Edmonton Archives - Jalya

سعادة القنصل الفخري في إدمنتن: السيد حسين رحّال

Jalya Client — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 17:23:42 +0000

وثيقةٌ تلتقط مفاهيم وقضايا ، تُسْتعرض بمصداقية ومسوؤلية مع الجالس معنا على المنبر الإعلامي . ضمان الجودة رادفت اللقاء الأول مع سعادة القنصل الفخري في إدمنتن السيد حسين رحّال ، فجاءت أجوبته قاموساً للمعاني الإنسانية والإجتماعية والوطنية والديبلوماسبة ….

السؤال الاول :زيارتك للوطن شملت العديد من اللقاءات مع رجال الدين وروؤساء البلديات والجمعيات الخيرية وغيرها.. عطفاً على ذلك ، ما هو الهدف من تلك الزيارات ٢- ما هو القاسم المشترك بيت النشاطات التي سعيا بها في لبنان الجريح وبين حيوية العمل القنصلي في ادمنتن ٣- هل قدّمتم اي دعم للجمعيات الخيرية ٤- نعود الى الوراء ، حيويتك في بناء جسر فني بين لبنان والمهجر , كان له وضع مميّز ما هو سبب انتعاش مبادرة الطرب والاجواء الغنائية . ٥- قدرتك على تأسيس عدة فروع تجارية للتجميل دليل على انك رجل اعمال ناجح هل هذا يعود الى خبرتك ام انك استعنت ببعض خبراء التجميل ٦- الوثيقة الاغترابية التي وضعها القناصل الفخريين في العالم لم تشمل اسمكم ، نأمل ان تسعى للانضمام اليها لتزيدنا بكل القرارات والمستجدات والفعاليات التي يتخذونها . – [ ] ٧- لقاءكم مع عضو بلدية ادمنتن السيد جون دي زيديك يزيدنا ثقة بالدور الذي تلعبه القنصلية اجتماعيا وسياسياً ، حصولكم على البارك وعنونته باسم الكاتب والفيلسوف جبران خليل جبران يلقي على الجالية ضوءاً حضارياً ، ما نرجوه منكم تطعيم اللجنة المصغرة وتكثيفها بوجوه اعلامية واكاديمية خاصة من الجيل المثقف الجديد . – [ ] ٨- المادة 21 من نظام وزارة الخارجية والمغتربين تؤكد على ان القنصل الفخري منصب شرفي ، علماً ان مهماتكم هي حماية حقوق المواطن واصدار المعاملات القانونية الحكومية وتعزيز العلاقات الديبلوماسية مع حكومة البلد المضيف ؛ الا تعتقد ان القنصل يجب ان يتقاضى معاشاً لما يبذله منزخدمات وتضحية من اوقاته . – [ ] ٩- المعاناة المأساوية التي يمر بها الشعب اللبناني نتيجة الفيروس والفساد والرشوة وقرصنة السياسيين ، مسوؤلية معالجتها تقع على عاتقنا أيضاً كمغتربينأكرم علينا ببعض الحلول والاولويات التي يجب ان السير بها . – [ ] السؤال العاشر – [ ] اذا عدّل الدستور وأقرّ المجلس النيابي اللبناني بقانون ترشيح المغتربين للنيابة ، هل تخيّل لك نفسك للدخول في تلك المغامرة …

– [ ] لكم مني التحية والسلام

سعة صدر القنصل أضافت على الاجوبة حسناً وخلقاً

تأتي تلك الزيارات في سياق التعارف على واقع المجتمع المدني والمؤسسات الرسمية والإطِّلاع عن كثب على هموم الشعب ومعاناتِهِ اليومية،والتَّدَارِسِ معاً في كيفية التعامل مع إدارة الأزمات التي تعصف بالبلاد وصولاً إلى التعاون الميداني والعمل المشترك،وتعرَّفْنا على حقيقة المشكلات التي تعاني منها تلك المؤسسات الرسمية منها والخاصة،وكنتُ أذُناً صاغيةً لأصواتِهم التي خرجت من حناجِرِ قلبِ الحدث الذي يئنُّ تحت وطأةِ الفقر والبطالة والجوع والحرمان والترهُّل الإداري وقلة ذات اليد.

القواسم المشتركة كثيرة،والقنصلية تقوم بأعمال جبّارة بين كندا ولبنان حسب قدرتِها واستطاعتِها،ولا يَقتصِر عملُ القنصليةِ على الجانب الدبلوماسي فقط وإنما نعمل على دعم برامج الأنشطة الثقافية والفنية والاجتماعية والاقتصادية التي تواكب العصر وهموم الوطن الأم.

