Statement by Minister Hussen on Imamat Day

OTTAWA, July 11, 2022

Today, on the 65^th anniversary of the accession of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, Ismaili Muslims in Canada and around the world will take a moment to celebrate Imamat Day.

Through his tireless work, the Aga Khan has repeatedly shown that he embodies the values that all Canadians share, like compassion, pluralism, generosity, and respect for human rights and diversity. As the founder and leader of the Aga Khan Development Network, His Highness has led many philanthropic and humanitarian projects that have improved the quality of life for the Ismaili Muslim community, as well as for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

The Aga Khan remains a champion for peace and pluralism, and we are honoured to host many Ismaili Centres across Canada, including the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. For his innumerable contributions, we proudly bestowed honorary Canadian citizenship on the Aga Khan in 2010.

Imamat Day is an opportunity for us to learn more about the contributions Ismaili Muslims have made and continue to make to the country we know and love. However, we must also acknowledge the unacceptable reality of Islamophobia, hate, and discrimination that the community continues to face.

Hate has no place in Canada. Our government stands with Muslim Canadians, and we continue to take action against Islamophobia and hate-fueled violence.

As Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, I extend my best wishes to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV on the anniversary of his accession as Imam and to everyone who celebrates Imamat Day.

Khushiali Mubarak!