Calls for tolerance at Montreal funeral for men killed in Quebec City mosque attack

Politicians and Muslim leaders called for greater tolerance and openness at the Montreal funeral today for three of the men killed in the Quebec City mosque shooting.

Several thousand people gathered at the Maurice Richard Arena for a service for Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane and Aboubaker Thabti, who were honoured before their bodies are repatriated to their countries of origin.

• Readmore about the victims here
• Fullcoverage of the QuebecCity mosque attack

In a show of solidarity, one by one, political leaders and representatives from the Muslim community spoke of the importance of coming together.

"It is with a heavy heart that we come together this afternoon to grieve the loss of these innocent lives," Prime Minister Justin Trudeausaid.

"But as acommunityand country, together we will rise from this darknessstrongerand more unified than ever before."

Trudeau: 'We will rise from this darkness'

8 years ago

Duration 0:41

Trudeau speaks at funeral for victims of Quebec mosque shooting

Wake-up call

The funeral began nearly a half hour later than expected, with a steady stream of mourners requiredto passthrough security on their way into the building.

At times, the atmosphere resembled a political rally, with hearty applause after calls for unity. The shooting hasprompted soul searching in Quebec about the tone of news media coverage and political debate aboutMuslims.

AlexandreBissonnette, 27, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder in connection with the attack, which also left 19 injured.

The caskets of the three men honoured Thursday were draped in wreaths and the flags of their homelands.

Thabti, 44, was a pharmacist of Tunisian origin who had three children. Belkacemi, a 60-year-old father of two, was from Algeria and a professor at Laval University. Hassane,41,also from Algeria, was a father of three and worked in information technology for the provincial government.

There were also prayers at the service for the other three men killed in the mosque attack,Mamadou Tanou Barry, Ibrahima Barry and Azzedine Soufiane, who will be remembered at aservice in Quebec City on Friday.

The final prayeris called a janaza. The Arabic word means "to prepare for burial," but the original meaning is "to cover."

It refers to the shrouding of the deceased with a single piece of cotton cloth, as well as to the supplication in the funeral prayer itself, which calls on God to forgive the misdeeds of the deceased. The prayer, which is mostly silent, ends by asking God for mercy and forgiveness for the living as well.

A representative from the Muslim community said she's hopeful the attack will provoke reflection about the dangers of Islamophobia.

"Sometimes bad things can lead to good results," said Aziza Blili, head of the Fdration des Canadiens Musulmans.

"The empathy shown by so many fellow Canadians comforts us, and allows us to hope that there will be real change."

Mourners share messages at Montreal funeral for Quebec City shooting victims

8 years ago

Duration 1:38

Mourners share messages of hope and solidarity at the Montreal funeral for Quebec City shooting victims.

'We are all in mourning'

Mayor DenisCoderre, who helped organize the public funeral, said it was a chance to show solidarity with the victims and their families.

"We lost sixQuebecers, six Canadians," he said. "We are all brothers and sisters. We are all in mourning."

At a news conference after the funeral alongside Muslim leaders, Coderre stressed that there is no "us and them. We are all 'us.'"

For his part, Quebec Premier Couillardreiterated his call for a more tolerant discourse in the province, in news coverage and on social media.

• Premier urgesQuebecersto cool the rhetoric

"Words that people speak, that people write, are not harmless. They mean something," he said.

"They can unite people, they can heal people. They can also hurt."

Mohammed A Matin was among the mourners.Hearrived early, sayingit wasimportant for him to show solidarity and mourn the victims.

"The main thing is that we have to show the people Christians, Jews, Muslims or others that we are united against the violence, against the terrorism. All of us. everyone."

Couillard: 'What unites us is stronger than what divides us'

8 years ago

Duration 0:45

Couillard: 'What unites us is stronger than what divides us'

Quebec City service Friday

The funeralfor the other three men killed in the attack will beheld at the Quebec City convention centre Friday.

Quebec City Mayor Rgis Labeaume, who was also at the Montreal event, will be among those in attendance.

Doors open at 11 a.m. and an imam will address mourners at 12:30 p.m. Prayers beginat 1 p.m.

Quebec City doesn't have a place to bury people of the Muslim faith. Hadjira Belkacem, head of a non-profit Islamic burial association, said the five Muslim cemeteries in Quebec are all in the Montreal area.

Select moments from the funeral for three of the six victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting

8 years ago

Duration 1:43

Select moments from the funeral for three of the six victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting

Families of Muslims who die outside Montreal have to either deliver the bodies for burial in Quebec's largest city, or pay thousands of dollars to have them shipped to their countries of origin, he said.

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