خلال زيارتي الأخيرة للبنان قدَّمْنا الكثيرَ من المساهمات المالية والعينية والخدمات الاجتماعية للأفراد والجمعيات الخيرية والإنسانية التي تَعتني بالشأن العام،وخصوصاً عَقِبَ تفجير مرفأ بيروت في آب 2020، والذي فَجَعَنا جميعاً بالمُصاب الجَلَل،فالرحمة للأبرياء والشفاء العاجل للجرحى. الفرح والسرور من طباع الشخصية اللبنانية،ونحن دائمًا نسعى إلى بثِّ أجواء السعادة وإشاعة ثقافة السلام من خلال إقامة حفلات الطرب والغناء والموسيقى والسهرات الفنية،ونعتبر ذلك رسالةً ساميةً تُضاف إلى سجِّلاتِ أعمالِنا وأرشيفنا الوطني،حيث الشطرُ الآخرُ من أهدافِنا هو مواجهةُ أزماتِ الاكتئابِ والقلق والضغوطات النفسية والاجتماعية،وووطننا لبنان غنيٌّ بالأنغام الصوتية والمدارس الموسيقية والفنون والآداب الجميلة والمواهب المتعددة. بفضل الله فقد حققتُ الكثيرِ من النجاحات في ريادة الأعمال والاقتصاد،وتم منحي أوسمةً من جهات محلية وماركات دولية،لأننا تمايزنا بالإبداع في الإتقان وبكل احترافية وصدق وأمانة،وجاءَتْنا تَنوِيْهاتٌ مرموقة وبرقية تَزْكِيَات رفيعة المستوى من هيئات عالمية بناءً على الجودة العالية والخدمات التي تُقدّمها شركاتُنا التجارية والصناعية للزبائن،وهنا لا ندَّعِي أنَّنا وَحدَنا في الساحة،لكنَّنا على يقينٍ تامٍّ بأنّنا الأفضلُ وبشهادةِ جميع أهل الاختصاص،وشركاتنا لديها فريقُ عملٍ متخصِّصٍ وخبراء في مجال مهنتهم،وخلال مسيرتنا ومتذ الإنطلاقة الأولى فقد أعطينا أفضلَ ما نملك من الطاقات البشرية وصناعة الخدمة بالمواصفات العالمية ضمن شروط الأيزو . لقد اطَّلعْتُ على مضمون وبنود الوثيقة الاغترابية،وهي جيدة ومهمة ونُثْني عليها خيراٍ،ولسنا بِبَعِيدينَ عن إخوتنا وزملائنا القناصل الفخريين،ونحن وإِيَّاهُم على تواصلٍ وتشاورٍ دائم معهم في مواضيعَ تتَّصِلُ بالسلك الدبلوماسي والشأن العام،وأما موضوع الإنضمام فلا شيءَ يمنع،والأمر متروكٌ لحين تَتهَيَّأُ الظروفُ والمناخاتُ العامة،حيث في الوقتُ الحالي منشغلون في كيفية توفير المساهمات المالية للشعب اللبناني في ظل اتساع رقعة الفقر والبطالة والجوع وارتفاع غلاء المعيشة وانخفاض العملة الوطنية ومواجهة تداعيات فيروس كورونا.

بدايةً نتوجَّهُ بالشكر الجزيل لبلدية إدمنتون وخصوصا السيد جون دي زيديك ،وذلك على تعاونه معنا في تخصيص قطعة أرض وتقديمها للجالية اللبنانية وتحويلها إلى حديقة باسم الشاعر والأديب اللبناني جبران خليل جبران ويتوسطها تمثالُهُ رمزاً لروحه الباقية بين أبناء وطنِه ولغتِه أبدَ الدَّهْر،وقريباً سيتم الإعلان عن تاريخ الافتتاح الرسمي للمناسبة في حفلٍ مهيبٍ تتمثَّلُ فيها حضوراً السلطاتُ الرسميةُ وقياداتُ الجالياتِ العربية، والصديقة،ونحن قَمْنا بتأسيس لجنة المتابعة بهذا الخصوص لنجاح المشروع الثقافي،ونعدكم بأن اللجنة سيكون للشباب الأكاديمي والجسم الإعلامي الحصةَ الأكبرَ فيها.

