The family were killed when the driver of a truck swerved into them A family of five in London, Ontario, Canada, were waiting at a crosswalk on June 6 when the driver of a truck intentionally swerved his vehicle into them, killing four. Canadian police later concluded that the driver, 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman, who was later apprehended in the parking lot of a nearby shopping mall, had intentionally targeted the family because they were Muslim, describing it as a hate crime. Although the murders occurred more than 200 miles to the northeast of his city, Drew Dilkens, the mayor of Windsor, Canada, told Arab News that he was compelled to reach out to Windsor’s Muslim community and reassure them that they were welcomed, loved and supported, not just in his city, but throughout Canada. “The message that I tried to convey is, as a community, we are educating one another, that we all have a responsibility to the greater good of society. To understand different religions. To understand different cultures,” Dilkens said. “It doesn’t mean you have to buy into different religions, or you have to hang out at a community center that is designed for a people of a different culture. It doesn’t mean any of that. But it means we coexist here in Windsor, one of the most diverse communities in Canada. And that is actually what makes us stronger.” Dilkens said he was shocked by the killings and sympathized with the family and the Muslim community, adding that he went to a local Mosque in Windsor to assure them that they are supported and that locals understand their concerns. “It’s just something that is so wrong, on every front. It is wrong. No one can be tolerant of this. No one can sort of look aside and carry on with their day. You need to pause. You need to reflect on what happened here,” Dilkens said. A public funeral was held on June 10 for members of the deceased family including: Salman Afzaal, 46, a physiotherapist who worked in long-term care homes; his wife Madiha Salman, 44, who was a doctoral student in civil engineering; their daughter, Yumna, 15; and Afzaal’s mother, Talat Afzaal, 74. Fayez Afzaal, 9 — who survived the attack and is expected to recover — remains hospitalized with serious injuries. He is now an orphan. Dilkens said that every parent can identify with the fear of this tragedy. Veltman has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Police said they are also categorizing Veltman’s violence as an act of terrorism, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denouncing the hate crime as “an act of terrorism.” “It’s just one of those events that just feels so inhumane. If you are a parent and you have children, you recognize this 9-year-old innocent boy is now orphaned. I think it just impacts just any parent, any human to their core. And the closer it is to home, the more real it seems,” Dilkens said. “In my comments to the Muslim community at one of the Dua’as that they held, I basically said that we all know this could have happened here which is why this feels so real because this was so indiscriminate. You think of any community anywhere in the world, where after dinner a family would go out for a walk. That could be anywhere. You realize when it is so close to you just up the highway, it could have happened here. And families out here walk.” Muslims make up about 5 percent of the population of Windsor, Dilkens said, emphasizing “that is growing each and every day. … I can’t break down every religion but every religion is represented.” “That bright light that will survive, that young Fayaz, maybe orphaned from his parents, but he now has an entire nation that will support him and love him and make sure he is taken care of,” Dilkens said. Windsor has seen racial change, but the city adapts and respects all religions, Dilkens said. “We as a country and as a city have been welcoming to immigrants. I think just a few years ago our country accepted some 25,000 Syrian refugees. We had over 1,000 come down to our community alone and in fact I live next door to one of those people,” Dilkens said. “When you start to understand the story, it really humanizes the trials and tribulations that some people have gone through to come to a country like ours and to have a better life and to accomplish the same goals that all of us have is to improve our own life, to raise our own children peacefully, to set them on a path to success, and then be able to enjoy the golden years with some activity and a good circle of friends in a safe way, of course.” Dilkens said the racism of the past is being recognized and confronted by Canadians throughout the country. “Those barriers that may have once existed 30 years ago are already being broken and that is fantastic. It is this melting pot, we call it the fabric of society. Everyone is woven into the fabric in Canada. It is on proud display. It is on proud display here and our community is just richer because of it,” Dilkens said noting he is proud of “the great relationship” he has with the Muslim community. “They are welcomed and their opinions and concerns are important to me. … When things like this happen, to be there for them, to say I listen, I have your back and I support you and I am going to stand up and be with you at this particular time because I know how something like this hurts.” Dilkens said he does not support a bill that was introduced by officials in the nearby province of Quebec, Bill 21, which would ban the display of religious objects while at work. “When you see something that you don’t understand and it makes you curious, don’t bury that feeling and somehow harbor that some sort of resentment against an entire group of people, ask why. And through that understanding then maybe you develop an appreciation, and more importantly a respect. And respect is what allows us to live harmoniously together as a diverse community.” Dilkens made his comments during an appearance on “The Ray Hanania Radio Show” Wednesday, June 16 broadcast on WNZK AM 690 Radio in Detroit and on WDMV AM 700 Radio in Washington D.C. The radio program is broadcast on the U.S. Arab Radio Network and sponsored by Arab News newspaper. The audio podcast and video of the radio interview can be found on the newspaper’s website at ArabNews.com.