From her home in northeast Calgary, Saima Jamal scrolls through nearly a dozen hateful comments posted online ahead of a Muslim event in the city.
“One person said, ‘Hey, someone should plow into them.’ Another person is saying, ‘Please check their ID, arrest, deport,'” she said.
Jamal, the co-founder of the Calgary Immigrant Support Society — a group first created more than a decade ago to help Syrian refugees settle into life in Calgary — has lived in Alberta for almost 30 years.
“Right now racism and hate is on steroids and I’ve never seen this level of hatred toward immigrant communities,” Jamal said. “Muslim communities, Indians, anyone that is wearing a turban.”
The online comments, ranging from threatening to unkind, appeared on a recent post promoting the city’s Muslim Heritage Day festival. Calgary police said there was no credible threat to public safety but assigned uniformed officers to attend the event. It was held a day after two men were stabbed at a Sikh temple in Edmonton. Edmonton police are still trying to determine whether that attack was a hate crime.
Sikh community leaders believe anti-Sikh hate within the province is on the rise.
“We’ve seen this in online forums,” said Harman Kandola, Alberta regional president for the World Sikh Organization of Canada. “When you see that hate leave social media and come into the real world where actual injuries have happened, it is extremely, extremely shocking.”
Edmonton police say there have been 139 hate incidents and 43 hate crimes to date in 2026. Calgary police say of 272 suspected hate crimes or incidents reports this year, 44 were deemed to be hate-motivated after investigation, with newcomers or immigrants targeted most often.
Following the Sikh temple attack, Edmonton police Chief Warren Driechel expressed concern about heightened tensions.
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“We can’t politicize this incident (but) as the chief of the Edmonton Police Service, I see the heightened geopolitical tensions and increasing polarization around the world showing up locally,” he said Aug. 21.
University of Alberta political science professor Jared Wesley says the referendum debate in Alberta is contributing to the climate.
“I have concerns about where this is, not where it’s headed,” he said. “I mean, it is entirely predictable when you table a series of referendum questions about the future treatment of immigrants in Alberta society that the conversation would not be simply limited to economic questions.”
On Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on 10 referendum questions put forward by the Alberta government, five of them dealing with immigration policy.
One question asks: “Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration to more sustainable levels, prioritizing economic migration and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?”
Another asks: “Do you support the Government of Alberta introducing a law mandating that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents and individuals with an Alberta approved immigration status will be eligible for provincially-funded programs, such as health care, education and other social services?”
Albertans will also vote on whether they want a future referendum asking if the province should remain in Canada or begin the legal process to hold a binding referendum on separation.
“In a very real way,” Wesley said, “the big referendum question, the one around whether Alberta should remain in Canada, isn’t just one about whether we want to start our own country but what kind of country would we want to start and for a lot of folks, not everyone, but for a lot of folks in the separatist movement they have a very different view of what Alberta should be.”
Based on two years of researching the movement by attending rallies and town halls and conducting surveys and focus groups, Wesley believes an independent Alberta is seen by many within the movement as predominantly white and Christian.
“Whether that’s on purpose or whether that is subconsciously being projected, those are the types of messages that you see when you’re in separatist chat rooms or in different corners of social media or even at rallies,” said Wesley.
“Alberta Prosperity Project events often start with a Christian prayer and chief organizer Mitch Sylvestre often refers to the fact that it’s nice to be in a room full of white folks that are not ashamed of being white,” Wesley said.
Wesley said it’s also not unusual to hear white replacement theory discussed at these town halls, a conspiracy theory that involves bringing non-white people into communities through immigration and ‘open borders.’
Global News contacted Sylvestre, the leader of the Alberta Prosperity Project, for comment about Wesley’s research but he did not provide a response.
A spokesperson for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith rejected any claim that the fall’s referendum questions could be linked to an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment or hate.
“Any accusation that the referendum questions on sustainable immigration constitute racism is false and inflammatory,” said Sam Blackett, Alberta government director of media relations and press secretary to the premier.
“These questions simply address the current unsustainable immigration levels in Canada that are putting real pressure on critical public services.
“These questions also reflect the feedback we heard from Albertans during the Alberta Next town halls.”
Recent polls indicate that ‘Yes’ will win on these five questions.
This is the beginning of the media using gentrification as a weapon against the people who built the country. Give ‘ em all a week to run everything, and the whole infrastructure would crash: no power, no fuel, nothing. They are incompetent; this is why they come here- India, for instance: look up, poo to the loo. Romans had plumbing and toilets 200 years ago, yet India falters with it.
This isn’t about race, it’s the fact that we witness these people throwing their trash on the street and not being held to account. Some do much worse than just throw trash. Not feeling safe? Leave!!!
Awwweee poor turbans. Go back to turban land. No one wants your filth and stink here or your wars! had enough of the over run of turbans and nd the frikking FN screwing MY COUNTRY AROUND!!