القنصلية اللبنانية الفخرية في مدينة إدمنتون تواكب التطورَ والحداثة،وتتحسَّسُ أوضاعَ الجاليةِ اللبنانيةِ في المدينة وضواحيها من غير تمييزٍ بين فئةٍ وأخرى،ونتعاون بروحِ الفريقِ الواحد،وإنَّ كافةَ خدماتِنا مجانيةٌ إلا الرسومَ الماليةَ الرسميةَ والمعاملاتِ القانونية،ولِيَعْلَمَ القاصي والداني بأنني لا أتقاضى راتباً ولا دولاراً واحداً من الدولتين سواء الكندية أو اللبنانية،بل أعتبرُ نفسي مُتَطوِّعاً لوجه الله والوطن،ولا نريد من الناس جزاءً ولا شُكوراً إلاَّ بالدعاء لناولأسرتنا وفريق عملنا، فَنَفقات القنصلية الشاملة كثيرة وفواتيرُها مرتفعة وأدفعها من ماليتي الخاصة،لكنّي مقتنعٌ بأن خدمةَ المجتمعِ نجِدُ فيها مُتعةٌ ولذة تتَفَوَّقُ على جمعِ المالِ وحبِّ الجاهِ والسُّلطةِ والسُّلطان،فالله سبحانه قد أنْعَمَ عليَّ بالخيراتِ وأفاضَ بِنِعَمِهِ الظاهرة والباطنة،ومن خلال القنصلية استطعنا تقديمَ الكثيرَ من أعمال الخير والبِرِّ والإحسان،وهذا من فضل الله علينا وسنكون من الشاكرين في طريق العطاء والصدقات والزكوات.

بصراحة ليس لديَّ طموحٌ سياسيٌّ،ولم تكنِ المناصبُ السياسيةُ يوماً من ضمن أهدافي الحاضرة والمستقبلية،فأنا مقتَنعٌ بما أنا عليه الآن،وأكتفي بذلك، ولله الحمد والشكر،وعلينا أن نَفسَحَ المجالَ للطاقاتِ الشبابية والأجيال الصاعدة،وَسنحمِّلُهم أمانةَ قيادة الحاضر والمستقبل.

وكلمة أخيرة أتوجَّهُ بها إلى أبناء الجالية اللبنانية في مقاطعة ألبرتا ومدينة إدمنتون وضواحيها بأننا كنا وما زلنا وستبقى كما عهدتُمُونا إلى جانبكم حيثما كنتم في الزمان والمكان،وحاضرون للتعاون على مستوى الأفراد والجماعات ومنفتحون على الجميع بلا استثناء،وشعارنا هو (يد الله مع الجماعة).

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60 City of Edmonton Staff Laid off Due to ‘Financial Pressures’

Emily Gruz — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 01:14:27 +0000

EDMONTON — The City of Edmonton has laid off 60 staff members after budget reductions. The shortfall is partially related to council approving a zero per cent tax levy increase in December. “These budget reductions totaled nearly $50 million,” said Kim Armstrong, the deputy city manager of employee services “We are keeping a close eye on the economic effects of the pandemic and continuing to deal with facilities closed by health orders, lower transit ridership, lower revenue and increased expenses.” In total, over 300 full-time equivalent positions have been eliminated, according to Armstrong. Off the positions eliminated, over 150 had been vacant for varying degrees of time, including around 110 were employees who left voluntarily. “I want Edmontonians to know that the vast majority of our services are continuing as usual, we are doing our best to reduce the impact on Edmontonians,” said Armstrong. Throughout the fall, the city reviewed currently vacant positions “in order to do our best work to eliminate as many vacant positions as possible to reduce the effect on our employees,” according to Armstrong. The positions cut were chosen from across all city branches and departments. Around one quarter of the 60 staff laid off were management and the rest were union employees, according to Armstrong. She added there are ongoing reviews for five city units: Community and Recreation Facilities, Fleet and Facility Services, Parks and Roads, Edmonton Transit and Edmonton Fire Services. These could be impacted by job cuts in the future. “The reimagined services review, which is ongoing… will unfold over the course of the year,” said Armstrong. “In addition the implementation of budget 2021 will occur over the course of 2021, this is the first phase of the implementation.”

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Syrian Refugees Mark 5 Years in Canada by Becoming Citizens

Emily Gruz — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 18:25:38 +0000

Five years ago, the first government plane filled with Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war touched down in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau welcomed the newcomers, inviting them to join the Canadian “family.” Today, 29 of them from 11 families celebrated that anniversary in a very special way — by getting sworn in as Canadian citizens. One is Rahaf Zwayne, who was single and 28 years old when she arrived in her new country — so desperate to leave the violence and fear behind her that she had considered crossing by migrant boat to Europe from Turkey. Sponsored by a Canadian couple, she worked to obtain a diploma in hospitality and tourism and settled into a new life in Canada. “It’s like a movie,” she said. “I just feel like I have wings now. I feel free. I feel like there are a lot of things I can do now,” she said. “And it’s wonderful to live in a country that respects human rights and respects people.” She said her efforts to integrate into a new culture have brought with them many challenges, including some experiences of racism and anti-refugee backlash. But the kindness of her sponsors and the many other Canadians who have helped her are far more important, she said. The Syrian refugee resettlement initiative was a national project, drawing governments, community volunteers, sponsors and businesses together to bring thousands Syrians to the country. Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino called it an “ambitious effort” by the Canadians who welcomed the newcomers with kindness and generosity. “In the face of a humanitarian crisis, Canadians opened their homes and their hearts, and helped over 70,000 Syrian refugees to start new lives in Canada. Since then they’ve made immeasurable contributions to communities across the country,” he said. Mendicino took part in today’s special virtual ceremony to welcome them and wish them success in their new home. “This is what Canada is all about. Your story is our story. Your success is our success,” he told the group. “You arrived here as Syrian refugees and you are now Syrian-Canadians. But mostly we’ll think of you as our neighbours, co-workers and members of our Canadian family.” The group took the oath of citizenship before signing the national anthem, many waving Canadian flags. Samer Al Jbawi had the advantage of speaking English when he arrived as a Syrian refugee five years ago. Now, he helps other newcomers as a settlement counsellor in Ottawa. In a ceremony that was delayed by the pandemic, he and his family were sworn in as Canadian citizens today. “I think definitely I will be proud of my new identity, because getting Canadian citizenship, being a Canadian, this is a new life for me. A new nationality, a new identity. Dignity,” he said. The government has helped fund settlement supports such as orientation, language assessment and training, employment services, transportation, translation and child care.

