Muslim Link Striving to Reflect Canada's Muslim Diversity

Muslim Link aims to inform, connect, inspire and celebrate Muslims living in Ottawa-Gatineau. We build community through storytelling.

Muslims in Ottawa-Gatineau come from a diversity of ethno-cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Some have newly arrived as refugees, others are third generation Canadians.
Some are struggling on social assistance in subsidized housing; others are making three-figure salaries and living in expensive neighbourhoods.
Some have recently retired; others are just trying to get that first job while still in high school.
Some identify strongly with Islam as a way of life, others are still working out just what being Muslim means to them.
Muslim Link hopes to use its online platform to create a space where the diversity and complexity of these experiences can be captured and explored in order to increase Ottawa’s Muslims’ understanding of themselves and each other.

Muslim Link is independent of and not affiliated with any Muslim organization in Canada or abroad. This independence allows us to be free to explore the diversity of perspectives within Ottawa-Gatineau’s Muslim communities.

Muslim Link provides an avenue for Muslim and non-Muslim organizations to advertise and communicate with the Muslim communities of Ottawa-Gatineau.

Mandate:

Muslim Link is a community website that provides a forum for people from all backgrounds to read and write stories exploring the diversity of Muslims in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Our articles and blog posts aim to educate and create awareness on topics pertaining to Muslim life in Ottawa-Gatineau, in particular the achievements of local Muslims in the fields of community service, education, business, and arts & culture.

Muslim Link also strives to build bridges between Ottawa's Muslim and non-Muslim communities. By showcasing the diversity of Ottawa's Muslim community, non-Muslims will have an opportunity to explore its complexity. By profiling the lives and work of non-Muslims, our Muslim readership will gain a better understanding of their non-Muslim friends and neighbours.

Muslim Link has developed an innovative Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy aimed at ensuring that we strive to represent the full spectrum of Muslim Life in Ottawa-Gatineau across ethno-cultural, socio-economic, regional, and generational lines. We do not differentiate between people who identify as Muslim based on degree of religious practice or religious orientation if we feel they have a story that will be of benefit to our readers. It is this inclusive approach that makes our site better able to reach a wider diversity of Muslims in the region.

Muslim Link also has a regularly updated Events Listing which aims to spread the word about upcoming events by or of interest to Muslims in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Muslim Link is also now building a Directory of businesses and services owned by Muslims and/or catering to the needs and interests of Muslims in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Muslim Link Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy

“Community-building through Story-telling”

Muslim Link's Landscape:

Muslim Link operates within the changing landscape of the forth-largest Muslim community in Canada where individuals often only have the ties of religious identity in common. From recently arrived international students studying at the Canada's colleges and universities to retirees who came to Canada in the late 1960s, Canada's Muslim community defies one simple category.

Although our website is an online hub for Muslims across Canada, as we are based in Ottawa, our understanding of the diversity and complexity of Muslim communities is based on living in this city. In many ways, Ottawa is the perfect city to see the full spectrum of the ethno-cultural, religious, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity and complexity of our communities.

Religious diversity

According to most recent figures from Statistics Canada's 2011 National Household Survey (NHS), there are approximately 65,000 people living in Ottawa-Gatineau who self-identify as Muslim. This classification of “Muslim” does not distinguish between Muslim religious groups or degrees of religious practice. In reality, the region’s Muslims are a microcosm of the global Muslim population which is diverse and complex in practice, religious orientation and interpretation.

Ethno-cultural diversity

This region is home to cultures from around the world, and as such, the Muslim community represents this ethno-cultural diversity as well. The three most prominent racialized groups in Ottawa-Gatineau who identify as Muslim are Arab (26,215), Black (12,635), and South Asian (11,330) according to Statistics Canada (NHS 2011)

Socio-economic diversity

The percentage of Muslims holding degrees in post-secondary education is higher than the general population in Canada. However, there are also Muslims who are struggling to complete secondary and post-secondary education, to have their foreign credentials recognized, or to learn English as a Second Language. Further, Muslims work in a variety of trades and professions or struggle on social assistance. We have community members who have or are currently incarcerated.

Muslims make up a significant segment of the population of the various waves of refugees who have come to Canada over the last thirty years, and who continue to arrive here, most significantly refugees from Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen and now Syria.

They have also been a part of the various waves of immigrants accepted into the country searching for economic prosperity and religious and political freedom, most significantly from Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh and North African countries like Tunisia and Morocco.

Muslims live in all parts of the country, and live in various neighbourhoods. From social housing to wealthy suburban enclaves, Muslims are found throughout our country.

Age

Muslims in Canada are quite young. The median age for Muslims in Canada is 28 (Statistics Canada 2011 NHS).

Political diversity

Muslims in Canada vote for political parties across the political spectrum. There are also many Muslims who are apathetic about voting or feel they cannot vote for religious reasons.

Striving to Reflect Canada's Muslim Diversity

Muslim Link strives to reflect all of these forms of diversity in its:

a. Coverage
b. Story Assignment
c. Recruitment of Contributors
d. Submissions

a. Coverage

Muslim Link endeavors to reflect the diversity of Muslim communities. Stories, events, and directory listings about Muslims of various ethno-cultural & socio-economic backgrounds, practice, etc., will be included on the website. Photographs representing the community's diversity will also be included.

The following will be considered when assigning news & feature stories:

• Religious diversity: Recognition of and respect for various Muslim religious affiliations, orientations and practices will be reflected in the coverage and posting of events and directory listings. Muslim Link does not distinguish between groups who identify themselves as Muslim. Muslim Link will not describe any Muslim religious affiliation, orientation or practice in a derogatory way.
• Ethno-Cultural diversity: A wide range of ethno-communities will be represented on the website through stories, events listings, and directory listings.
• Socio-economic diversity: Members of various segments of these communities will find stories, events, and directory listings relevant to their socio-economic reality and experience.
• Age: Half of the Muslim population of Canada is under 30, therefore stories must appeal to a wide range of ages, and reflect the issues relevant to each generation, as well as be written in a way that encourages inter-generational understanding and bridge-building.
• Gender: Both men and women should find equitable representation on the website. Diversity of practice of both men and women should not be a limit to their representation online (ie. We publish photos of women with or without their hair covered)
• Political diversity: Muslim Link does take the position that it is important to vote and be actively engaged in Canada's democracy all year round, not just during elections. Muslim Link strives to be a non-partisan publication. We publish ads from any major political party but this does not equal endorsement of these parties. Muslim Link will seek out interviews or cover stories involving members of all major political parties and their supporters in order to support our readership in making informed decisions when they vote, however we will not officially endorse or support any one political party or candidate.

b. Story Assignment

Muslim Link will make efforts to recruit volunteer and paid writers who represent a broad swathe of the Muslim community. We also welcome non-Muslim writers. News reporters will be held to high journalistic principles and, as such, should not allow personal biases to affect coverage. However, given that reporters will often unconsciously apply biases to their reporting and writing based on their own experiences, all articles will be edited by the Editor-in-Chief in order to ensure that they conform to Muslim Link's policies and overall tone. The website will also ensure that writers are offered feedback and training, if necessary.