White and Proud🤚
Mass immigration of Muslim men wrecks every country where it takes place. Those who benefit from it of course try to cry racism when it’s actually logical critical thinking. Mass immigration is a negative for the average person. These media companies are owned by billionaires who don’t care about the average Canadians. Wakeup dummies
Bloh me sandrah
Read comments below to verify article headline claim.
Redneck racism is alive and well.
Look what we did to the natives when we came here. And now we are complaining of the same. Entitled we are eh.
No Ken, the comments in this section prove that Canadians are tired of what is happening to this country. The people who came here years ago integrated perfectly with our society, but the more recent additions will not even sit at the same table as whyts in a work lunchroom. They hate Canadians and know how to get out of doing work and get free money before they even land their first job.
What’s equally bad if if I say whi te a post like this eill be deleted, unless I am using it in a sentence to degrade Canadians.
The comment’s in this thread actually prove everything that was said in the article. And Alberta separatists can kiss my ass. At least that’s one thing they’re good at.
immigrant groups are getting larger . pulling the race card is their best weapon so Canadians will be in fear . as they destroy Canada turning it to a third world country
No, its not.
REVOLUTION IS THE ONLY WAY!!! THEY ARE TAKING OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY FROM US!!! DRIVE THEM OUT NOW!!!
You give me package steak I give you one of my twenty wives
Trudeau said ” Immigrants make Canada better ” !
“Right now racism and hate is on steroids and I’ve never seen this level of hatred toward immigrant communities,” Jamal said. “Muslim communities, Indians, anyone that is wearing a turban.”
What nonsense! Most of the racism Indian Canadians face is from Muslims and Khalistanis
“We’ve seen this in online forums,” said Harman Kandola, Alberta regional president for the World Sikh Organization of Canada. ”
What are these Khalistanis whining about? I thought they loved separatism. lol
It’s not Islamophobia or racism. If you welcomed me into your Country and I immediately began to rearrange your furniture, repainted your home and decided to not use your toilet because I preferred to defecate outside, regardless of polluting your Rivers, Lakes, Parks and Beaches!
…Capishe!
I totally understand Islamophobia. Muslims don’t think of non-muslims as brothers and sisters of the human family. They think of us as apostates
Not to worry, when cunada part of USA they’ll all be focking deported!
Racism is rampant if your a whyte person travelelling thru any reserve
There is a huge difference between racism and resentment. I am not a racist but I resent the hell out of my tax dollars supporting programs that are of zero benefit to Canadians. My niece who is a teacher in Vancouver has sadly quit teaching altogether. She did not go to university to become an ESL teacher. When she spoke with other teachers, parents and students, the problem seems to be that these kids were not newcomers to Canada, many of them have lived here for years but their families didn’t bother learning English. Nope. Just pour them into Canadian schools and expect our teachers to do it. We are tripling their workload by asking them to teach a lesson in three different languages. No wonder there is teacher shortage.
Racist is as Liberals blather.
Only the Liberal Party of Canada could have 2 provinces and many other citizens thinking of separating from Canada.
“Any accusation that the referendum questions on sustainable immigration constitute racism is false and inflammatory,” said Sam Blackett, Alberta government director of media relations and press secretary to the premier.
Mr. Blackett is totally correct.
Btw, dig deeper, it’s not your turban we have issues with.
And stop calling us racists if you insist on living in your own closed off communities that, btw, you fashion on the 3rd world sh*tholes you left behind.
Interestingly enough, Filipino, Chinese, Polish, Ukrainian people don’t close themselves off and actually work to enrich Canada in many ways.
All you do is complain.
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O what a crock!! Go home if you are not happy here!! Accusing us of racism just because we oppose your religions, kurans and whines!! Byee!!
Let me fix this headline:
Criminals lash out calling everyone racist as they live illegally in the country.
Common Sense at 2:38 am
Absolutely, you said this perfectly.
Well fellow cons, its time to take a long hard look why our habits required that immigrants be brought in year over year
Never mind this party or that. All parties bring in immigrants. None of us complained when immigrants were working and most of us hid in our homes. Its not the government’s but the greedy business owners we need to single out if we want to complain about. These owners love cheap labor, but we end up getting bad service all the way around.
Dont blame sugar, blame who ate the sugar.
The Liberals have flooded Canada with government dependent immigrants to boost their prospects at the polls, and it worked for them. Canada is now effectively a one party state. Time to pay the piper…
Why did these so called peaceful Muslims celebrate when Hamas invaded Israel killing Israelis men women and children. Then protest against Israel for defending its citizens. Islamophobia is not an unwarranted phobia. They teach non Muslims are the enemy.
Definitely not a belief in peace.
