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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

/ article, the pervasive reality of anti-black racism in canada, the current state, and what to do about it.

By  Nan DasGupta ,  Vinay Shandal ,  Daniel Shadd ,  Andrew Segal , and  in conjunction with CivicAction

While Canadians often believe that our country is a model when it comes to inclusion, the hard truth is we have a long way to go toward achieving equity for the Black population in Canada. A new review and compilation of the available data by BCG and CivicAction demonstrate the depth and pervasiveness of anti-Black racism in Canada, and how systemic racism against Black individuals appears across their full lifecycle in areas like education, employment, healthcare, and policing.

“With all that’s happened in the world - from the killing of George Floyd to how COVID-19 has disproportionally impacted those from racialized communities - we needed to act,” says Leslie Woo, CEO of CivicAction. “This report lays bare the depth of anti-Black racism in Canada. We are calling on Canadian companies, governments, and individuals to deepen their commitment and accountability to addressing anti-Black racism.”

The authors compiled data and consulted with a subset of leaders and experts from Black communities in Canada. We took a cross-Canada lens, using national data where available, with a focus on the Greater Toronto Region where more specific data was tracked and available. We then examined proven actions and promising practices from around the world to identify interventions that could be considered for adaption here at home. Our goal is to underscore the systemic oppression that Black people in Canada face – with the aim to enable a better understanding, to illustrate the importance of action, and to sustain motivation and momentum for change.

Data indicates that anti-Black racism exists in Canada and is worse than many Canadians think

The research we compiled shows the realities of the Black experience in Canada, which when put together are eye-opening:

  • Black students are four times more likely to be expelled from a Toronto high school than White students
  • Black workers are twice as likely as Asian workers and four times as likely as White workers to report experiencing racial discrimination in major decisions at workplaces in Canada
  • Black university graduates earn only 80 cents for every dollar earned by White university graduates – despite having the same credentials
  • Black women are three times less likely to have a family doctor than non-racialized women in Ontario
  • Black residents are 20 times more likely than a White resident to be shot dead by police in Toronto

At the same time, a 2019 survey indicates nearly half of Canadians believe discrimination against Black people is “no longer a problem” – even as 83% of Black people in Canada say they are treated unfairly at least some of the time.

The events of 2020, including the death of George Floyd, have drawn global attention to the reality of systemic anti-Black racism. Now more than ever there is a need to double down on efforts to eliminate anti-Black racism in Canada. The data and insights in this report should serve to catalyze continued action by individuals, corporations and governments in Canada

The state of anti-Black racism in Canada

Black communities in Canada have doubled in size over the past 25 years to more than 1.2 million people – 3.5% of the national population. Even though more than one out of every 30 Canadians is Black – a number that jumps to one in 11 people in Toronto – the experiences and diversity of Black communities in Canada are often aggregated into the category of “visible minority” and overlooked.

To help paint the picture, we have compiled a data set that highlights some of the specifics of Canadian Black communities' experiences. We focused on a set of specific lifecyle areas where Black Canadians experience racism, guided by four of the pillars of the City of Toronto’s Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, and in areas where at least some existing data had been published. Our goal in synthesizing this data is to provide Canadians with a mirror reflecting the disparate outcomes in our country, in order to drive education and inspire sustained action.

essay about racism in canada

Children and Youth Development. While education is a bedrock foundation for human development, Black students in Ontario have appreciably worse education outcomes. In Toronto, the dropout rate for Black students is 23%, compared to 12% for White students. Facing systemic biases day to day, Black students also achieve lower EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office) test scores in mathematics, reading, and writing.

essay about racism in canada

Why is this the case? We have identified data showing the multiple ways in which systemic racism in Canada drives worse educational performance for Black students.

One challenge for Black students is the lack of Black teachers in the classroom. Recent studies show that having a Black teacher can result in a 13% increase in enrolment in post-secondary schooling and decrease the probability of dropping out by 29%. Yet, while Black people make up 3.5% of Canada’s population, only 1.8% of teachers are Black.

This lack of Black representation makes a difference in multiple ways. For one, Black teachers are less likely to use language in the classroom that negatively labels Black students.

“Teachers might use language to describe Black children that they would not for White children, such as ‘threatening,’” according to one Black leader we consulted. “From an early age, kids are being told who they are, from the people that they spend the most amount of time with [their teachers]. Who teachers think you are and what you can be is really important.”

Another impact of implicit bias from teachers is seen in assessments of student capabilities. For example, only 3% of those labeled “gifted” in Toronto schools are Black, despite Black students making up 12% of the population. A study found that teachers in Ontario were twice as likely to rate a White student as “excellent” than a Black student on their report card – even when those students had the same standardized EQAO scores. Meanwhile, Black students are 2.5 times more likely than White students to be streamed into non-academic “applied” programs in Toronto – in turn affecting everything from graduation rates to post-secondary prospects.

Job Opportunities and Income Supports. Racism in the workforce creates barriers to employment and impairs career progression for Black people. One stark statistic – as of October 2020, the unemployment rate for Black Canadians was 5 points higher than the rate for Canadians who are not a visible minority (11.7% vs. 6.7%). And while the impact of COVID-19 has driven up the unemployment rate for all Canadians compared to October 2019, the Black unemployment rate was 3.8 points higher, while the rate for non-visible minorities was up just 2.6 points. This is in part because Black workers are disproportionately represented in service industries, which are particularly affected by COVID-19. With a second wave and subsequent lockdowns now upon us, the Black unemployment rate may be primed to rise further.

essay about racism in canada

What drives these higher unemployment figures? Black people in Canada face many systemic challenges and barriers in the hiring process. Even when experience is comparable to that of non-Black candidates, systemic biases make it more difficult for Black candidates to land positions for which they are qualified.

One particularly sobering study showed the extent of this bias. The study, conducted in Toronto, used the same resume and cover letter, with only two differences: whether the applicant had a White-sounding or Black-sounding name, and whether the applicant referred to having a criminal record in the cover letter.

The results showed that among those with no criminal record, the “White” resume received three times the number of call-backs as the “Black” resume. When both candidates indicated a criminal record, the difference in call-backs jumped to 12x. And perhaps most shockingly – the “White” applicants with a criminal record still got nearly twice as many calls back as the “Black” applicants with no record.

When Black people do succeed in finding a job, systemic racism in the workplace can result in hitting up against a glass ceiling. In addition to facing microaggressions and having to “code switch” (defined as a person changing the way they express themselves when they are around non-racialized people in the workplace), Black employees have low rates of sponsorship and find hidden biases in promotion processes. This is reflected in the data that shows Black leaders hold less than 1% of executive roles and board seats at major Canadian companies.

essay about racism in canada

One specific challenge we heard referenced continually through our interviews was that Black employees experience microaggressions on the job. Microaggressions are brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages – anything from stereotyping comments to racially insensitive language. These microaggressions often demean Black workers, instill distrust, and prevent a sense of belonging.

As just one example, a Black early executive at a Canadian bank relayed the following story: “I was at a breakfast with a senior executive – we spoke for about 15 minutes, and it was great small talk. Two days later, I was running a meeting to which the executive was invited. As I approached to greet him, another White colleague walked in from a different direction. As soon as he saw this person, he started calling her name -- and then stuck out his arm to give me his coat to put away. While he probably didn't see who I was, he assumed that I was someone to whom he should pass his coat – he didn't think to check.”

These microaggressions and the need to “code switch” take an emotional toll on Black employees. Survey data indicates that Black workers are less satisfied at their jobs and are 50% more likely to be planning to leave their job than White workers.

The impact of systemic anti-Black racism driving employees away doesn’t just impact those workers – it also results in a financial hit for businesses, as the average cost of replacing an employee is 33% of their annual salary.

Health and Community Services. A lack of access to health care in Black communities leads to worse physical and mental health outcomes for Black people in Canada compared to other groups.

Although tracking of disparate health impacts is limited in Canada, the data we do have shows notable differences for the Black population – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In one national survey, 21% of Black Canadians said they knew someone who had died of COVID-19, vs. 8% of non-Black Canadians. And in Ontario, COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on the most heavily racialized areas. Highly diverse neighbourhoods – where more than 10% of the population is Black – have four times the age-adjusted COVID-19 hospitalization rate and twice the death rate of the least racialized neighbourhoods (where just 0.5% of the population is Black).

But the challenge extends well beyond COVID. Data from Ontario shows certain health conditions are much more prevalent in the Black population. For example, Black women in the province have three times the rate of diabetes and 1.7 times the rate of hypertension of White women in the province.

What drives these worse health outcomes? In part it is because many Black communities have impaired access to care, connected to systemic racism in Canada. This includes everything from worse-equipped hospitals in Black neighborhoods in Toronto, to less-flexible jobs that make seeking care a challenge, to fear of racism from providers when seeking out care.

essay about racism in canada

One challenge in accessing health care for Black patients is the lack of culturally appropriate care. This is caused in part by Black doctors being noticeably underrepresented in care settings – there are 50% fewer Black doctors than the Black share of the population in Ontario. It also manifests in a lack of training for non-racialized practitioners about the Black population. “My mother wouldn’t get help because she couldn’t describe her pain in her own words, and the doctor did not understand the nuances of what pain looks like in our culture,” one Black community leader told us.

This is especially true of the mental health system, which is not well-positioned to deliver care to Black communities. Experts noted to us that the mental health system does not have culturally adapted therapies targeted to Black recipients and fails to do the outreach required to reduce barriers to access and stigma. This results in the Black population being four times less likely to access mental health services than the non-racialized population.

Police Services. Police bias against Black people has been a focal point of protests in the US in recent months – and our review of the data indicates there are stark differences in outcomes of police interactions with Black residents in Canada as well.