‘I will be born again’: First wave of Syrian refugees set to become Canadian citizens

Al Jbawi said many refugees have found adjusting to a new culture and finding jobs to be their biggest challenges. He’s still struggling with another: the cold. “I can say that I like almost everything except one thing, which is the weather. Until now, I haven’t adapted to the cold weather, the winter,” he said. “But for the rest, I think everything is more than perfect. Fadi Al Gabbash agrees that the long Canadian winter is hard to get used to. He and his nine-year-old daughter Leyla are also being sworn in as Canadians today. His wife is still working on her English language proficiency and his other children were born here. “Canada is, in my opinion, is the best country in the world. So I am so glad and proud to be a member of the Canadian family now,” he said. He is grateful for what Canada offers his family, including a good education. But he misses his mother, whom he hasn’t seen in five years. Citizenship gives him the right to obtain a Canadian passport, but he said it’s not safe to travel to see his relatives in Syria now.

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FATIMA HAWA

Emily Gruz — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 22:10:25 +0000

Fatima makes chocolate covered strawberries and other sweet treats! She loves working with chocolate, and is constantly trying to experiment with new ideas.

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What made you want to start your business?

I’ve always loved art and creating things, and my day job is far from that. I work as a respiratory therapist in adult ICU, so I have many days where I come home and need to decompress. This was the perfect outlet for me. The business side of it was secondary as more people discovered my work and wanted me to make it for them. I’m still driven by the art of it, more than anything. My best friends and my sister really pushed me to start my page. I still have the sketches we made about the name and flavour/theme ideas. It’s such a cool thing to look back on, and I’m so grateful to have them cheer me on the way they do.

What was the toughest obstacle to overcome in the process of creating your business?

I don’t think I have an “obstacle,” per say. Alhamdulillah. I started creating and the business aspect kind of flowed out of that. I think I’m very lucky to have a knack for it. The hardest part of all of this, business or not, is self doubt. Imposter syndrome is real, and it constantly has me questioning if I’m good enough. I get butterflies whenever someone orders anything new, nervous if they’re going to like it or not. On the plus side, it pushes me to be better and one up myself every time.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?

I get my inspiration from everything around me. Nature, music, paintings. I try to bring things to life and evoke emotions. There is a famous baker named Adrianno Zumbo, who constantly talks about the “theater” of food and I think about that a lot whenever I make something. It’s amazing how food can tell a story and it can even be part of your story; it’s how people connect. I love when people look at what I make and gasp or laugh, it’s the best feeling. It’s crazy how the simple manipulation of food can bring such joy and happiness. I live for that.

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MARIAM TARABIEN

Emily Gruz — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 18:31:09 +0000

Mariam moved from Lebanon to Canada in 2006. After getting married, she had 5 kids; 4 girls and 1 boy. She’s currently a food blogger on Instagram, sharing recipes, cooking tips and videos where she graciously teaches step by step on how to make her wonderful recipes. Mariam recalls always being around her mom in the kitchen, watching and helping her out. But never quite making full meals by herself. It wasn’t until she got married where she fully took over, preparing big dishes with a little help and knowledge from when she shadowed her mother for years. She began trying out recipes, especially the ones she favourited from restaurants. Mariam would carefully study the ingredients of any dish she liked and would replicate it in her own kitchen. After getting the hang of things, she slowly blossomed into creating her own recipes.

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What made you want to start your business?

