Statement from Mayor McCabe regarding hate-motivated incident

It is with sadness, a heavy heart and a firm commitment that I write this statement today to address a recent hate-motivated altercation at a Kitchener DriveTest centre. This hateful act has shaken our community, our staff and Council. It goes against the very essence of who Waterloo is as a diverse and inclusive community.

We will not tolerate hatred, discrimination, or racism. We must come together, united in our shared values of respect, compassion, and understanding.

I admire Mifrah’s courage in strongly standing up to this hate. We are with Mifrah Abid and her family in solidarity with everyone affected by this incident.

We reaffirm our support for all members of our community.

As your Mayor, I commit to fostering an environment of inclusivity and to actively working towards eradicating hate from our community. Let us all be very clear and all together: we reject hatred and prejudice and pledge to build a stronger, more united community for everyone.

The City values being a welcoming and caring community for all persons, inclusive of race, religion, abilities, age, sexual identity, and circumstances of birth. We will continue to use internal resources to address hate anywhere in Waterloo. We support communities that may be impacted by these behaviors, and will continue to work with community partners to advance initiatives confronting hate.

Mayor Dorothy McCabe