Only a quarter of Black people in Toronto trust police to treat them fairly compared to three-quarters of White people. This is not surprising, when we consider that Black people are significantly more likely to be profiled, arrested, held overnight, and be subjected to police force than non-racialized Ontarians.

essay about racism in canada

The statistics on disparities in police use of force apply across all types of police interactions. According to an Ontario Human Rights Commission report, although Black people make up 9% of Toronto’s population, they represent:

  • 36% of cases where police used pepper spray on an individual
  • 46% of cases where police used a Taser on an individual
  • And 57% of cases involving a police dog

Most disturbingly – Black Torontonians represent 70% of civilian deaths in police shootings, meaning the police are 20 times more likely to kill a Black person than a White person.

This reality of police bias takes its toll – among Black Ontarians subject to bias-driven street checks, three quarters reported a decreased sense of belonging in society, and 60% reported negative mental health effects.

We can drive change through system-level interventions

Anti-Black racism in Canada negatively impacts the nation’s social and economic fabric, reducing the potential of over a million Canadians. We must work together to achieve system-level change through interventions that address racism across all life cycle areas.

There is no single solution that can undo hundreds of years of racism, and solutions will need to come from a wide range of places, organizations and individuals. As part of this work, we scanned and compiled examples of promising practices that could make up the quilt of solutions required to start to change the experience of Black individuals in Canada.

Below is a summary of the identified examples – followed by a deeper dive in selected areas. We have brought forward these ideas because there is proof that they work – in other locations, or for other disadvantaged groups. Applying them broadly in Canada can help reduce many of the barriers that our Black communities face today.

In addition, a key place to start would be to obtain more data and track key metrics . Compared to the United States, Canada collects very little data by race and ethnicity. Tracking outcomes for Black people in Canada, such as university admission rates, home ownership rates, and infant/maternal mortality rates – all data regularly tracked by US governmental agencies – would enable us to more clearly identify and intervene against the primary barriers impacting Canada’s Black population.

essay about racism in canada

IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

A promising approach to improving Black students’ school experience involves training teachers to use restorative justice, focusing more on preventative strategies instead of punitive discipline.

In a notable example from Maryland, a set of “Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies” using restorative practices led to a 50% reduction in suspensions and a 95% reduction in referrals to the principal’s office. Most remarkably, when disciplinary action was required, these strategies resulted in an even distribution of discipline among students of different races.

IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT PROSPECTS AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

One promising practice is to revisit job postings and look for hidden biases. For example, the Johnson & Johnson corporation saw a 9% increase in the number of women applying for roles after using software to adjust job postings and remove gender-coded language, business jargon, and laundry lists of skillsets not required. The same approach could be used for the Black community.

One Black rising leader gave us an example from her line of work: “Black women are pretty highly educated – but there’s a real barrier around language in postings that’s often used to exclude. Like when using the word ‘philanthropy’ instead of ‘fundraising’ - philanthropy is very White, but fundraising is broader and more Black people have that experience.”

In terms of career progression, developing formal sponsorship programs can be a big unlock for Black employees. According to our research, Black employees are five times more likely than White employees to describe a sponsorship program as “the most effective program for racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion” that their company could put in place. And yet, only 11% of Canadians in a 2019 survey report that their company has a formal sponsorship program.

The effects of these programs are material. Citibank developed a program to match high performing women with a senior advocate who served as their sponsor. 70% of women in the program advanced in their careers over the next 18 months. Accenture tied engagement in sponsorship to performance evaluations for its leaders – which led to a 20% increase in the number of minority employees up for promotion at the senior executive level.

SUPPORT A FOUNDATION FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE ACCESS

More Black representation in the medical community can help Black patients feel more comfortable – something recognized by the University of Toronto medical school. Its Black Student Application Program (BSAP) offers an optional application stream for students who identify as Black. Since the inception of its BSAP, the number of Black students admitted to U of T medical school grew from 1 in 2017 to 24 in 2020. The rest of the Canada’s medical schools could adopt a similar program.

Offering care more tailored to the Black population can further make a difference. For example, the introduction of a culturally adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at the Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre in Toronto led to a 90% reduction in Black women visiting hospital ERs for mental health issues.

REDUCE POLICE BIAS AND VIOLENCE

Reforming police standard operating procedures is an effective tool against all police uses of force which disproportionately impact Black people. These include adopting policies such as a use of force continuum that sets out which weapons can be used in what circumstances and requiring by-stander officers to intervene if a fellow officer is using excessive force. Research has shown that more restrictive use of force policies can reduce killings by police by as much as 72%.

Changing police hiring practices to be more inclusive can also make a big difference. In one example from the U.K., new hiring directives increased the share of ethnic minorities in a local police service by 1.5% -- leading to a 39% reduction of minorities subject to stop and search, and 11% fewer complaints against officers.

Moving towards an inclusive future

Despite the challenges, there is a reason for optimism. Black communities in Canada are young and resilient. By acting now and removing systemic barriers, we can work with Black individuals to ensure they are on more equitable footing with other Canadians. We need leadership to drive a collective effort across Canadian society.

There are many actions we can and must take to start to eliminate anti-Black racism in Canada and drive lasting change. It starts on the individual level, where we encourage Canadians to speak up, identify inequities, commit to action, and become allies in the movement for change.

What can I do as a first step? Share this report with others in your network or organization and have a conversation about anti-Black racism in Canada and how it shows up in our society.

We encourage employers to commit to act by adopting inclusive practices to help ensure Black candidates and employees have a fair and equal path to jobs and career advancement.

What can employers do as a first step? Create an open dialogue with your leadership teams and workforce to understand how anti-Black racism shows up in your organization.

CivicAction is committed to facilitating these actions by bringing leaders together, supporting the development of new relationships and accelerating Black representation at the leadership level.

Moving forward, we encourage all Canadians to hold our leaders accountable so that they sustain their commitments to support Black communities.

Subscribe to read our latest insights on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

About our research.

This report is a summary of the research completed by BCG in partnership with CivicAction during the summer of 2020. The work was initiated through a mutual goal to shed a light on the pervasive and systemic biases that are experienced by Black communities in Canada, with the collective goal to drive to meaningful action.

Areas investigated were identified in the framework developed by the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism, then further prioritized to focus on specific topics within those issue areas. We chose topics where an active body of research already exists, and actions can be taken at the local level. It is important to note that this summary is not exhaustive, and other important topics were not investigated, such as the justice system within the broader “Policing and the Justice System” issue area, as well as the “Community Engagement and Black Leadership” issue area. These are rich areas for further factbase development.

We acknowledge and appreciate the contributions and insights of numerous rising and risen leaders, academics, activists, doctors, and policy experts in Canada’s Black communities. This includes the executive director and committee chairs of the BlackNorth Initiative, along with its founder, Wes Hall. We incorporated their perspectives together with data from multiple sources including: Statistics Canada, BCG Centre for Canada’s Future Diversity and Inclusion Survey, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the Black Health Alliance, the Black Experiences in Health Care Symposium, and reports by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the Toronto District School Board, and Women’s Health In Women’s Hands CHC. Data and studies were also collected from literature and press searches from Canada and abroad, and were the best known sources at the time of the research. Finally, we want to extend our thanks to the BCG team members who were dedicated to creating the factbase and this report: Puneet Gupta, Gillian Cook, Kasey Boyle, Kate Banting and Prerna Sharma.

About CivicAction

A leading not-for-profit in Canada, CivicAction has nearly two decades of experience working to boost civic engagement and build better cities by creating and implementing effective solutions to the most pressing challenges in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and beyond. To find out more, visit https://www.civicaction.ca or follow @CivicActionGTHA.

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Managing Director & Senior Partner

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ABOUT BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

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essay about racism in canada

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essay about racism in canada

Chelsea O'Byrne

Somewhere along the way, I made a choice not to point out the racist phrases addressed to me. I grew up and did my medical training in Canada, I love my job and I feel Canadian to my core. I’ve practised family medicine as a Mauritian-Canadian physician for 20 years. I’ve worked in three provinces, and racism is a fact of life for many racialized Canadians. Aside from a few horror stories that I will spare you, I’ve been relatively unscathed thanks to my sense of humour, particularly my sarcastic inner dialogue that gets me through the day (while I smile till my cheeks hurt). I usually choose to let things go, to make sure patients always felt comfortable and happy when they left my consulting office. But I wish some people would think twice before they speak.

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essay about racism in canada

Illustration by Rachel Wada

I could never fathom the undercurrent of hostility I encountered. Until one day, I heard it coming from my toddler’s mouth. My husband has Scottish roots with light skin and reddish blond hair. Our son, who is three, is not as dark as I am.

Earlier this year, I was at his daycare getting him dressed to leave when he pointed to a mixed-race baby in the hallway. “Maman, I don’t like the brown baby.” “Why do you say that?” I asked, shocked. “I like the other babies,” he replied, adding: “Caca is brown maman, that’s a caca baby.” I was rattled that he’d just linked excrement to skin tone. The day before he’d also noted my dark skin for the first time: “Maman,” he said, “you’re brown.” The issue of skin tone had never come up before at our house.

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essay about racism in canada

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essay about racism in canada

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Systemic racism: What it looks like in Canada and how to fight it?  

March 19, 2021

Systemic racism: What it looks like in Canada and how to fight it?

At UBC, our commitment to building an open environment and a diverse workforce makes us stronger. It increases the complexity of our knowledge, with which we can transform systems of oppression and support emerging leaders to better shape the university and the broader society. However, we recognize that even in a diverse institution like ours and in Canada, systemic racism still exists as a challenge for racialized communities and Indigenous peoples.

What is systematic racism?

Systemic racism, also known as institutional racism, refers to the ways that whiteness and white superiority become embedded in the policies and processes of an institution, resulting in a system that advantages white people and disadvantages BIPOC/IBPOC, notably in employment, education, justice, and social participation.

Systemic racism in Canada

In a settler colonial state like Canada, systemic racism is deeply rooted in every system of this country. This means the systems put in place were designed to benefit white colonists while disadvantaging the Indigenous populations who had lived here prior to colonialism. This power dynamic continues to be upheld and reinforced in our society, extending its impact on new racialized citizens.

