Ottawa announces dates for national summits on Islamophobia, antisemitism

The federal government has announced thattwo emergency national summits one on antisemitism and one on Islamophobia will take place on July 21 and July 22 respectively.

Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Bardish Chagger made the announcement in a media statement on Friday.

"We must actively listen to the voices of communities directly affected by racism," Chagger said in thestatement.

MPs votedunanimously in favour of a motion calling for a national summit on Islamophobia in June, followingthe attack in London, Ont., that killed four members of a Muslim family as they were out for an evening walk.

The government announced it would hold an additional summit on antisemitism on the same day thatmotion passed.

Former justice minister Irwin Cotler, nowCanada's special envoy for preserving holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism,willparticipate in the summit on July 21.

Members of all levels of government have been invited to hear from leaders ofthe Jewish and Muslim communities.