I always loved sharing my recipes and tips that I learnt from my own experience with every one I know. One day, my sister’s suggested to open a page to share my recipes. At first, I said no. But they convinced me by opening the page for me. They then started collaborating on what to name the page. I really wasn’t sure on how it was going to work because it wasn’t that active on social media and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to share my recipes either. But my sisters pushed me to give it a try. At the beginning of it all, I didn’t want to tell any one because I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to do it. But day by day, I started to warm up to it. People started following my page and now here I am, and loving every single thing about my page! Some companies even reached out to me to work together, which I never thought would happen. I love when I receive messages that my page ‘saved their marriage’ with my recipes, or that my page was the best thing for them, that it’s inspiring, or that every one is trying out my recipes, etc. This makes me so happy that I’m sharing these posts and helping people out, and it continues to push me to give and share more.

What was the toughest obstacle to overcome in the process of creating your business?

As a busy mom with 5 kids, it’s very tough to take care of everyone in the house and be active on social media. Especially when I post lots of cooking videos to teach others, which takes so much time to edit, fix, and write the recipes. It’s very hard when the kids are around, but I make it work because when you love something, you make time for it. And always being organized is the key for every thing.

Who/what is your biggest inspiration?

My biggest inspiration are my sisters, my husband, and my mom. My sisters are the ones that pushed me into opening my page and really opened it for me. Without them, I never thought to do so or share my recipes with every one. They are always there to support me with every thing I do. My husband loves trying different cuisines and I used to be a picky eater. So he pushed me to try out different dishes, especially when we go out to restaurants and when I started testing out different recipes from different cuisines. Above all, my mom is my biggest inspiration. Her food was simple but tasted amazing. She used to let me help her and try things out. She never complained once which made me fall in love with trying everything. She was also born in Brazil so I learned lots of Brazilian dishes from her.

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Leaders of 18 Alberta unions call for COVID-19 lockdown ‘for as long as it takes’

Emily Gruz — Sat, 21 Nov 2020 06:08:02 +0000

CALGARY — A province-wide mask mandate, adoption of the federal COVID-19 notification app and a ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown are just some of the demands being made by 18 of Alberta’s unions representing nearly 200,000 workers. The COVID-19 Crisis Resolution, drafted by the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), is calling on the Alberta government to do much more to respond to rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the province. It’s signed by 18 Alberta labour unions representing more than 175,000 workers, including the United Nurses of Alberta, Health Science Association of Alberta, Canadian Union of Public Employees and the United Food and Commercial Workers One of the resolutions is also an aggressive “crush and contain” strategy, similar to those adopted by many nations across the world that have been successful at containing the rise in cases. Atlantic Canada’s “bubble” is an example of such a strategy, the AFL says. “Like a growing number of economists and policy experts, we unequivocally reject the notion, advanced by Premier Kenney and the UCP, that we have to choose between jobs and the economy, on one hand, and the health and safety of our fellow citizens, on the other,” said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour in a statement. “This is a false dichotomy and a false choice. The reality is that both lives and livelihood are going to be lost if the government continues its policy of inaction. In our opinion, what the Premier and other members of the UCP caucus are doing amounts to nothing short of criminal negligence. “They are leading our province over a cliff.” McGowan would not give a firm timeline on how long the proposed lockdown would be other than it would last “for as long as it takes to get infection rates under control.” Other proposed solutions include re-instituting a single-site policy in long-term care facilities, increasing funding for schools to manage staffing requirements and recognizing “new science on aerosol transmission of COVID-19.” On Thursday, the province announced more than 1,100 new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, a new daily record increase. There are more than 10,600 active cases in the province. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, announced 1,155 new cases of COVID-19 in the province Friday, breaking the record once again.

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‘Layered on layers’: Community leaders fight to keep students from falling still further behind — Groundwork

