Officials in Canada go coffee-free during Ramadan out of respect for Muslims
According to an investigation by Blacklocks.ca, internal guidelines at Shared Services Canada advised supervisors to avoid coffee, lunch, and informal gatherings throughout Ramadan so as not to inconvenience fasting employees..
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According to research published by Blacklocks.ca, the federal government of Canada recommended that non-Muslim employees forgo coffee breaks throughout the month of Ramadan. Internal documents that this outlet claims to have obtained indicate that Shared Services Canada (SSC) He sent instructions to his supervisors to avoid scheduling coffees, lunches or informal meetings between 28 February and 29 March. of 2025.
Avoiding the inconvenience of employees who are fasting
The same documents cited by Blacklocks.ca indicate that, of the department's 9,393 employees, Only about a hundred identify as Muslim, and not all of them are practising.. Nevertheless, the recommendation was applied to the entire staff, affecting thousands of workers.
The investigation explains that the author of the message was Ray Edwards, then head of Equity and Inclusion in the department. According to the investigation, He explicitly asked to avoid coffee breaks, to avoid lunches, to avoid meetings at the start and end of the day, and not to schedule any important meetings during Iftar or Suhoor..
Allegation of «systemic racism» in the department
According to Blacklocks.ca, these instructions arose after a formal complaint was filed by the Muslim Federal Employees Network (MFEN), a small but influential network of Muslim civil servants created in 2021 within the federal government. According to internal minutes, members complained that the department did not provide them with the same level of support as other groups and that some employees were afraid to express their religious identity at work.
This same group also denounced the presence of “systemic racism” within the department., claiming that Muslim employees had been ignored in a context of rising anti-Islamic and anti-Palestinian sentiment. In addition to the formal complaint, they asked management to create a more favourable working environment during Ramadan, including flexible working hours to facilitate prayer or Iftar.
The MFEN is the association whose aim is to make Canada a model inclusive country for Muslim workers. They have taken actions such as requesting prayer rooms in public offices, religious breaks, institutional recognition of Islamic festivals and changes to the greeting protocols between men and women.. In minutes of meetings of this group with the government's anti-Islamophobia official, it was even said that The refusal of employers to provide prayer rooms is a form of Islamophobia..
Respect Muslims and greet them with «Ramadan Mubarak.»
Ray Edwards's response was to ask the supervisors and Explain to non-Muslims that the purpose of the fast is to foster self-discipline and gratitude., and that it was essential to show respect towards those who practise it. He also warned the administrators not to make assumptions about who is actually observing Ramadan, reminding them that personal beliefs, cultural traditions or health considerations can influence the degree of observance.
Meanwhile, the employees' network distributed a memorandum to mark the start of Ramadan 2025., defining it as a “holy month” and encouraging workers to use greetings such as “Ramadan Mubarak” or “Ramadan Kareem”. The internal message concluded by reminding everyone that fasting is a practice of spiritual purification and that respect for and understanding of this tradition are essential in the workplace.
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