According to a 2016 report from Statistics Canada , both Black women and men were less likely to obtain post-secondary education compared to women and men in the rest of the population in Vancouver, with a difference of about 10%. And the unemployment rate for the Black population was approximately one and a half times higher than that for rest of the population. In terms of socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 , around one-quarter of Indigenous people living in Canadian urban areas were in poverty, compared to 13% of non-Indigenous population in these areas.

How to fight systemic racism?

Systemic racism is a ripple effect from years of racist and discriminatory practices, and as individuals it is normal to feel discouraged and powerless. But know that from being more mindful of the ways systems work to promoting social accountability, you too can take a lead in initiating change.

Accepting that racism lives within our society is an important first step. Reflect on the ways systemic racism and your position has impacted you and your perspectives. The experiences of marginalized groups can also vary, so don’t forget to apply an intersectional lens when you consider the ways different groups face oppression. You may feel uncomfortable, but this sets a solid foundation for you to explore the complexities of racial discrimination, challenge your notions of race and culture, and see anti-racism in new ways.

In order to move forward, it is essential to confront our past with racism and oppression as a country. Having knowledge and understanding in Canada’s history with racism provide us with the necessary foundation to the fight against injustice.

As you learn more about Canada’s history with racism, ask yourself the following questions: How have the laws changed? Is the targeted group still experiencing the effects of this event today? Were you familiar with this historical event? If not, what is the significance of you not knowing about this event?

3. Speak up

Challenge yourself and your communities by bringing conversations into your spaces. Regardless of our intersectional identities, talking about racism is no easy task, but your ability to have more meaningful and productive conversations will grow as you practice more.

We also encourage you to read our article on the four steps to navigating difficult conversations about racism for more guidance on this topic.

One step at a time

We each have an active role to play in working against oppression and towards equality, and finding ways to elevate historically and systemically marginalized groups. Education is key to effectively defeat systemic racism – here are some resources that can help:

  • An Anti-Racism Reading List from Penguin Random House Canada  
  • A mostly Canadian Anti-Racism Reading List and How to Support Anti-Black racism work  
  • NPR: ‘Not Racist’ Is Not Enough: Putting In The Work To Be Anti-Racist  
  • Chatelaine: What Is Systemic Racism?  
  • There’s No Racism in Canada — A timeline
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Experiences of discrimination among the Black and Indigenous populations in Canada, 2019

by Adam Cotter , Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics

Text box 1 Measuring discrimination in the General Social Survey on Victimization

Section 1: discrimination among canada’s black population, nearly half of black people in canada experienced discrimination in the past 5 years, discrimination more common among canadian-born visible minority population, black people more often experience discrimination in stores, banks, or restaurants, proportion of black people experiencing discrimination due to race or skin colour has nearly doubled since 2014, text box 2 self-reported criminal victimization that was motivated by hate, section 2: discrimination among first nations people, métis, and inuit, seven in ten lesbian, gay, or bisexual indigenous people experienced discrimination, one in five indigenous people who experienced discrimination said it was when dealing with police, increase in proportion of indigenous people who experienced discrimination in past 5 years, text box 3 experiences of discrimination among other population groups designated as visible minority, detailed data tables, survey description.

  • According to the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians’ Safety, nearly half (46%) of Black people aged 15 years and older reported experiencing at least one form of discrimination in the past 5 years, compared to 16% of the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population.
  • Of all Black people, four in ten (41%) experienced discrimination based on their race or skin colour, about 15 times higher than the proportion among the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population (3%).
  • Experiences of discrimination were much more common among Canadian-born Black people (65% E ) than among Black immigrants (36%).
  • Data from the GSS show that a considerably higher proportion of Black people experienced discrimination in 2019 than in 2014 (46% versus 28%).
  • Discrimination was more common among the Indigenous population than among populations who are both non-Indigenous and non-visible minority (33% versus 16%). More specifically, 44% of First Nations people had experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, as had 24% of Métis and 29% of Inuit.
  • Among those who were discriminated against, 21% of Indigenous people and 16% E of Black people said it was when dealing with police, compared with 4% of non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people who experienced discrimination.
  • Experiences of discrimination were more common among Indigenous people in 2019 (33%) than they were in 2014 (23%).

Both socially and legally, Canada is a multicultural country ( Canadian Multiculturalism Act ; Berry 2013 ; Hyman et al. 2011 ). As a policy, multiculturalism has many goals, including recognizing and promoting the cultural and racial diversity of Canadian society, while emphasizing that this is a fundamental characteristic of Canadian identity and heritage; promoting the full and equal participation of individuals and communities in the development of Canadian society and assisting in the elimination of barriers to participation; and ensuring that individuals receive equal treatment and equal protection under the law, while respecting and valuing their diversity, among several others ( Canadian Multiculturalism Act ).

Despite the emphasis on multiculturalism, differential treatment and differential opportunity can still pose problems in a diverse society, and experiences of discrimination can have negative consequences for individuals ( Berry 2013 ; Dion 2002 ). In Canada, discrimination on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability, or conviction for an offence which has been pardoned are formally prohibited by law ( Canadian Human Rights Act ).

The Canadian Human Rights Act is based on the underlying principle that all Canadians have the right to equal opportunity, regardless of these characteristics. In addition to federal legislation, each province and territory has their own human rights legislation as well. Furthermore, beyond the grounds specifically mentioned in law, Canadians may perceive discrimination on the basis of other factors, such as their language or physical appearance.

Discrimination or victimization based on individual characteristics that are visible parts of identity can also have broader ramifications beyond the individual who is targeted ( Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights 2018 ; Perry 2010 ). These incidents or experiences can also impact the wider community to which the victims or targets belong, thereby negatively impacting society more broadly.

Using data from the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization), this Juristat article examines experiences of discrimination in daily life, with a particular focus on the experiences of the Black and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations living in Canada. Throughout the report, findings are compared to those who identified as neither Indigenous nor a member of a population group designated as visible minority in the Employment Equity Act – that is, primarily, those who identified as White or Caucasian. Note 

This report was funded by Canadian Heritage, as part of the federal government’s Anti-Racism Strategy. In addition, it represents part of Statistics Canada’s ongoing commitment to publishing data that is disaggregated to the fullest extent possible.

Start of text box 1

In order to measure discrimination, the 2019 General Social Survey on Victimization asked respondents if, in the past 5 years, they had experienced discrimination or been treated unfairly by others in Canada because of their sex, ethnicity or culture, race or skin colour, physical appearance, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, physical or mental disability, language, or another reason. Those who said yes to one or more of these questions were considered to have experienced discrimination.

In addition, those who experienced discrimination for any reason were asked about certain situations in which the discrimination may have occurred: at a bank, store, or restaurant, while attending school or classes, in the work environment, when dealing with police, when dealing with the courts, when crossing the border into Canada, or in any other situation.

End of text box 1

The Black population living in Canada is diverse, and represents a population with varying backgrounds, ethnicities, experiences, and circumstances ( Statistics Canada 2019 ; Do 2020 ). According to the 2016 Census of Population, the Black population represents 3.5% of the overall Canadian population, and is expected to represent between 5.0% and 5.6% of the population by 2036 ( Statistics Canada 2019 ).

While about one in five (19%) Canadians 15 years of age and older had experienced some form of discrimination or unfair treatment in the five years preceding the 2019 GSS , this varied considerably between ethno-cultural groups. The prevalence of discrimination was almost three times higher among Black Note  people (46%) compared to non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (16%; Table 1 ).

Half (49%) of Black women had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment in the past 5 years, as did more than four in ten (42%) Black men. Note  In contrast, 20% of women and 13% of men who were neither Indigenous nor visible minorities were discriminated against.

The higher prevalence of discrimination among the Black population was in large part due to elevated levels of discrimination perceived to be motivated by race or skin colour or ethnicity or culture (Chart 1). For instance, four in ten (41%) Black people experienced discrimination or unfair treatment based on their race or skin colour in the five years preceding the survey, a proportion about 15 times higher than that of non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (3%). Discrimination based on ethnicity or culture was experienced by more than one in four (27%) Black people, compared with 2% among the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population.

Chart 1 start

Chart 1 Experiences of discrimination in the past 5 years among the Black population, by reason for discrimination, Canada, 2019

Chart 1 end

In addition to race and ethnicity, discrimination on the basis of religion and language were also more common among Black people than among non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people.

As there is considerable overlap between the reasons why individuals are discriminated against, it may be difficult to disentangle the motivation for an incident of discrimination or unfair treatment. However, other individual and intersectional characteristics can influence the likelihood of facing discrimination. For example, seven in ten (70% E ) Black people who had experienced discrimination in the past 5 years indicated that they had been discriminated against for more than one reason. In contrast, this was the case for 45% of non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people.

Beyond ethno-cultural groups, many other factors and characteristics can influence levels of discrimination. For example, among Black people, two-thirds (65% E ) of those who were born in Canada had experienced some kind of discrimination in the past 5 years, nearly twice the proportion as among Black immigrants (36%; Table 2 ). A similar pattern, though to a lesser degree, was seen among those belonging to other visible minority groups; 35% of those born in Canada and 24% of those who were immigrants experienced some form of discrimination. In contrast, among non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of discrimination between those who were immigrants (17%) and those who were not (16%).

Discrimination was also more commonly experienced among the relatively younger population. More than half (53%) of Black people between the ages of 15 to 44 had experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, compared to about one-third (31%) of Black people aged 45 years and older. Note 

In addition to varying levels of discrimination, there were differences in the context in which discrimination was experienced across ethno-cultural groups. For example, of those who experienced discrimination, Black (51% E ) people more often experienced discrimination in a store, bank, or restaurant than did non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (28%; Table 1 ).

Experiences of discrimination when dealing with the police were much more common among Black people. Among those who were discriminated against, the proportion who said it occurred when dealing with the police was four times higher among Black people (16% E ) than non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (4%). This difference is despite the fact that data from the GSS show Black people came into contact with police at similar levels as non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people ( Cotter 2022 ; Ibrahim 2020 ).