Emily Gruz — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 02:38:19 +0000

This article is part of Groundwork, an Edmonton Journal engagement project. As the pandemic rolls into its ninth month, community leaders are battling a deep-seated fear that some students will fall so far behind, they could check out on school and never recover. Pre-pandemic, many Black and Indigenous youth were struggling to find their place in the education system. During the spring lockdown, teachers said they worried for students living in poverty and in single-parent homes, too. Today, COVID-19 cases in school continue to send classes back into isolation, pandemic health protocols make it tough for non-profits to offer support and the uneven economic recovery is adding complexity. School, employment barriers, food instability — “everything is layered on layers,” said Emmanuel Onah, manager of youth programs at the Africa Centre. The centre now offers a weekly food bank, workshops to discuss anxiety and mental health, even an online basketball training camp, alongside its academic support. That mentoring program shows promise. It partners post-secondary students with students lacking academic support at home. But that’s for 23 students. They need more, Onah said. There are six children on the waiting list. “We have a lot of kids who were already struggling in school,” said Onah. The lockdown and long summer meant students were not able to get the one-on-one support they needed. He’s worried and tried to do as much as possible to reduce any gap. “The people who are most affected are the most marginalized.” Even before the pandemic, there was limited data to quantify the education gaps in Alberta. The province only began collecting specific enrolment data on First Nations, Metis and Inuit self-identified students in the early 2000s and the government does not collect any other data based on the race of a student. According to Alberta Education’s 2019-20 annual report, 84.9 per cent of Alberta students complete high school within five years of Grade 10. When specifically looking at First Nations, Metis and Inuit students, that number drops to 64.9 per cent. Nationally, a report released by Statistics Canada earlier this year found a gap in post-secondary graduation rates between Black youth and those who are not Black. About half (51 per cent) of Black men aged 23 to 27 in 2016 had a post-secondary qualification, compared with 62 per cent of other men. During the lockdown, teachers said their top concern was growing inequity and having children return with large curriculum gaps, said Philip McRea, a former University of Alberta professor who now does research for the Alberta Teachers’ Association. His survey of nearly 2,500 teachers found students living in poverty, in single-parent homes, with special needs or giftedness, and English language learners were seen as most at risk of falling behind. He’s partnering with the Alberta School Council Association to survey teachers and parents starting this week on just how significant that risk turned out to be. When the Edmonton Journal surveyed and met with nearly 200 parents, teachers and students in our Groundwork initiative, we heard from wealthier parents who hired private tutors, realizing the privilege they have and worrying for children whose parents can’t afford similar help. Black leaders, from both long-time Edmonton and newcomer communities, said pre-existing economic and systemic barriers were exacerbated by the pandemic and add to the challenge for racialized families. When academic programs shut down, many non-profits tried to at least keep a social connection. That seemed impossible online but they’re making it work, said Yaa Serwaa (Agnes) Somuah, program manager with Sinkunia Community Development Organization, which helps refugee families. Now its Saturday art classes have children jumping on couches, yelling and bonding again through the screen. Last month, they started to experiment with blended online and in-person gatherings. They’re still trying to figure out how to add the academic homework help back in, important especially for families in which parents work long hours, have little expertise in technology and aren’t Western educated. Push too hard, especially online, and you risk the children losing interest, she said. But the fact they’re still connected gives her hope. There’s “resilience in these kids,” she said. “I watch them on the screen and they inspire me.” Other non-profits are creating detailed how-to videos about common online education platforms in languages such as Arabic and Somali. They’re also studying the impact of the used computers given to some families in the spring, trying to get grants to help the many families who still need them this winter, said Katie Loutitt with the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations. Families can access $10/month internet from Telus for Good through their schools, and the Inner City High School has been experimenting with Facebook-based technology to find solutions students can use in rural areas and when internet connections are weak. Within Indigenous communities, there’s a specific risk among students who already didn’t feel connected to or supported by the education system, said Evelyn Steinhauer, a professor at the University of Alberta’s Educational Policy Studies Department. Indigenous students are spread across public, Catholic and reserve schools today. “A lot of those children already, as it was, were lost in that system,” she said, worrying children will be a year behind. “Imagine how many of those we’re going to lose,” she said. It may get so hard, she said, some students won’t bother going to school at all. For those in rural areas, internet connectivity and access to technology can be a big challenge. Steinhauer, who is from the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, estimates that 90 per cent of students there didn’t go to school from May to June, and if they’re still online now, the challenges continue. Indigenous students, in particular, tend to learn better when they’re able to interact with their teachers and peers, and rely more on relationship building and non-verbal cues, she said. They also learn communally. “They share ideas, they exchange thoughts. There’s a lot of discussion that’s happening. And you can’t really do that in the Zoom setting. Can you imagine 35 people talking at the same time?” Teachers need to work on prioritizing that online. “You have to have interactive content, you have to have interactive tasks so that the students are interacting back and forth with the teacher and with one another.”

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The Bedouins: A hidden gem of Arabian cuisine in north Edmonton

Emily Gruz — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 19:20:17 +0000

If you’re looking for some of the finest Arabian cuisine, make the trek to north Edmonton and visit The Bedouins restaurant. Owner Emad Gaddafi welcomes you in like family and you’ll be treated to a declicious meal under drapery on the roof, meant to evoke the tents that nomadic Bedouin people of Africa eat under. The restaruant stresses fresh ingredients and huge portions meant for sharing. The best way to experience the is to let Gaddafi be your guide and go with the “Bedouin Experience.” He’ll ask what you like, how adventurous your palate is, and then put together several courses that won’t disappoint. And, if you’re not happy, he’ll bring you something else! Chances are, you’ll be more than satisfied and discover some new favourites. The restaurant has all the authentic dishes AND some surprises. I wouldn’t have thought to order a burger or steak, but both are unbelievably good. Give them a call for an unforgettable takeout, delivery or dine-in experience.

