Almost ten years after being shot multiple times at the Islamic Cultural Centre in the Sainte-Foy district of Quebec City, Aymen Derbali is concentrating on the small victories.

He can now move his fingers on his right hand, prepare his own coffee, and has enough strength to lift his laptop.

Derbali became paralyzed from the chest down following a shooting incident at his mosque on January 29, 2017, which resulted in six fatalities and left 19 people injured.

While seated in his living room in a motorized wheelchair, Derbali labels some of these gains as “minor details,” but they signify significant milestones in his rehabilitation.

One of the bullets that hit him during the incident remains embedded in his spine — its removal deemed too perilous. He considers himself fortunate to have survived.

Derbali was positioned near the entry of the mosque when the assailant opened fire. He charged towards the shooter in an effort to disrupt him, sustaining several gunshot wounds, yet persisted in trying to rise.

“I believed that this was the end,” he reflected.

“When I awakened in the hospital ... initially, I thought the hospital was paradise.”

Nearly a decade later, he’s prioritizing his family, his community, and advocacy — particularly as he perceives a rise in Islamophobia throughout the province following several laws reinforcing secularism in Quebec.

“Combating Islamaphobia, this is my responsibility,” he stated. “I must amplify my voice.”

After the incident, Derbali anticipated a reduction in Islamophobia and an increase in acceptance. As an advocate in his community, he asserts he has observed the contrary.

He continues to encounter hateful remarks online and expressions of ignorance.

He argues that the secularism laws implemented in Quebec in recent years under the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government hinder efforts to promote mutual understanding.

In November, the CAQ introduced yet another bill aimed at strengthening secularism.

Bill 9, titled An Act to reinforce laicity in Quebec, seeks to build upon two earlier secularism laws enacted under Premier François Legault.

It aims to impose limitations on public prayers in parks and within public facilities, while also expanding a prohibition on religious symbols to employees in subsidized daycare centers.

This follows Bill 94, adopted last year, which extended the provincial ban on religious symbols to anyone interacting with students in educational institutions.

Bill 21, enacted in 2019, bars public school educators, government lawyers, judges, and police officers from wearing religious symbols during work hours.

In a video message in 2019 addressing criticism surrounding Bill 21, Legault stated it was time to "define the regulations" regarding religious symbols.

"Some individuals will claim that we are overreaching. Others will say we aren’t going far enough. In reality, this bill is moderate, just like the people of Quebec," he remarked at that time.

For Derbali, it is evident that these are “Islamophobic laws.”

He believes the implications of such legislation on his community are real, affecting even the widows and children of those who lost their lives in the assault.

“I would like to understand what the issue is with seeing women wear a veil? What could possibly be the concern? Where is the freedom?” Derbali inquired.

“All the freedoms … in Canada, we do not experience them in Quebec. It feels as if we are living on an island.”

At the end of November, Jean-François Roberge, Quebec's minister in charge of secularism, claimed that a neutral state means "Quebecers are free."

He also dismissed a suggestion from a reporter that religious minorities were being unfairly targeted by Bill 9.

"We have the same regulations applicable to everyone," he commented.

Mohamed Labidi, president of the Islamic center, states these regulations are prompting some community members to leave the province.

The increased restrictions affecting religious groups only serve to “motivate those with xenophobic attitudes to escalate their actions,” he expressed.

“There is a risk of things spiraling out of control at any moment due to these laws that foster xenophobia or racism,” Labidi remarked at a recent press conference in Quebec City.

With every anniversary, survivors of the incident renew their appeal for connection, compassion, and tolerance to counteract Islamophobia — and this year is no exception.

For the first time, Quebec City is involved in organizing the remembrances.

The ninth commemoration is scheduled to occur at the city’s building, Édifice Andrée-P.-Boucher, beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday. The event is designed to honor the loved ones of the victims, and dignitaries will also be in attendance.

Mohamed Labidi recounts how Azzedine Soufiane attempted to confront the shooter at the Quebec City mosque.

On Friday, the mosque will welcome the community and host discussions and panels aimed at promoting unity.

“These occasions are highly significant,” said Nizar Ghali, who was injured during the attack.

“It’s crucial we view this as an opportunity for all of us to collaborate, coexist, and engage in dialogue. We are opening the doors.”

He states he is not opposed to secularism itself but rather the manner in which it has been defined, presented, and advanced in Quebec.

Derbali insists that a shift in government attitude is necessary — but it must extend to all Quebecers, he asserts. This is why he remains outspoken, addressing schools across the province.

"We are human beings, and if we do not care for other human beings, we forfeit our humanity," he stated.

"These laws do not aid in combating Islamophobia, but we remain hopeful. We persevere."