Though more specific information or context of the circumstances of discrimination are not measured by the GSS , discrimination or differential treatment of Black and Indigenous people by the police has been noted elsewhere. For instance, research suggests that Black people in Canada are overrepresented as subjects of police stops and searches ( Wortley and Owusu-Bempah 2011 ; Foster and Jacobs 2019 ; Ontario Human Rights Commission 2021 ).

There were no significant differences between the Black population and the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population in terms of the proportion who experienced discrimination when attending school or classes, at work or when applying for a job or promotion, or when dealing with the courts.

The same questions Note  used to measure discrimination in the 2019 GSS on Victimization were also included in the 2014 GSS , which allows for an examination of experiences of self-reported discrimination over time. Note 

In 2019, the proportion of Black people who reported experiencing discrimination was well above what was reported in 2014 (46% versus 28%; Chart 2). The key driver for the increase was the proportion who perceived discrimination based on their race or skin colour, which was almost two times higher in 2019 (41%) than in 2014 (23%). This increase precedes many significant demonstrations and events throughout 2020, which served to highlight many high-profile instances of misconduct, discrimination, or unfair treatment based on race.

Chart 2 start

Chart 2 Experiences of discrimination in the past 5 years among the Black population, by reason for discrimination, Canada, 2014 and 2019

Chart 2 end

Of note, discrimination also increased among the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population over this time, albeit to a lesser extent (from 12% in 2014 to 16% in 2019).

Start of text box 2

Race or ethnicity accounts for motivation in half of self-reported hate-related incidents

Some of the same factors that are behind experiences of discrimination and unfair treatment can also serve as motivations for incidents of criminal victimization. According to the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS), 3% of all criminal incidents were perceived by the victim to be motivated by hatred—representing approximately 223,000 incidents. Violent incidents were more commonly believed to be hate motivated (6%).

Of all incidents perceived to be motivated by hate, over half (54% E ) of respondents identified the offender’s hatred of the victim’s race or ethnicity as the motivation. Note  Other commonly perceived motivators included language (32% E ), sex (24% E ), disability (23% E ), and religion (19% E ). Note 

End of text box 2

One in three Indigenous people experienced discrimination in the past 5 years

One-third (33%) of Indigenous people experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, more than double the proportion for non-Indigenous, non-visible minority (16%; Table 1 ). Similar proportions of Indigenous women (33%) and men (32%) experienced discrimination. In both cases, these were higher proportions than what was observed among non-Indigenous, non-visible minority women (20%) and men (13%).

More specifically, 44% of First Nations people had experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, as had 24% of Métis and 29% of Inuit (Chart 3). Note  As was the case when looking at the overall Indigenous population, there were no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of discrimination between women and men among distinction groups.

Chart 3 start

Chart 3 Experiences of discrimination in the past 5 years, by Indigenous identity and gender, Canada, 2019

Chart 3 end

Common reasons for the discrimination experienced by Indigenous people included ethnicity or culture (15%) and race or skin colour (14%). These proportions were approximately five times higher than among the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population (2% and 3%, respectively).

In addition to race and ethnicity, Indigenous people were also more likely to perceive discrimination or unfair treatment due to their physical appearance (14%), physical or mental disability (7%), and religion (5%) than were non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (5%, 2%, and 2%, respectively).

While discrimination was more prevalent among Indigenous people, experiences of discrimination were not uniformly felt among all Indigenous people. For instance, 70% E of sexual minority Note  Indigenous people had been discriminated against or treated unfairly in the five years preceding the survey, more than twice the proportion of heterosexual Indigenous people (30%; Table 2 ).

Close to half (46%) of Indigenous people with a disability experienced discrimination, a proportion that was roughly twice as high as both the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population with a disability (24%) and among Indigenous people who did not have a disability (22%).

In addition to varying levels of discrimination, there were differences in the context in which discrimination was experienced across ethno-cultural groups. As was seen among the Black population, experiences of discrimination when dealing with the police were also more common among Indigenous people. Among those who were discriminated against, the proportion who said it occurred when dealing with the police was five times higher among Indigenous people (21%) than among non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (4%).

Indigenous people were also more likely to have experienced discrimination in a bank, store, or restaurant, when compared to the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population (42% versus 28%).

There were no significant differences between Indigenous people and non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people in terms of the proportion who experienced discrimination when attending school or classes, at work or when applying for a job or promotion, when crossing the border into Canada, or when dealing with the courts.

Compared to the most recent previous GSS cycle in 2014, a higher proportion of Indigenous people stated that they had experienced discrimination or unfair treatment in Canada in the past 5 years in 2019 (33% versus 23%). Note 

More specifically, a larger proportion of Indigenous people experienced discrimination based on their physical appearance in 2019 (14%) than in 2014 (8%; Chart 4). Discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability was also more commonly perceived by Indigenous people in 2019 (7%) than it was in 2014 (3%).

Chart 4 start

Chart 4 Experiences of discrimination in the past 5 years among the Indigenous population, by reason for discrimination, Canada, 2014 and 2019

Chart 4 end

Start of text box 3

In addition to the higher levels of discrimination experienced by Black and Indigenous people, when looking at other ethno-cultural groups designated as visible minorities in Canada, discrimination was also more prevalent among certain groups. Southeast Asian (39% E ), Arab (32% E ), Latin American (30% E ), and Chinese (29%) people more commonly experienced discrimination for any reason, relative to the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population (Chart 5).

Chart 5 start

Chart 5 Experiences of discrimination in the past 5 years, by population group or Indigenous identity, Canada, 2019

Chart 5 end

Among those belonging to a population group designated as a visible minority Note  , the most common motivations for discrimination or unfair treatment were race or skin colour (19%) and ethnicity or culture (17%). Close to three-quarters (72%) of visible minority people (excluding Black people) who experienced discrimination said that it was on the basis of multiple grounds included in the GSS on Victimization.

On the whole, 30% of women and 25% of men belonging to another group designated as visible minority reported experiencing discrimination in the past 5 years, a difference that was not statistically significant. In part owing to sample size, there were no statistically significant differences in terms of the proportion who experienced discrimination between women and men for any individual population group in 2019.

More than one in ten (12%) of those belonging to another group designated as a visible minority said that the discrimination they experienced was when crossing the border into Canada, six times higher than the proportion among non-Indigenous, non-visible minority people (2%).

Taken together, more than one-quarter (27%) of those belonging to population groups designated as visible minority (excluding Black people) experienced discrimination in 2019, marking an increase from 2014 (19%).

End of text box 3

Data from the General Social Survey on Victimization show that, relative to the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population, Black and Indigenous people in Canada are more likely to face discrimination. This was particularly the case when it came to discrimination based on race, ethnicity, skin colour, or culture.

Not only were Black and Indigenous people more likely to report experiencing discrimination and unfair treatment in Canada than other population groups, the proportion who had faced such experiences has increased compared to 2014, when the General Social Survey on Victimization was last conducted.

The circumstances in which discrimination was faced also varied across population groups. Both Black and Indigenous people were far more likely to have experienced discrimination during an interaction with police, when compared to the non-Indigenous, non-visible minority population. In addition, discrimination in a store, bank, or restaurant was more commonly experienced by Black and Indigenous people.

Table 1 Discrimination in the past 5 years, by reason for discrimination and population group or Indigenous identity, Canada, 2019

Table 2 Discrimination in the past 5 years, by population group or Indigenous identity and selected characteristics, Canada, 2019

General Social Survey on Victimization

In 2019, Statistics Canada conducted the General Social Survey on Victimization for the seventh time. Previous cycles were conducted in 1988, 1993, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014. The main objective of the GSS on Victimization is to better understand issues related to the safety and security of Canadians, including perceptions of crime and the justice system, experiences of intimate partner violence, and how safe people feel in their communities. The target population was persons aged 15 and older living in the provinces and territories, except for those living full-time in institutions.

Data collection took place between April 2019 and March 2020. Responses were obtained by computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI), in-person interviews (in the territories only) and, for the first time, the GSS on Victimization offered a self-administered internet collection option to survey respondents in the provinces and in the territorial capitals. Respondents were able to respond in the official language of their choice.

The sample size for the GSS on Victimization was 22,412 respondents, with a response rate of 37.6%. Respondents in the sample were weighted so that their responses represent the non-institutionalized Canadian population aged 15 and older.

Data limitations

With any household survey, there are some data limitations. The results are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling errors. Somewhat different results might have been obtained if the entire population had been surveyed.

For the quality of estimates the lower and upper bounds of the confidence intervals are presented. Confidence intervals should be interpreted as follows: if the survey were repeated many times, then 95% of the time (or 19 times out of 20), the confidence interval would cover the true population value.

Berry, J.W. 2013. Research on multiculturalism in Canada. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 37 , 663-675.

Canadian Human Rights Act. R.S.C., 1985, c. H-6.

Canadian Multiculturalism Act. R.S.C. 1985, c. 24 (4 th Supp.)

Cotter, A. 2022. "Perceptions of and experiences with police and the justice system among the Black and Indigenous populations in Canada.” Juristat . Statistics Canada Catalogue no.  85-002-X.

Dion, K.L. 2002. The social psychology of perceived prejudice and discrimination. Canadian Psychology, 43 (1), 1-10.

Do, D. 2020. Canada’s Black population: Education, labour and resilience. Ethnicity, Language and Immigration Thematic Series. Statistics Canada Catalogue no.  89-657-X2020002.

Foster, L. and Jacobs, L. 2019. Traffic Stop Race Data Collection Project II Progressing towards bias-free policing: Five years of race data on traffic stops in Ottawa . Accessed Dec 21.

Hyman, I., Meinhard, A., and Shields, J. 2011. The role of multiculturalism policy in addressing social inclusion processes in Canada. Working paper series, vol.  2011 (3).

Ibrahim, D. 2020. “Public perceptions of the police in Canada’s provinces, 2019.” Juristat . Statistics Canada Catalogue no.  85-002-X.

Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. 2018. Prosecuting Hate Crimes: A Practical Guide.

