Canadian Town Builds Mosque To Retain Muslim Doctors

The town of Gander in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, is working with its local Muslim community to establish the town’s first mosque and to retain Muslim doctors.

The town’s mayor, Percy Farwell, and Dr Mohamed Barasi, director of the Central Newfoundland Islamic Community, said Wednesday they hope a mosque will encourage Muslim doctors to stay in the region.

Farwell said there were several internationally-trained Muslim doctors working in Gander, and that in the past, the town has had difficulties convincing them to stay.

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“Doctors are parts of families, and families have needs that go way beyond the professional life of the physician,” Farwell said in an interview. “The rest of the community needs to be part of that.”

Barasi, an orthopaedic surgeon, said his community has been working with the Town of Gander for over a year to establish a mosque.

Working together, they’ve since identified a suitable plot of land, he said.

He said his group is now stuck in the paperwork process of establishing itself as a registered charity so it can begin fundraising to buy the land.

Gander has a population of about 11,600 people and it is home to a busy regional hospital and health centre. Farwell estimated the local Muslim community to be about 55 residents, but he said that figure is closer to 100 if surrounding communities are factored in.

 (thestar.com)