Canadian citizens are just waking up. How many atrocities are linked to the Muslim religion/ social construct.
We need to continue and welcome the third world into Canada. Our housing, Healthcare and social systems need to be abused so Canadians can be taxed further to accommodate our socialist beliefs, look how well it’s working in Europe something Carney wants to be part of. Elbows up Suckers !!!
What a load of hogwash
Has ZERO to do with the referendum.
The Filipinos, Chinese, Ukrainians, etc had ZERO issues when they came here. People embraced them. You know why? They came here, worked hard, and fit in. Along the way they’d show us a little of their culture.
The recent flood of Indians? They came here to invade, take over, contribute nothing, not fit in to our societal norms, and to make a mess of the place. Screw them. Send them back and bring more of the others.
Once they get their own country under control and not a polluting garbage dump, then we can have a conversation.
Axe the immigrants.
what is wrong with you Canadian people! we need Canada to be a third world sewage hole!! we need a over populated melting pot with dirty water ,pollution and high crime. we need the average Canadian to bow down to the new Canadians and if you don’t the great liberal government will pull out the racist card and make it law!!!
Lots of assumptions being made here. More investigative journalism is needed.
Dud of a story.
We lost our values.
Nope.
It is not racism it is people getting tired of others trying to change Canada. If you don’t like the way Canada is go home. We should not be changing our ways for nobody. Canada’s languages are English and French learn it before trying to work here and not speak it. We say Merry Christmas. We love dogs and have them as part of our family. Don’t try and change anything.
Welcome to cunada, bring your wives who’s your mother, sister’s, aunt’s
Soon the liberal government will pass a law so they can merry children .because as carney says ” Muslim values are canadian values “
No way, not in Alaberta….‘Shocking’, lol!
More propaganda from the terrified Left.
It’s awful how the wyt people pooped all over during the illegal convoy occupation in Ottawa
Well I’m to cunada, land of oppoortunity, the cows there for the milking!
Young guys from india security guards, get a focking man’s job for facks sake!
The racist Indian and Chinese ones are anyway…
This whole racism thing is very worrying. I’ve always been proud that we are not racist like so many Americans. What is happening to our province? With this racism thing happening as well as the separatist movement, it’s becoming embarrassing to be called Albertan.
What did these liberals think would happen liberal stolen taxpayer money funded media started the insults. Quebec is independence and Alberta are separatists. Liberals controlled mainstream propaganda media support racism against caucasian males. They are subsidizing immigrant wages 30 to 50 percent. Do these immigrants integrate into Canadian society. No they want Canada to become the country they left. Why didn’t liberal controlled media report Islamic protests calling for death of Canada US Israel and western society with loud speakers. Nope apparently they over heard someone saying something they didn’t like?
This journalist is more sci-fi trash writer Trade deal would have been done but closed market gouging media in Canada will never end bill C18. Global your no better then the treasonous media that turned the Germany public into twisted ideology. How do you sleep at night. Islam teaches hate and non Muslims are the enemy. Guess keep blaming caucasian males you steal from via liberal taxation.
They don’t need to come to Canada to destroy it when they can do it over the phone lots of call centers in India
Are we still playing the “if you’re not in favour of unfettered immigration and zero checks and balances you’re a racist” game? No. Enough.
You know who’s most against illegal immigration? Recent immigrants who went through the process legally, built a life here and are contributing to Canadian society.
Hate is subjective. Pooping in public and robbing stores in broad daylight is not.
Dear liberals,
You did this. And now you’re doing it to Americans. You are haters. You are so bored in retirement you can think of nothing but hate.
Is this due to public pooping, excessive illegal dumping in the northeast, unqualified truck drivers causing accidents, students attending fake schooling and not going home after their stay expires or spray paint graffiti in parks? Did I forget anything?
That word was never seen or spoke until a certain group showed up, maybe that group should go home and save a whole lot of problems that we don’t need
@Ben
“Show me a study” is pretty weak stuff
Global has pretty much become my outrage porn. LOL.
I read it, but just to see how the progressives view the world. This article is another example of how ideologically captured and ridiculous it has become.
The referendum questions are causing racism? Wow!
We are immigrants as all people have migrated from other parts of the planet to where they are today! That includes First Nations to the newest immigrant today!
Racism today comes from bigots who think they are important and complain that about everything only to blame someone else other than themselves due to their narrow minded thinking and how they have been raised!
Try to enjoy the world and the days everyday as most of us are only alive for 80 years so enjoy your time instead of being a bigot to others just because they are different.
Average Canadians are not racist and the attempt to try and brush all of us as racist will no longer have the same impact it would have had a decade ago. Why ?? Because the left has used the racist, homophobic and Islamophobic slurs way too often and mostly out of context, so the labels do not have the social stigma they once had. That said, if migrant communities were to condemn the radicals within their communities then maybe average Canadians would see them in a different perspective. I enjoy my neighbours and friends from different communities but I am also frustrated at their lack of isolating and condemning those radicals that give their community a bad name. We are all Canadians so let’s unite to remove the threats to our security and live together.
