Refugees should not be made scapegoats for Paris attacks, Ontario groups say

Anti-racism groups in the province are calling on Ontariodo more to combat the spike in hate crimes that has followed the Paris attacks.

Groups including the Canadian Arab Federation and the African-Canadian Legal Clinicwent to Queen's Park on Thursday toraiseconcerns in the wake ofan attack on a Muslim woman in Torontoanda fire at a mosque inPeterborough, Ont., that is being investigated as a hate crime.

• Muslim women hit with racial slurs, pushed on Toronto subway
• Syrian family arrives in Torontosafe but penniless
• Muslim women, children urged to walk in pairs after attack
• 'Frightening' attacks leave Ontario Muslims shaken

As Canada prepares to receive 25,000 Syrian refugees, the group worries the newcomerscould become targets for harassment and violence aspeople drawlinks between ISIS militants and Syrian refugees. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed 129 people in the French capital on Friday.

"We cannot use these Syrian refugees as a scapegoat," Mohamed Boudjenane, the acting president of the Canadian Arab Federation, said. "These same people we are bringing to Canada are the main victims of these terrorist groups."

His colleague, Mohamed El Rashidy, saidthe people coming to Canada are not asylum seekers, they are refugees, who have already been undergoing screening as they wait in United Nations camps for years.

Debbie Douglas, the executive director of the Ontario Council or Agencies Serving Immigrants, saidCanada is "absolutely" ready for an influx of refugees.

InOntario, her organization has for months been arranging housing that ranges from low-cost motels to dormitory rooms, she said.

"Some politicians have been fanning the whole notion that anyone coming from that part of the world must be a terrorist and we as Canadians should be closing our doors," Douglassaid.

She calledon the province to launch a major public education campaign to boost support for refugees.

Earlier this week, Premier Kathleen Wynnereconfirmed Ontario'scommitment to welcome Syrian refugees fleeing civil war in their country.

Wynne plans to deliver remarks Friday at the Ottawa Mosque alongsideCommunity Safety MinisterYasir Naqvi.

The province is considering using recently decommissioned hospitals as temporary housing for refugees.