Ontario Human Rights Commission. 2021. Framework for change to address systemic racism in policing.

Perry, B. 2010. “Policing hate crime in a Multicultural society observations from Canada.” International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice . Vol.  38. p.  120 to 140.

Statistics Canada. 2019. Diversity of the Black population in Canada: An Overview. Statistics Canada Catalogue no.  89-657. Ottawa: Statistics Canada.

Wortley, S. and Owusu-Bempah, A. 2011. The usual suspects: Police stop and search practices in Canada. Policing and Society, 21 (4), 395-407.

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Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

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Addressing anti-Black racism is key to improving well-being of Black Canadians

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Professor, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary

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Bukola Salami receives funding from Policywise for Children and Families for a project on mental health of Black youth named in this article

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Anti-Black racism continues to be a major determinant of poor health and social outcomes for Black Canadians. Addressing this racism within Canadian institutions — like the health-care system, justice system, the child welfare system and education — has far-reaching implications.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a good example. Black populations had the highest age-standardized mortality rate among racial groups in Canada. Moreover, in the early days of the pandemic, living in a Black community was strongly correlated with a diagnosis of COVID-19. Black Canadians also have a higher mortality rate from HIV, diabetes and several forms of cancer.

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation describes anti-Black racism as “policies and practices…that mirror and reinforce beliefs, attitudes, prejudice, stereotyping and/or discrimination towards people of African descent.”

As a Canadian Black academic and a parent of two young children, I know that anti-Black racism has real-world consequences. Research reveals that Black children and youths are overrepresented in the criminal justice and child welfare systems , and have lower post-secondary school completion rates.

Read more: Recognizing history of Black nurses a first step to addressing racism and discrimination in nursing

Historically, Black people in Canada were denied enrolment in medical schools and nursing schools , which has had long-term impacts on the provision of culturally sensitive health care.

Contemporary and historical inequities

A Black doctor with a Black mother and child

Black Canadians’ experiences are rooted in contemporary and historical inequities, including Canada’s history of slavery and racial discrimination. Canada’s early immigration policies were racist, such as Section 38 of the Immigration Act of 1910 , which:

“prohibited for a stated period, or permanently, the landing in Canada, or the landing at any specified port of entry in Canada, of immigrants belonging to any race deemed unsuited to the climate or requirements of Canada, or of immigrants of any specified class, occupation or character.”

It was further proposed that “the Negro race…is deemed unsuitable to the climate and requirements of Canada.”

Findings from my research are consistent with the United Nations Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on its mission to Canada, which affirmed the negative legacy of these past practices. Policy formulations still shape access to material resources and contribute to structural inequities in Canada, evident in the pervasive low incomes of Black Canadians.

While median annual wages generally increase for the Canadian population, Black men’s wages have remained stagnant . Economic deprivation and employment barriers informed by anti-Black racism also have generational consequences. Significantly, Black children (and Filipino children) are the only two groups of children that on average do not surpass their parents ’ levels of education in Canada.

As well, many Black immigrant women, especially from Western and Central Africa, experience high levels of poverty despite their high educational achievements , often acquired prior to coming to Canada.

Black youth mental health

Black youth spoke most about racism in our research on their mental health experiences. They internalize racism, which in turn affects their future well-being. We learned that numerous factors intersect to create challenges. For example, Black youth are often perceived as guilty of unacceptable behaviours and must prove themselves innocent. The prevailing perception that toxic or unhealthy masculinity is an attribute of Black men also affects their mental health.

Read more: Black men's mental health concerns are going unnoticed and unaddressed

A nurse seen from behind and a man inserting a test swab into his nostril

Income inequality and insufficient financial resources are complicating factors, impeding many young Black men from getting the counselling they need to improve their mental health. When they do access such supports, lack of diversity among providers and culturally appropriate services can be further barriers. LGBTQIA+ Black youth may face dire situations, experiencing racism within the LGBTQIA+ community and homophobia within the Black community.

Addressing inequities

Partnering with Black communities is a crucial component in effective efforts to mitigate inequities. Indeed, it is essential that Black community members participate, to capitalize on their strengths and actively engage in improving their well-being.

Through my personal and professional experiences, I’ve had a unique glimpse into the brilliance and strengths of various Black communities, which are often untapped. These includes a collectivist orientation, spirituality and the value of respect. Mentorship within these communities has also produced several unique gains. For example, my participation in the University of Toronto Summer Mentorship Program in my early years in Canada, contributed to my success. I have also created a Black Youth Mentorship and Leadership Program to socially and economically empower Black youth to contribute to the society. Around 150 Black youth have been trained.

Several other mentorship programs exist in Black communities and some, as indicated above, were created by Black faculty members and administrators in educational institutions .

Institutions must do more than just provide education and develop anti-racist policies; they must also ensure accountability in addressing racism. Embedding anti-racism practices in evaluation at all levels is an important step, especially since many professions in Canada don’t include anti-racism as a required competence. Such changes will support improved social and health outcomes overall.

Collecting race-based data is still not that common, but as this practice becomes more widespread, the data will tell us more about the ongoing social and health outcomes of Black Canadians. My aim is to help all Canadians understand that anti-Black racism in our country does not exist in isolation; it intersects with many other aspects of people’s lives. Race-based data is a step towards better understanding these relationships.

Looking ahead

Anti-Black racism has health, social and economic consequences for Black populations in Canada. We are a growing population in Canada of approximately 1.5 million individuals who self-identify as Black, accounting for 4.3 per cent of the country’s total population.

However, anti-Black racism has consequences for population outcomes for all Canadians, as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic . It is key that we provide mentorship, collect race-based data, take strength-based participatory research approaches and establish and maintain accountable practices that centralize race and its intersections.

These moves will improve health and social outcomes for Black Canadians and generate stronger population outcomes in Canada.

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This week the world marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.

There were memorial concerts, religious services, thundering speeches and sermons.

As the tributes rolled out, people wondered how Dr. King would perceive the state of black people in the United States fifty years on.

There was general agreement that however far black people have come, however much their lives might have improved since 1968, racism still pollutes American society.

Most scientists now agree that race is a social construct, biologically meaningless.

The science notwithstanding, race lives on in our psyches as a cultural concept. 

Nobody is born a racist. They have to be taught. They have to be trained. By parents, by peers and sadly sometimes by media which emphasize race in crime reporting.

When we look south, we all too often take on a self-righteous attitude that what is happening to black people in the U.S. could not happen here.

In a startling coincidence, as we thought about the murder of Dr. King, some disturbing data — unearthed by CBC News — describe a different narrative.

A team of CBC investigators and researchers spent six months looking at every police-involved fatality since 2000, some 461 in all.

More than 70 per cent of the victims had mental health or substance abuse problems. Most were white.

But the numbers referring to blacks in Canada should make us all stop and rethink our attitudes toward race.

There are roughly 800,000 people in this country who self-identify as black. Roughly half live in the Greater Toronto Area.

Between the years 2000 and 2017, 19 blacks died after encounters with police. That's 36.5 per cent of the fatalities, even though black people make up only 8.3 per cent of the population.

And surveys have shown that about 80 per cent of black males between the ages of 25 and 44 have at one time or another been stopped and questioned by police in public.

This is not to suggest for a moment that all cops are racists. But it raises important questions, not only about police departments but about many of our vital institutions.

I've never liked the phrase systemic racism. To my mind, the very idea of systemic racism lets individual racists off the hook; "I'm not a racist, it's the system." But now I'm not so sure.

But I do know it is an act of willful blindness to assume that Canada has in some miraculous way escaped the scourge of racism.

essay about racism in canada

The federal government has announced plans for a pan-Canadian public consultation on the matter of racism, focusing specifically on systemic racism.

The hope is that out of the cross-country survey will come some kind of national strategy to combat racism.

If something concrete comes out about how minorities, whether black, Muslim, or Indigenous, are treated in this country, it will be worth the effort. 

Click 'listen' above to hear the essay.

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Anti-Black Racism in Canada

Article by Channon Oyeniran

Published Online June 1, 2022

Last Edited June 1, 2022

Black people have been in Canada since the early 17th century ( see Black Canadians ). Throughout their 400-year history in Canada, Black people have faced racism , discrimination and hostility based on the colour of their skin. Anti-Black racism refers to attitudes, beliefs, stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice targeted at people of African descent. The roots of anti-Black racism are found in enslavement and its legacies. Deeply entrenched in Canadian institutions, policies and practices, anti-Black racism is either normalized or rendered invisible to the larger white society. Anti-Black racism manifests itself in how Black Canadians are disadvantaged, or marginalized, in society, the economy and politics. As a result, Black Canadians often have unequal opportunities, higher unemployment and significant poverty rates. They are also overrepresented in the criminal justice system ( see also Criminal Code of Canada ).

Anti-Black racism has manifested itself through various historical examples, including enslavement (the transatlantic slave trade) and segregation. Ongoing issues of anti-Black racism, such as police brutality and racial microaggressions, continue to persist in Canada.

Black Enslavement in Canada

The historical roots of anti-Black racism started with the transatlantic slave trade. The slave trade depended on the buying and selling of Africans for use as enslaved labourers. Traders of enslaved people exploited and profited from Africans’ labour. From the 16th to 19th centuries, the slave trade transported between 10 and 12 million people between Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Europe.

In colonial Canada, the enslavement of African people was a legal tool for economic interests. In New France , French colonizers started the practice of chattel slavery, in which enslaved African and Indigenous people were treated as personal property that could be bought, sold, inherited and traded. The practice of slavery continued after the Conquest of New France . The number of enslaved African people increased significantly in British North America after the American Revolutionary War (1775–83). ( See American Revolution – Invasion of Canada .) White American Loyalists were encouraged to move north to Canada after the American Revolution. Many United Empire Loyalists brought along their “property” with them, including enslaved Black people . French and British colonists relied on Black people’s slave labour to build their personal wealth as well as the colonial economies. Thus, the intention of enslaving Black and Indigenous people was to exploit them for their labour. ( See Black Enslavement in Canada ; Enslavement of Indigenous People in Canada .)