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Dining Out: Well worth a visit, Turquaz Kebab House offers delightful dining experience

Emily Gruz — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 06:16:16 +0000

You know that feeling when you ‘discover’ some great new thing only to find out you were, in fact, the last person in Edmonton to know? Like, hey, you should try Padmanadi for vegetarian food, or, wow, Duchess makes great macarons. That’s kind of how I feel about Turquaz Kebab House, the north side hotspot for Lebanese and Turkish cuisine that I had never heard of until recently I stumbled across it as I drove along 137 Avenue some months ago, vowing to try it for a review. Little did I know when I showed up with three friends last Saturday night that dozens upon dozens of savvier folks had beat me to it. Even at 8 p.m., the crowd waiting in the foyer threatened to spill out into the parking lot. I stayed long enough to find out the wait would be at least 30 minutes, and that, according to those in line, it was most certainly worth it. We were too hungry to wait so my partner and I returned the next night, hoping it would be less busy. It was, but only moderately so. I will caution you now: go, but go between Monday and Thursday While the size of the weekend crowd is daunting, it does add to the crazy, festive charm of the place. It’s a family place first and foremost, especially on weekends. Kids dash between the tables and babies are passed among multiple generations. Turquaz even has a play room with projectors that shine moving, multi-coloured light patterns on the floor, which small children chase enthusiastically, like kittens after a laser pointer The restaurant, which serves halal food and no alcohol, includes separate prayer rooms for men and women, plus a wudu room for ritual washing before meals. Many of its customers are from the city’s Muslim communities, staff explained. The restaurant is huge, extremely bright, and decorated in the neutral style of family restaurants, save for the lovely Moorish-style chandeliers in shades of blue that hang throughout the space. There are also two water features — a wall of illusory, streaming water behind glass that divides the two large seating areas on each side from the central, open kitchen and ordering counter. The style is a cross between casual and sit-down dining, with patrons ordering and paying at the counter; the food is brought to the table by servers when it’s ready. In practice, the system — and there is most definitely a well-oiled system in place — was confusing to a newbie like me. When your number is called you order and pay at the counter, where you’re given yet another number, then a table, to which your food is delivered a little while later. The friendly staff guided us efficiently through the process until we were seated right in the middle of one of the two large rooms. Before the entrees we ordered arrived, a complimentary basket of two plump, perfectly round pitas arrived, warm and fresh from the oven. They bore almost no resemblance to the dry and shriveled variety most of us are familiar with — these were delicately chewy and pillowy soft, served with a delicious tzatziki-like dip of lemon, garlic, yogurt and mint. For our entrees we ordered the adana kebab ($16.95) and the trio kebab ($20.95). Each came on a huge platter, with skewers of perfectly charbroiled meat atop rice infused with a hint of allspice. Alongside was a generous dollop of smooth, tahini-rich hummus, thick and creamy garlic sauce, a tasty salad of mixed lettuce, cabbage, cucumber and tomato, and a good-sized handful of French fries. The trio came with skewers of chicken breast, beef and kafta (spiced ground beef), each of which was deliciously moist and char-grilled. The adana kebab, made of slightly spicy ground lamb and beef, was equally great. The least interesting item on the plate was the French fries, which were fine but unnecessary. The portions were so generous, a single platter would have been enough for two to share. We also shared a fatouch salad ($7.95), a yummy version of the traditional tomato-cucumber-parsley-mint combination with crunchy pieces of pita, crisp sliced radishes, and a bright lemony vinaigrette. Other interesting dishes we didn’t try include platters with whole fish (sea bream or pompano), as well as a falafel platter for non-meat eaters. Kebab wraps are also available for between $7 and $10, as are lunch-sized portions of the dinner entrees for $11.95. The lentil soup came highly recommended by a fellow behind us in line, but our appetites could only handle so much. We did squeeze in a few small treats at the end (to go) — a small pistachio cookie, a black cumin seed cookie that was like a cumin-scented shortbread, and a walnut cookie stuffed with ground walnuts and soaked in honey syrup. We enjoyed the experience so much, I was, for a moment, reluctant to share a review for fear the kebab house would be overrun with fans. But alas, it’s already too late. DINING OUT Turquaz Kebab House Location: 13310 137 Ave. Dinner for two (no alcohol is served): $40-$50 Noise level: Lively Accessibility: Good More information: Visit turquazkebabhouse.com or call 780-476-4511

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Mona Ismaeil: Blogging about Being a Modern Mohajaba in Edmonton

Emily Gruz — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 21:47:53 +0000

Mona Ismaeil is the owner of Modern Hejab, an online hijab store, and blogs at My Modern Hijab. She is also the director of External Affairs for the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council (AMPAC) in Edmonton, Alberta. Muslim Link interviewed Mona about her experiences being a blogger focused on life as a woman who wears hijab.

