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MosqueCourtesy CBC
Shared Services Canada managers were advised to scrap coffee breaks for an entire month to avoid making fasting Muslim employees uncomfortable, according to internal records released through Access To Information.
Blacklock's Reporter says the guidance came from Ray Edwards, then the department’s chief equity and inclusion officer, who told managers to “avoid scheduling lunches or informal coffee breaks and chats” during Ramadan.
About 100 of the department’s 9,393 employees self-identified as Muslim, though not all were observant.
Edwards wrote that Ramadan, observed last winter from February 28 to March 29, includes mandatory daytime fasting for those who follow the tradition.
He reminded staff that fasting is meant to encourage self-discipline and gratitude, and said it was important to show respect for colleagues taking part in the religious observance.
He also cautioned managers not to make assumptions about who participates, noting that personal beliefs, cultural traditions and health concerns can all affect observance.
Edwards encouraged supervisors to avoid early-morning or late-afternoon meetings when “energy levels may be lower,” and not to schedule key meetings during Iftar or Suhoor.
The directive followed a February 13 complaint from the Muslim Federal Employees Network, a volunteer group within the department.
Minutes from the meeting show members felt the department was not offering the same level of support given to other communities and that some employees were afraid to express their Palestinian identity at work.
The network also raised concerns about systemic racism, saying Muslim employees “have been overlooked” amid growing anti-Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian sentiment.
It asked managers to create a more supportive environment during Ramadan, including offering flexible work hours for prayer or Iftar.
The group issued a memo marking the start of Ramadan 2025 calling it a “sacred month” and encouraging respectful greetings such as “Ramadan Mubarak” or “Ramadan Kareem.”