Segregation

The racial segregation of Black people is evident throughout Canadian history. Racial segregation seeks to separate people and communities based on their race. Many Black people in Canada were segregated, excluded from or denied equal access to various opportunities and services. This was the case in education ( see Racial Segregation of Black Students in Canadian Schools ), employment, housing , immigration , transportation , military service ( see Canadian Armed Forces ) and healthcare. Historically, various laws, court decisions and societal norms upheld the racial segregation of Black people. To many, widely held beliefs about Black people’s racial inferiority ( see Racism ) during the period of enslavement justified racial segregation. Racial segregation against Black people in Canada was different in each province and territory, as well as in various communities.

Did you know? In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Canadian government implemented several immigration policies to exclude Black people. Order-in-Council P.C. 1911-1324 was one such policy. It proposed to restrict and ban Black immigration to Canada. Policymakers believed that Black people were unsuited to Canada’s cold climate. Although the Order-in-Council never went into effect and was repealed, it demonstrated that Black immigrants were not wanted nor welcomed in Canada.

Contemporary Examples of Anti-Black Racism

Anti-Black racism continues against Black people in Canada today through a variety of overt and subtle dynamics. Some of these factors include education, poverty , the labour market, the justice system, immigration and housing . Unequal opportunities in education seriously impact Black Canadians in negative and discriminatory ways. In comparison to other youth, Black young people are less likely to attend post-secondary institutions and earn post-secondary qualifications. ( See also Universities in Canada .) Although the socio-economic conditions of Black Canadians may vary according to their gender , region of origin or ancestry and generation status, discrimination and racism still exist and negatively impact Black people in Canada.

One subtle way that racism and discrimination are perpetrated is through racial microaggressions. Microaggressions are everyday insults, indignities and demeaning messages directed toward Black, Indigenous or racialized people by white people. The latter may be unaware or ignorant of the harmful and negative effects of these verbal aggressions. Examples of racial microaggressions would be someone saying “You don’t act like a normal Black person” and “You’re really pretty for someone so dark.” Racial microaggressions may stem from unconscious biases. They also demonstrate how racialized people are viewed by others. Racial microaggressions can be harmful to Black, Indigenous and racialized people. Racial microaggressions can leave targeted people feeling sad, excluded and viewed as second-class citizens.

Another way in which anti-Black racism manifests itself against Black people in Canada is through instances of police brutality. In Canada, Black and Indigenous people are overrepresented in police-involved deaths. In 2018, the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that, between 2013 and 2017, a Black person was nearly 20 times more likely to be shot and killed by the police in Toronto compared to a white person. Advocates argue that police brutality is just one of many symptoms of systemic racism found in Canada. Dismantling police brutality and injustice toward Black, Indigenous and racialized people in Canada need to be dealt with at the foundational level. For activists, this means addressing racism on a structural level and throughout society.

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June 02, 2020

Anti-Black racism in Canada: time to face the truth

June 02, 2020 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Human Rights Commission

In light of the anti-racism protests taking place this week across the U.S., Canada and the world, Marie-Claude Landry, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission releases the following statement:

It is time for all Canadians to acknowledge that anti-Black racism is pervasive in Canada. In fact, the belief that there is little to no racism in Canada is in itself a barrier to addressing it.

As millions of people around the world unite to speak out against the killing of George Floyd, many are grappling with grief, anger and anxiety. The Commission extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mr. Floyd, and to his entire community. We are immeasurably saddened that all those who endure the effects of anti-Black racism may be newly traumatized by this most recent senseless tragedy.

Anti-Black racism is not confined to the U.S. Many people of African descent in Canada feel threatened or unsafe every day because of the colour of their skin — some fear the police officers charged with protecting them.

We must question why Black people in Canada are more likely to be racially profiled whether by police when walking down the street, or store employees when shopping, or when being served in a restaurant. We must question why they are more likely to be the targets of hate speech and hate crimes, and are overrepresented in our criminal justice system.

The roots of anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in Canada run deep. They are historically embedded in our society, in our culture, in our laws and in our attitudes. They are built into our institutions and perpetuate the social and economic disparities that exist in everything from education, to healthcare, to housing and employment.

Now is the time for all Canadians, but especially non-racialized Canadians, to listen, learn and reflect on how white privilege and systemic racism contribute to injustice and inequality in this country. We need to look inwards and challenge our biases, fears, assumptions and privilege. We need to have difficult and uncomfortable conversations. We must recognize and respect the leadership of voices from the Black community, and learn from lived experiences of anti-Black racism.

Racist comments and racist acts, no matter how subtle, must no longer be ignored or tolerated in Canada. Even the most subtle forms of racism contribute to the conditions that permit overt racism and violence to occur. When we are complacent, we are complicit. When we are silent, we are complicit.

It is not enough to say that we embrace diversity and human rights as the foundation of our democracy. Racism violates human rights. Whether conscious or unconscious, subtle or overt, it diminishes human dignity and it erodes democracy.

It is time for change. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr: “there comes a time when silence is betrayal.” That time is now.

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Racism in Canada

The common belief that Canada is far less racist then their neighbors to the south is perhaps one of the greatest falsehoods of North American society today. Through out history, Canada has been home to many race-based atrocities. Because of time and lack of media attention these events have been buried. To such an extent have these issues been neglected that the general public now cannot recognized them or discern them as part of their countrys past. Although recently over the past thirty to forty years Canada has been on the leading edge with human rights and in areas of equality between people/sexes, this has not lways been the case.

Canadas history has been just a recently blemished as that of the infamous United States. Three examples that depict this downfall are: the Chinese head tax, the internet of Japanese Canadians during world war two and the open anti-Semitism of the early though mid nineteen hundreds. It is important that people begin to recognize the downfalls of our marvelous country rather then living in ignorance. The first example of open racism in Canada was shown shortly after the completion of the Canadian Nation Railway in 1885. The government chose to enact law designed to restrict immigration access of Chinese to Canada.

This law stated that any immigrant of a Chinese heritage was required to pay a head tax in order to become a resident of the country. The law was enacted primarily because the need for cheap laborers was no longer necessary due to the completion of the railway. Unlike most other laws concerning immigration, this new tax was only directed towards people of a Chinese decent consequently singling out one minority group and purposely restricting their access. The head tax started an amount of fifty dollars but was increased to one hundred dollars y 1900, it was again increased to a small fortune of five hundred dollars per person in 1903.

On top of this, Newfoundland imposed an additional three hundred-dollar provincial head tax on top of the already high five hundred-dollar federal tax. Through the use of head tax, it is estimated that the Canadian government collected over 24 million dollars from approximately 81,000 Chinese immigrants. At the same time that this tax was being collected, the Canadian government was offering European immigrants financial and property incentives to move to Canada. This only showed the clear bias of the Canadian overnment towards the Chinese people.

This tax continued to be in effect until 1923 when it was replaced by the exclusion act. This exclusion act was set in place to prevent access of the Chinese to Canada entirely. The exclusion act was part of active law for nearly a quatrer of a century and during that time, only a total of seven people of Chinese descent were allowed into the country. The law was eventually revoked years after the end of World War 2 but, strictly enforced quotas were placed on Chinese immigrants, hence limiting the number of Chinese who were allowed into the country.

In addition, the Chinese were last to gain the right to vote in federal elections (1951) and even up to this point, the Canadian government refuses to compensate the remaining people who were effected by the unjust head tax of the past. Another example of Canadas racist history is the treatment of the Jewish. Unlike the underground racism of the United States during the 1920s, the Canadian attitude was quite open towards that of anti-Semitism. It wasnt uncommon to see signs on beaches or in public places, which read No dogs or Jews Allowed.

Signs such as these were commonly found in major urban areas uch as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. Furthermore, prominent political figures were openly attached to anti-Semitism groups. Some examples include: Edouard Plamandon, Adrian Arcand and perhaps best known, Mackenzie King one of the prime ministers of Canada. These powerful people in Canadian society took the stance of openly praising Hitler, justifying German pogroms on the Jewish and denying safety in Canada to Jewish fleeing Nazi Germany.

Furthermore, there were public newspapers which carried hate articles directed towards the Jewish community; perhaps most notably was the Semain religieuse de Quebec. Although fully aware of the practices taking place, the government chose not to halt the obviously racist practices. As a result of the governments lack of intervention, the practices continued through World War Two until they finally declined to their loss of acceptance from the Canadian society.

The final example and perhaps the most prominent was the World War Two internment of Japanese Canadians. This event took less then sixty years ago during World War Two. Due to the involvement of Japan in WW2 and the bombing of Pearl harbor in 1941, people of Japanese descent were sought out by the overnment and placed into internment camps located in the interior of the country. All possessions including homes, valuables, shops, boats etc were auctioned off. All proceeds from the auctions went not to the owners but rather to the Canadian government.

When told of the internment, the government stated that the camps would be similar to small rural communities but in reality they were more similar to POW camps. Unlike the U. S. who attempted to keep families together, Canada decided to separate the men from the women and children. The work camps that men were sent to, were designated by the government to be controlled onditions of productive work and settlement for the duration of the war”. In reality Japanese men were subjected forced labour in fields on government farms and building the countrys infrastructure.

Women and children were sent to other camps where they lived in poor living conditions for nearly two years till until the completion of the war. What made this a prime example of Canada racism was that earlier on in the war although some Germans and Italians had been detained, it was on an individual basis. The primary difference is that, in the Japanese case, is that an entire group of was deprived of their freedom ecause they were Japanese. Furthermore, many of these potential threats were actually second generation Japanese who had never been to Japan or for that matter could speak Japanese.

This internment was in direct violation of the freedom of over 28,000 people not because of their actions but rather, because of their appearance/race. Although there arent rows of endless crosses or fields filled with poppies to act as reminders to us today as to these events of our past, it is imperative that we as a people are not ignorant of their existence. Much like any war, hundreds of thousands of Canadian citizens fought for a better life not just for hemselves but also for generations to come.

