CAI Celebrates Historic Arab Heritage Month
Toronto, April 6, 2022 – Happy Arab Heritage Month! The Canadian Arab Institute (CAI) is excited to welcome this month that will give Arab-Canadians the chance to both showcase their talents, culture, and why they’re proud to be both Arab and Canadian, and also raise awareness about the struggles and discrimination that they face while trying to integrate into Canada.
The Canadian-Arab community is growing in different parts of the country, where they help build the social fabric of Canadian society in places like Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Windsor, Vancouver, PEI, and Regina. There are about 1 million Arabs living in Canada, based on the 2016 census. We expect this number to increase by 25% in the 2021 census (data to be released later this year). This is because the Arab community is currently the fastest-growing immigrant community. Between 2006 and 2016, the Canadian-Arab community grew by 75%. The majority of Arabs in Canada today are first-generation immigrants, who have made Canada to be their home.
For the first time this year, Arab Heritage Month could be federally recognized every April. On February 7, 2022, MP David McGuinty introduced Bill C-232 - An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month. CAI and our community partners have been advocating for a federal Arab Heritage Month across party lines for years. On March 3, the Bill was debated in Parliament for the first time, and received praise from all political parties - you can watch the full debate here.
Additionally, CAI is spearheading a coalition of over 35 community organizations across Canada that is requesting the Minister of Canadian Heritage to support the swift passage of Bill C-232. With all these efforts, a federal Arab Heritage Month will hopefully become a reality this year.
“It’s time for Arab Heritage Month to be proclaimed in this country so that us Arabs can feel like we can celebrate both our Canadian identity and our Arab roots - they are not mutually exclusive. An important part of being Canadian is celebrating how diverse we are as a nation - Canada can no longer paint a picture of the country without including Arab-Canadians in the frame.” Jad El Tal, Director of Research and Policy, Canadian Arab Institute.
Although the first Arab settled in Canada exactly 140 years ago in Montreal in 1882, the Canadian-Arab community started to majorly expand after 1990. Despite their short time in Canada, Arabs have already left their marks on Canadian society, economy and culture. From buying a shawarma wrap at your favorite Lebanese restaurant in Ottawa, to going with your friends to Little Maghreb (Petit Maghreb) in Montreal to enjoy some mint tea and sweets from a Moroccan vendor, to buying embroidered silk and satin caftans from a Palestinian small business in Mississauga, to hanging out in Egyptian cafes in Edmonton listening to the tunes of Umm Kulthoum - these are some of the many ways that Arabs have shared their heritage and culture with the broader Canadian community, and CAI believes that it’s only fair for Arab-Canadians to be recognized for their contributions to this country through Arab Heritage Month.
“As a third-generation Arab-Canadian, I never anticipated that a month would be dedicated to the culture of Canada's many Arab communities. Our language, traditions, commitment to community, respect—and the kindness of our people—I know it’s felt in the heart of Canadians, Arab and non-Arab, and I’m excited to utilize April as showcase that.” Jasmine Hawamdeh, Manager of Communications and Operations, Canadian Arab Institute.
Indeed, Arab Heritage Month is not only about celebrating Arab-Canadian culture, but it’s also about speaking up about the oppression that we face.
Anti-Arab racism is a growing concern for community members, who continue to face daily microaggressions in schools, restaurants, at work, and other public places. These microaggressions are feeding into the systemic barriers that Arabs face when trying to integrate into Canada as newcomers. Here are some statistics that paint a picture of how Arab-Canadians are doing:
Despite being one of the most highly educated communities, Arabs currently have the highest unemployment rate amongst all racialized communities - and this was the case even before the pandemic.
When it comes to housing, according to Statistics Canada, Arabs have the highest core housing needs amongst visible minority groups in 4 out of 10 Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia. For the rest of the provinces, Arabs rank 2nd in Ontario, 3rd in Québec and Manitoba, and 4th in Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick.
Around 1 in 4 Arabs (24.7%) in Canada have a core housing need - meaning that their housing falls below at least one of the adequacy, affordability, or suitability standards. Only around 40% of Arabs own property in Canada.
As recently as last month, RBC reported that Arab entrepreneurs face the largest difficulties and obstacles in obtaining financing, with more than 1 in 4 Arab businesses reporting that they’re struggling.
Almost two-thirds of hate crimes reported to the police by Arab-Canadians are violent in nature.
“Another reason why Arab Heritage Month is important is that it gives the community a platform to be honest about their struggles in integrating into Canada. Despite having high levels of education, Arab-Canadians continue to be unemployed and underemployed. There are Arab doctors, lawyers, and engineers that are sitting at home, driving Ubers, or working at warehouses right now because their degrees from back home won’t allow them to work here - in their new home. They came to Canada with dreams of helping further build Canada, but those dreams became nightmares when they realized that they can’t work here. Every Arab has a story - and all these stories will be given a platform during Arab Heritage Month, so that us Arabs can feel heard - we deserve to be heard. We deserve to be celebrated. And it’s beneficial to the broader Canadian society and economy for Arabs to be fully integrated into our country.” Jad El Tal, Director of Research and Policy, Canadian Arab Institute.
About the Canadian Arab Institute
The Canadian Arab Institute (CAI) is a national, non-partisan think-and-do-tank that is focused on the issues and interests of the Canadian Arab community. The Institute produces important research reports and develops community programming to help the general Canadian public understand what the Arab-Canadian experience is in Canada. For years, they have been advocating for a federal Arab Heritage Month as they work across the aisle to try to have this Bill pass through the legislative process.
Press contact: Jasmine Hawamdeh, Manager of Communications and Operations
Tel: (647) 622-7042