Canada's Little Mosque on the Prairie

Long before Pierre Elliot Trudeau captivated Canadians with his vision for a “Just Society,” one of the nation’s largest cities united to welcome multiculturalism. In 1938, the Al-Rashid Mosque was constructed in Edmonton, Alberta, becoming Canada’s first Islamic place of worship. Over the years, the building became a model for religious acceptance, a catalyst for social change, and a symbol of the success of Canada’s Islamic community. Edmonton’s Al-Rashid Mosque promotes a unique, diverse, and inclusive history of Canada, which merits its protection as a national historic site.