Who Are We

The Canadian Coptic Association was the first organized political group of Copts in the Diaspora.   Dr. Selim Naguib founded it, on February 2, 1969.   He is a retired judge and an attorney who practice international law.   He holds two PHD degrees from France, one in law and the other in political science.

Dr. Naguib was graduated from Ain Shams University’s Law School in June of 1956.  He joined the Egyptian Bar Association in December of that year.  He received a diploma for advanced studies in general law from Cairo University’s Law School on 1958.  His postgraduate work for his PHD at Lyon University in France earned him honors for excellence in academics.  He was again granted a PHD and noted as honored for excellence in his studies in Political Science from Assas University in Paris in 1992.

Dr. Naguib emigrated from Egypt to Montreal, Canada on August 11, 1965, where he still lives.  He was a sitting judge in Montreal’s Primary Court.   There he authored four legal books in French about Civil Law.  His books are used as text books and are taught in Montreal’s various law schools and institutions of higher learning.  Another one of his books, “The Copts Across History” was translated from French to Arabic in 2001.  He has written numerous articles for the Arabic and the International Media.   His achievement record on behalf of defending persecuted Copts’ rights to full human rights is exemplary.

Other notable people were co-founders of the Canadian Coptic Association with Dr. Neguib.   Among them Mr. Alphonse Kelada, chemist; Mr. Tawfic Saleh, an attorny; Mr. Barti Farag, a teacher; Miss Isis Saadalla, a teacher; Mr. Kamal Atta , an engineer; Mr. Zaki Wassef, an engineer; Mr. Naguib Shehata, a businessman and Mr. George Habashi, a businessman.

The Canadian Coptic Association was officially incorporated by the Canadian Federal Government on October 29, 1992.  The Canadian Coptic Association is a member in The International Coptic Federation.  That organization serves as a worldwide umbrella for Coptic organizations and was established on October 11, 1997.

The Canadian Coptic Association is contentiously expanding due to growth through the addition of new members.  The heaviest concentrations of members reside in Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.  The Association has friends allover the world.  It works and coordinates its activities with The International Coptic Federation and other Coptic Associations that sincerely serve the best interest of Copts. Our goal is for the persecuted Coptic minority (Christians of Egypt) to obtain their full religious, political and social rights.