Today perhaps more then ever it is important that we remember and accept these events of our past rather then burring them in history books. Events such as the Chinese head tax, the Japanese internment, the open anti-Semitism of 1920s, Ukrainian internment, should be spoken and taught about before they are forgotten. Canada has not always been a country of tolerance and acceptance of multiculturalism and, we should not take it for granted. As stated in the common adage: If we dont learn our history, were subject to repeat it.

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Essay on Racial Discrimination in Canada

Canada tends to portray itself as an all-inclusive, multicultural, non-discriminatory country, though this is not always the case. (Mullings et al. 21). Canada in-fact has a dark history of discrimination and marginalization of visible minority groups, mainly the black community and the Indigenous communities of Canada. The Indigenous people and the black community have historically faced discrimination, stigmatization and marginalization in Canada, they face countless challenges such as un-equal access to employment, unequal access to adequate legal representation, high rates of incarceration and historically lower socioeconomic status. These groups also tend to be negatively associated with drugs and alcohol due to racialized stereotypes about their communities, such as the drunken Indian stereotype that will be explored further in the paper, and the stereotypes associating Black men with criminal behavior and aggression.  

This paper will explore how stereotypes associated with drugs and alcohol consumption among visible minorities are perpetuated by the history of colonialism in Canada, anti-black racism and the presence of intergenerational trauma within these communities.  

The First Nations people have had a dark history with Canada, and they face many negative stereotypes with respect to drugs and alcohol. The negative stereotypes faced by the First Nations people are directly rooted in colonialism. The colonization of the Indigenous people involved the use of residential schools to assimilate and eradicate the Indigenous people and their culture. Throughout this era of colonization and assimilation the Indigenous community faced many traumatic events within the residential schools and in society in general. They faced constant racism and discrimination, they were separated from their their families, banned from speaking their language and practicing their culture and repeatedly abused. Racism towards First Nations peoples is rampant in Canada to this day and aggravates their deep-rooted trauma often leading to substance abuse, mental illness and suicide, as can be seen in the fifth estates: by the river's edge. This documentary exemplifies the tragic results of the trauma and hardship faced by the First Nations community. The documentary shows how the trauma and hardships plaguing all First Nations communities has led to substance abuse within their younger generations and later has been seen to lead to death or suicide (CBC). The First Nations community has a dark reputation when it comes to substances and mental health, they are commonly seen as "pathologically drunk, criminals and suicidal (Erickson 599). Due to the negative reputation of alcohol and drugs within their community, suicide is almost always blamed on the individual's alcohol consumption, rather than their mental health as a result of colonialism and overall discrimination (as it is within the CBC documentary). There is another common-negative- stereotype referring to First Nations individuals as “Drunken Indians”, this stereotype first came to be during colonialism, when the Canadian government banned the sale of alcohol to Indigenous people (Smythe p.5). This ban occurred due to the First Nations community being portrayed as helpless with little to no self-control, and therefore have no other choice but to consume alcohol, in general they were labeled as alcoholics. Overall, it can be said that Colonialism played a part in perpetuating racialized stereotypes relating to substance abuse in First Nations communities across Canada. 

Anti-Black racism refers to prejudice stereotyping and discrimination aimed at people of African descent. Historically racism aimed at People of color has been a problem in our society, though Canada tends to see itself as a multicultural country, even though that is not the case. In Canada anti back racism is not overt but rather deeply ingrained in Canadian institutions and policies (Mullings et al. 23). Due to this entrenched racism, African Canadians have historically and continuously faced many challenges such as, a lack of equal opportunity, lower socioeconomic status, higher rates of unemployment, and higher rates of incarceration (Mullings et al. 23). In turn these circumstances have be seen to lead to substance abuse as a coping mechanism and the sale of drugs as a form of livelihood. A local example of a challenge faced by those of African descent is the demolition of Africville.  Africville was a small African Canadian community in Halifax Nova Scotia from around the 1800s till 1960s, this small community was demolished in the name of urban renewal and integration” (National Film Board of Canada). According to Gabor Maté displacement is a major environmental risk for addiction, therefore those living in Africville at the time of the demolition would have been at higher-than average- risk for developing an addiction to substances (Smythe p.5). As stated previously, there are unusually high rates of incarceration for Black individuals, The increasing rate of Black Canadians in federal prisons (especially those there on drug charges), is blatant evidence of overt discrimination toward African Canadians by anti-black authority figures (Mullings et al. 25). Due to their history of oppression and continuous issues with the police force, the black community faces heavy stereotyping. According to Mullings et al,  a stereotypical black male is highly predisposed to criminal behavior and violence, while a stereotypical black female is irrationally angry and involved in sex work and welfare fraud (Mullings et al. 24).  Overall, the presence of anti-black racism in Canada perpetuates racialized stereotypes relating to substance abuse within black communities in Canada. 

Intergenerational trauma refers to trauma that gets passed down generationally from parent to child and so on, due to past and ongoing racism and discrimination in our society. Intergenerational trauma has been seen to effect substance. 

abuse and mental health in subsequent generations. Intergenerational trauma is present in all First Nations and Black communities in Canada due to the history of colonialism and anti-black racism. In terms of the First Nations community their traumatic history of abuse suffered in the residential school system has led to a presence of intergenerational trauma in all first nations communities in Canada which in turn effects substance use, mental health and overall moral within first nations families (Smythe lesson 6). The CBC documentary “The fifth estate: Stories from the river's edge” is a great example of the results of intergenerational trauma and its correlation to substance abuse. The documentary discusses the tragedies of the many young First Nations suicides in Thunder Bay Ontario. In the documentary they describe how intergenerational trauma has led young indigenous children to become dependent on drugs and alcohol, often leading to tragic mysterious deaths in the river. In terms of Black communities in Canada, the overt racism that exists in the police force, criminal justice system and overall, in society has left a presence of fear and in turn intergenerational trauma within most African Canadian families. 

Canada typically portrays itself as a multicultural, non-discriminatory country, but in-fact has a dark history of discrimination and marginalization of visible minority groups. Two largely discriminated groups in Canada are The Indigenous communities and the black communities. These groups have faced years of oppression, discrimination, stigmatization and in the case of the Indigenous, Assimilation. Racism towards these groups can be seen in countless areas of life, such as in the police force, the education system, the judiciary system, work community and more. They face countless challenges every day and due to aspects of colonization, anti-black racism and Intergenerational trauma, there is a presence of racialized stereotypes concerning drugs and alcohol in these communities.  There is also heavy stereotyping surrounding mental health and suicide in these communities as it is almost always linked to substance abuse whether or not that is the case. 

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Democratic Racism in Canada Essay

Despite historical and modern displays of racism as an intractable and pervasive reality in Canadian society, the overt denial of racism is delusionary because it allows Canadian to neglect the abhorrent reality in which a community is divided into white, privileged population and ethnical minorities. Indeed, the country ignores its rich historical background in which a rigid confrontation between the representative of the First Nations people and non-native population was presented.

The Canadian residents and institutions function on the basis of collective denial of the existing racial confrontation, which admits the presence of democratic racism. Canadians have forgotten their racial issues, including laws, practices, and policies that previously shaped their political, social, cultural, and economic institutions for more than three centuries.

The phenomenon of democratic racism will be analyzed through two lenses of social institutions – justice system and police to define how policy respond to the concerns of Aboriginal population and what role individual’s racial identity plays in their actions.

In fact, police officers are law enforcers that should develop an objective, unbiased attitude to all groups residing in Canada, irrespective of their racial affiliation. Nevertheless, racialized practices and beliefs are often implicit to everyone, except to those individuals who face them. The situation appeals to the importance of the dominance of white population, which does not only premise on race, but also on the construction of social identity.

However, victim’s testimonies and unrecognized experiences are still on the current agenda. Recently, a plethora of documentary films has been launched to discover the evidence of inappropriate treatment and give the experiences of the Aboriginal population to publicity. Specifically, the documentary Two World Colliding, centers on the story of Darrel Night, an Aboriginal man, who faced cruelties on the part of the police officers.

The representatives of the police department dumped the man in the outskirts of Saskatoon in January 2000, when the temperature reached 20 º C below zero. However, Mr. Night managed to survive and testify to the cruelties he had to experience. Moreover, the victim was shocked to find out that his case was not unique and there were many other Native people who had been frozen in the barren fields.

In response to unequal treatment, the Aboriginal community decided to resist to a police force and make it be responsible for the deaths of Native Canadian population. Despite the fact that the police officers were accused of improper treatment of Mr. Night, the court found them not guilty. They spent eight months in provincial correctional centre. So, the justice system failed to acknowledge the fact of racism, and therefore, this case is underestimated and biased because of unequal treatment and negligence on the part of official justice bodies.

A significant change in ideology dates back to 90s of the past century, the time when the Canadian government introduced its anti-racism reforms and encouraged funding programs. Apparently, the electing a neoconservative government was considered the most tangible change that occurred in Ontario.

The government was headed by Mike Harris who put an end to racial resistance. These initiatives were spread among other governments, but racial inequality and improper treatment of Aboriginal people is still on the rise in Canada. Biased and prejudiced assumptions are displayed and are apparent, both in the classroom and in the workplace, as it is presented in the film Race is Four Letter Word directed by Sobaz Benjamin.

Specifically, the movie focuses on the skin color as the apparent feature that allow the white population to divide the Canadian community into privileged and inferior strata. The director also highlights conflict and controversies around race by exploring his personal experience as well.

Benjamin steps away from the disguised nature of racial policies in Canada concerning whiteness and blackness and reveals the actual attitude of white people to minorities in cultural and psychological terms. Specifically, the author makes the point about the fact that white people take their identity for granted to dominate over the black community. As a result, such an attitude enhances social racism.

There are many other concerns with the concept of social identity in Canadian society that is specifically connected with the concept of whiteness. At this point, the analysis of the connection between racial issues and the white population is presented to discuss whiteness as an advantage over racial groups.