Stop
temporary means temporary. visa expired time to go
Pretty sure I saw one, here, the other day decrying white people as racist because a country that is allegedly ruled by the evil white people allows people, regardless of race, to come be a part of our culture because…? Apparently student visa expiry dates are racist.
nice lies. classic tactic play the victim.
we really dont care cry more please.
Canatoiletda that’s all we are.
We see a similar sentiment in eastern Canada, too. Our company hired a large number of workers who immigrated from two African countries, and a common observation is they watch tiktok videos that depict white people as racists and slavers. The stuff that was said in those videos should not have been allowed, it would offend anyone that heard or watched it. They think this accurately reflects our current society and that we owe them something.
Since we’re one species, racism is a false intellectual construct and there are no different “races..”
The correct term would be bigotry…
Defund the cbc!
If you call a spade a spade, you are racist. Liberal Logic 🤡
All you freedomb fighters or not ask yourself why Canadian / Albertan owned businesses would rather hire immigrants to run their businesses?
Durka durka, mohammed jihad sherpa sherpa bakhala!
Last I checked, criticising people for defecating in public has nothing to do with race.
There is nothing more racist than calling complaints about immigration racist.
Immigrants reflect many races, cultures and so on.
So, stop being a bigotted racist liberal. It makes you dumber by the second.
The left, and the media, do not understand what racism is. Also replacement is not a racist idea, it is what is happening with the help of leftist authoritarians.
Meanwhile in UK they are sending out pamphlets telling asylum seekers, immigrants & refugees that take and female genital mutilation and abuse isn’t allowed ….bahahah just like Canada the frog is slowly boiling . Send them back.
The problem is the liberal government. Get them gone. And the rest of the problems can be cleaned up such as immigrant flooding
Stick them down our throats. Take a dump on us .they anyone points it out bring out the racist card . Total liberal way
@Anonymous. Can you refer to the peer reviewed study or actual crime stats from a governmental organization that you based your conclusions on?
Every single big drug bust is ALWAYS the “New Canadians” but WE are the problem? Global used to be a respected news source. You’re now TRASH!!
@Alex. Smith said she wanted more immigration to Alberta in the Shaun Newman podcast in January 2024. She got what she wanted. Subsequently she changed her mind. So your point really doesn’t hold water.
MAGA traitors are an UnCanadian racist bunch! Kick them out.
Any racism is just wrong and we should all in good conscience condemn same.
It makes sense though, one of the biggest reasons Alberta wants to seperate is because of federal immigration quotas. It’s the same thing as indigenous groups having a say in the referendum; you are the reason Alberta wants to seperate.
SEND THEM ALL HOME NOW!!! THEY ARE DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY, TAKING ALL OUR JOBS AND BUSINESSES, EVERYONE I KNOW IS SO ANGRY AND FED UP!!! GO HOME!!!
Remove my post up your azz global liberal news . Flood canada with east east indians. Giving them free money. Free education. And grants to destroy business turning canda into a third world county .taking advantage of our health care as true born Canadians fight to put food on our tables. And we are the problem?
Its funny .you see them in extortion rings .doing ever crime imaginable. But you point your finger at us ? Fu
Its easy. Lose the turban, hijab, burka and learn english. Learn the customs of Canada, ie DO NOT RAPE CHILDREN AND ABUSE WOMEN. Become Canadian. Your country of origin will always be that but if you want the benefits of Canada, become a Canadian.
That is the problem in a nutshell. Why are there ‘immigrant groups’. When you immigrate, one should join the host country. If you want to be an activist for your old country, remain there.
We need to quit counting people by their ethnic origin. What does it matter in a poll whether one is Indian or from Italy. We should not be asking what immigrants think, but what all Canadians think. – that is what will bring us together. All this reporting of groups is breaking us up.
Likewise seems like an increase in xenophobia and resistance to integration by immigrants
Canada in the past brought in trained immigrants like doctors and engineers. Today we bring in uneducated rural people in mass that the Liberals hope that they will vote for them by giving the immigrants a lot of free benefits.
A few decades ago the immigrants were welcomed in Canada because they wanted to become Canadians. These days immigrants usually don’t want to become Canadians but to live as they did in their own country even to the point of scolding Canadians that don’t live and believe in the things they do. If this ‘them vs us’ attitude continues, anti-immigrant sentiment will get worse.
Immigration groups can shut the hell up.
Diversity isn’t our strength
Most of their “degrees” and credentials are bogus and they are culturally incompatible with western civilization and refuse to leave their child marrying, woman abusing ways behind them.
Kick them all out