selves fo r th e ir professional and com prehensive approach to dentistry. Dr. Bhandari has pro ud ly worked w ith a num ber of celebrities th ro u g h o u t his career, helping them m aintain th e ir red carpet w o rth y smiles! C ustom er care is ou r core concern. W hether you're looking fo r general m aintenance, reg ula r check-up tre atm ents o r cosm etic dentistry, we can help. Give Dr. Bhandari a call to book your a p po intm en t o r consultation. DR. Bh a n d a r i B S c D I H D D S This patient went from a consultation to finished teeth in just a couple weeks! We can change lives... Call us to set up your free consultation. AyA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE 1195 NORTH SERVICE ROAD WEST KITCHENS O F O A K V IL L E DR. ViNEET BHANDARi B S c D IH D D S 905.847.1522 Monday to Friday 7:30 - 5:00. Evening and Saturday appointments available. AYAO AKVILLE.C O M Palermo Professional Centre 2525 Old Bronte Rd., Suite 470 Oakville (at Dundas Street) · www.bhandaridental.com