The patterns of attitudes and immigration policies toward the Canadian minority communities across the country are still predetermined by racial discrimination, leading to unequal treatment of certain groups, including Indigenous and black peoples ( Justice System/Policing 2).

In the presentation, it is argued that the justice system fails to provide equal and fair treatment of the Native population because Eurocentric restrictions hamper the delivery of appropriate and acceptable services by health care agencies (Seline 2). As a proof, the movie The Mishuau Innu: Surviving Canada written and directed by Ed Martin provides evidence for extremely low living standards among the Indian population in Canada.

The legislature policies reinforce neoliberal practices that put the welfare of racial groups under the threat. Overt discrimination of the Native population is not recognized by the Canadian government, although there are numerous cases of inappropriate consideration of the problems that occurred to the representatives of the minority population.

Although the country is considered as one of the most developed economies in the world, many representatives of indigenous people suffer from social exclusion. However, this inferiority exercised by the white population is denied due to the existence of social democracy.

Widespread resistance to anti-racism policies are presented at various levels, including individuals, communities, organizations, and systems. At the governmental level, the failure to introduce substantive policy against racism leads to even more challenging situation. Multicultural dimensions of legislative policies create a solid framework for consideration racial and cultural diversity and developing a new set of regulation for Canadian community, regardless racial and national affiliation.

Nevertheless, although multicultural awareness refers to the pluralistic nature of the community, there is explicit ambivalence about acknowledgement of other cultures to sustain unique identities and insure the equality of rights among all members of Canadian society.

Although the Canadian government recognizes the problem of racism, the reforms failed to progress because stereotypical beliefs remain unchanged ( Justice System/Policing 3). In film project Miss Canadiana by Camille Turner, the focus is made on the Canadian outlook on democratic racism that overtly denies the presence of stereotypes and prejudices.

In conclusion, racism in Canada can be considered as the driving force of misconceptions and conflicts between the Native and Non-native population. It emphasizes the challenges that society faces while espousing such principles as social harmony, equality, tolerance, and respect for human rights.

At the same time, the Canadian community is reluctant to recognize racial prejudice and discrimination, which leads to a failure to develop the corresponding policies. Canadians are deeply committed to the policies and provisions regarding democratic society. However, the democratic principles contradict the recognition of physical differences as the basis for valuing individual rights.

More importantly, those people who face unequal treatment hold responsibility for the existence of racism in society. The controversies between collective and democratic racism shape the underpinning for Canadian racial heritage and, these issues should be considered in terms of the evidence of various forms of resistance to anti-racial policies.

Works Cited

Justice System/Policing . Presentation. n. d. pp. 1-6. Miss Canadiana . Ex. Prod. Camille Turner. Canada: Toronto Film Festival. 2012.

Race is Four Letter Word Ex. Prod. Sobaz Benjamin. Canada: National Film Board of Canada. 2006. DVD.

Seline. Presentation. Section Three. n. d. The Mushuau Innu: Surviving Canada. Ex. Prod. Ed Martin. Canada: Best Boy Productions. 2004. DVD.

Two Words Colliding . Ex. Prod. Tasha Habbard, Canada: National Film Board of Canada. 2005. DVD.

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IvyPanda. (2019, April 16). Democratic Racism in Canada. https://ivypanda.com/essays/democratic-racism-in-canada/

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IvyPanda . (2019) 'Democratic Racism in Canada'. 16 April.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Democratic Racism in Canada." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/democratic-racism-in-canada/.

1. IvyPanda . "Democratic Racism in Canada." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/democratic-racism-in-canada/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Democratic Racism in Canada." April 16, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/democratic-racism-in-canada/.

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Black History Month: What is it and why is it important?

Black History Month - A visitor at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

Black History Month is an opportunity to understand Black histories. Image:  Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

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essay about racism in canada

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This article was originally published in February 2021 and has been updated .

  • A continued engagement with history is vital as it helps give context for the present.
  • Black History Month is an opportunity to understand Black histories, going beyond stories of racism and slavery to spotlight Black achievement.
  • This year's theme is African Americans and the Arts.

February is Black History Month. This month-long observance in the US and Canada is a chance to celebrate Black achievement and provide a fresh reminder to take stock of where systemic racism persists and give visibility to the people and organizations creating change. Here's what to know about Black History Month and how to celebrate it this year:

Have you read?

Black history month: key events in a decade of black lives matter, here are 4 ways businesses can celebrate black history month, how did black history month begin.

Black History Month's first iteration was Negro History Week, created in February 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, known as the "father of Black history." This historian helped establish the field of African American studies and his organization, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History , aimed to encourage " people of all ethnic and social backgrounds to discuss the Black experience ".

“Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” ― Carter G. Woodson

His organization was later renamed the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and is currently the oldest historical society established for the promotion of African American history.

Why is Black History Month in February?

February was chosen by Woodson for the week-long observance as it coincides with the birthdates of both former US President Abraham Lincoln and social reformer Frederick Douglass. Both men played a significant role in helping to end slavery. Woodson also understood that members of the Black community already celebrated the births of Douglass and Lincoln and sought to build on existing traditions. "He was asking the public to extend their study of Black history, not to create a new tradition", as the ASALH explained on its website.

How did Black History Month become a national month of celebration?

By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil-rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, Negro History Week was celebrated by mayors in cities across the country. Eventually, the event evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History month. In his speech, President Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”.

Since his administration, every American president has recognized Black History Month and its mission. But it wasn't until Congress passed "National Black History Month" into law in 1986 that many in the country began to observe it formally. The law aimed to make all Americans "aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity".

Why is Black History Month celebrated?

Initially, Black History Month was a way of teaching students and young people about Black and African-Americans' contributions. Such stories had been largely forgotten and were a neglected part of the national narrative.

Now, it's seen as a celebration of those who've impacted not just the country but the world with their activism and achievements. In the US, the month-long spotlight during February is an opportunity for people to engage with Black histories, go beyond discussions of racism and slavery, and highlight Black leaders and accomplishments.

What is this year's Black History Month theme?

Every year, a theme is chosen by the ASALH, the group originally founded by Woodson. This year's theme, African Americans and the Arts .

"In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount," the website says.

Is Black History Month celebrated anywhere else?

In Canada, they celebrate it in February. In countries like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ireland, they celebrate it in October. In Canada, African-Canadian parliament member Jean Augustine motioned for Black History Month in 1995 to bring awareness to Black Canadians' work.

When the UK started celebrating Black History Month in 1987, it focused on Black American history. Over time there has been more attention on Black British history. Now it is dedicated to honouring African people's contributions to the country. Its UK mission statement is: "Dig deeper, look closer, think bigger".

Why is Black History Month important?

For many modern Black millennials, the month-long celebration for Black History Month offers an opportunity to reimagine what possibilities lie ahead. But for many, the forces that drove Woodson nearly a century ago are more relevant than ever. As Lonnie G. Bunch III, Director of the Smithsonian Institution said at the opening of the Washington D.C.'s National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016: “There is no more powerful force than a people steeped in their history. And there is no higher cause than honouring our struggle and ancestors by remembering".

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Racism in Canada Essay Example

Racism in Canada Essay Example

  • Pages: 3 (575 words)
  • Published: November 9, 2021

Introduction

While the globe is engulfed with cases of poignant racism, cases of racism in Canada are highly minute with Canada ranking second for racial tolerance in the globe. Canada has been praised for its ability to cater for a diverse population in contrast to countries like the US. However, a closer look at Canada’s diverse population there is a clear evidence of racism. Racism in Canada is delved in the unfair treatment of Canada’s First Nations, the black community and sections of the Asian community. As such, this research paper will investigate the extent of racism in Canada with a clear purpose to illustrate the presence of racism in Canada.

Statement of Problem/Objectives

As mentioned above, Canadian individuals are under the assumption that racism is not dominant in their country. Consequently the problem is the complete research and analysis of the ra

cism situation in Canada taking in consideration all aspects of the society. In addition, the problem incorporates investigating the minorities and communities that are subjected to racism while investing the culprits. Also, the paper will examine the effects of racism in the country and the actions taken to curb the scourge. Numerous questions are asked pertaining the state of racism in Canada and will be all dealt with in this research paper.

Most instances of racism in Canada are limited to the indigenous populations. Amnesty International conducted a research on the condition of indigenous women in Canada. According to their outcome indigenous women are subjected to discrimination, violence and infringed human rights on a much larger proportion than the other races. Allegations of forced sterilization of the indigenous girls and women are also rife in Canada (Amnesty,

The abandonment of the Aboriginal communities in Canada is also a problem associated to racism discrimination in Canada. Education opportunities for Aboriginal children are highly mitigated. While other children in Canada have access to high quality education, aboriginals have access to low education quality from reserve schools. The government is ignorant of the aboriginals’ educational and economic standards. Education and employment standards in Canada are based on systemic racism (Ostroff, 2016). Another aspect of racism in Canada has been recognized in colleges and universities. According to research, institutions of higher learning in Canada lack any courses that cover the study of black Canadians and Africa (Taiaiake, 2011). While there exists courses that cover the study of Asian communities and culture, black culture on the other hand is neglected and this is associated to educational racism (Taiaiake, 2011). Racism has adverse effects on the people affected. The people undergoing racism in Canada, especially the aboriginals, suffer immensely. Poverty, low education quality, stigmatization, violence and discrimination among others.

Racism is a concept that should extinct in the 21st century especially in a country like Canada where diversity is key to the culture and economic progress of the country. As such, it is vital for racism to be eradicated in Canada and around the globe (Taiaiake, 2011). As illustrated by this paper, racism is a scourge that affects the minority and closes opportunity for majority of Canadians.

  • Stolen Sisters: discrimination and violence against indigenous women in Canada. London: Amnesty International Canada Ostroff, J. (2016, May 17).
  • HUFFPOST. Retrieved from Racism in Canada: Wab Kinew Schools Us on Systemic Racism: http://m.huffpost.com/ca/news/racism-in-canada Taiaiake, A. (2011).
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