Website: ummahmasjid.ca Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ummahmasjid Our Community: The history of Muslims in Canada is as old as the birth of Canada itself. According to the 1871 Canadian Census, four years after Canada’s birth, there were 13 European Muslims in this country, and by 2011 (National Household Survey, 2011) around 3.2% of Canada’s population were Muslims. While early Muslims settlements were concentrated in Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, the history of Muslims in Nova Scotia dates back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s with the settlement of a handful of Muslim families primarily in the Halifax-Dartmouth area. On December 26, 1966, six newly-arrived Muslim migrants to Nova Scotia signed a Memorandum of Association known as the Islamic Association of the Maritime Provinces of Canada, one of the oldest Muslim organizations in Canada. The years following saw a significant growth in the number of Muslim immigrants especially from the Indian sub-continent. Most of these newcomers were professionals including doctors, engineers, university professors and school teachers. In the 1990s, Canada opened its immigration doors to entrepreneurs and with the upheaval caused by the Gulf war, a large number of Arabic speaking Muslim immigrants arrived in Nova Scotia. According to Canada’s 2011 National Household Survey, approximately 1% of Nova Scotia’s population are now Muslims. Muslims are among Canada’s most highly educated and productive citizens, with 45% possessing at least one university degree. In Nova Scotia, Muslim population is deeply ingrained with the social, economic, and cultural fabrics of the society. From medical doctors, university professors, teachers, and engineers to public servants, entrepreneurs, and social workers, the Muslim community has been a productive and positive constituent of Nova Scotia for more than half a century. The shared history of Muslims and Nova Scotia is deeply cherished and constantly celebrated by Muslims in the Halifax-Dartmouth regions in every facet of their lives.