Tell us about yourself

“I am a first generation Canadian Egyptian. I was born and raised in Jasper National Park, Alberta. I moved to Edmonton, Alberta to pursue post-secondary education in the field of Elementary Education. I have been in Edmonton since 2004 where I have worked as a teacher for 3 years, married and raised my children”.

Why did you start your blog?

“I’ve had two blogs. The first blog I created was a part of my Online Hijab Business, www.modernhejab.com. I used it as a marketing tool as well as to share tips and tricks for Mohajabas (women who wear hijab). I shared information about the best underscarves to use, Hijab styles for Eid, how to use Hijab Accessories, etc. I soon realized that I was really confined by blogging for the business and I wanted to blog for myself and and my readers. I wanted to explore topics that were more than just hijab. I started writing about other topics related to not only wearing hijab but “Being a Modern Mohajaba”. I wanted to share my experiences and my advice for living the hijabi life that was beyond underscarves and hijab pins. In Fall 2017, I launched my new blog www.mymodernhjiab.com. Here I talk about everything and anything related to hijab fashion and being a Mohajaba. It’s the fashion, the ups and downs, the life and the love for hijab”.

You are based in Edmonton, Alberta. How do you feel your experience as a Muslim hijabi blogger based in Alberta contrasts with those of other Canadian bloggers based in Ontario and Quebec?

“I’m forever grateful that I have had nothing but positive experiences as a Muslimah in Edmonton and Alberta. I’ve always been met with respect, understanding, compassion and acceptance. Perhaps I am just lucky. Of course, our ideas about being a Muslimah or Mohajaba develop based on our experiences. Therefore I may have a more positive outlook than those in places where they experience racism, discrimination and Islamophobia. Although we have had a few incidents of Islamophobia here in Edmonton, I would still say as a whole, my outlook is still very positive”.

You are doing a lot of public speaking now in Edmonton. How has this come about and what insights are you gaining from this experience about the needs and interests of Muslim women in Edmonton?

“It has been a great blessing to have these opportunities. I am a great believer in honest and open dialogue and it seems that other people value that as well so they ask me to be apart of women’s panels, workshops and even news interviews. My speaking engagements have been in two different areas. First of all, through my expertise in Hijab Fashion and styling I have been doing different events related to Hijab and Women in Islam. These have been aimed at showcasing the beauty in Hijab and Islam and about sharing my experience as a Muslim Woman in the West.”

“Secondly, after joining AMPAC (The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council) as the Director of the External Affairs portfolio I have been given the opportunity to work alongside an amazing friend and mentor, Nakita Valerio (VP of External Affairs). She has taught me so much about not only Islam and Islamophobia but also about creating connections with other communities.” “Further, I have been given the opportunity to be part of AMPAC’s Muslim Women’s Town Hall meeting where we discussed the needs of women in our community. We have come to realize that the main factors that hold our women back or restrict them are not the external factors placed on us by living in a Western/Non-Islamic Community but moreso they stem from within our community! That was a huge eye opener for me. We are accustomed to blaming those outside of our community for discrimination, racism, misunderstandings, lack of acceptance, etc. But the real issues are rooted deep in our own community. It’s obviously not about Islam itself but how Muslims practice it. It’s factors such as sexism, racism, lack of education, lack of empowerment, double standards, abuse, and so much more that we do not talk about. They are so rooted into our cultures that we don’t even realize they are an issue. We allow our cultures to influence how we practice our religion. That’s a problem”

According to Statistics Canada, Muslim women are disproportionately the targets of Islamophobic attacks. How does this reality impact your relationship with your hijab? Is this something you see as a concern for your readers?

“I think that this issue is expected as we are obvious Muslims. Before anyone knows anything about us they know we are Muslim. We are the face of Islam, we ARE Islam in the eyes of many people. All their misguided beliefs and preconceived beliefs about Muslims get projected on us. For me, my hijab is my identity. I wear it because I want people to know I am Muslim. I know very well that if it came between my husband or I it would be me that would take the brunt of any Islamophobic attack but I am ready. I have come to a point in my life and my relationship with Allah (swt) where I have CHOSEN to be a Muslim. Yes, I was a born Muslim but I took the time to explore myself, my life, Islam and consciously CHOSE to be Muslim. This means different things for different people but for me it is about being ready to live Islam, and in this day and age to defend Islam and be a ambassador of the Deen (religion) whether that means a thoughtful understanding conversation or an Islamophobic attack”. I do fear for my readers. The more Islamophobic attacks I see taking place around the world, the more I worry about my sisters. I know that every Hijabi in the West and quite possibly the world knows that her day may come. The incident might be a rude comment or it may be a physical attack. At the same time I have great belief that my sisters are soldiers and their hijab is their armor. They are strong and I know they are ready for whatever comes their way. They will face it with confidence, grace and most importantly their Iman (faith)”. Follow Mona Ismaeil’s blog on Facebook here

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