Read on Twitter
#CanadaDay is an occasion to celebrate, but I think it's equally important to reflect on our country's racist legacy and acknowledge the work that STILL needs to be done to make Canada a better, safer, and more inclusive place for everyone.
(thread)
(thread)
Despite what many seem to think, racism is still very much present in Canada.
This is a country where hate crimes based on race or ethnicity went up 17% between 2016 and 2018.
Hate crimes against black people went up 32% in that same time period.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200226/t001a-eng.htm
This is a country where hate crimes based on race or ethnicity went up 17% between 2016 and 2018.
Hate crimes against black people went up 32% in that same time period.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200226/t001a-eng.htm
This is a country where Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to be murdered or to go missing than members of any other demographic group in Canada—and 16 times more likely to be slain or to disappear than white women. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mmiwg-inquiry-deliver-final-report-justice-reforms-1.5158223
A majority of Canadians who are Black or Indigenous have personally experienced discrimination due to race or ethnicity.
And in B.C., 82% of visible minorities say they have experienced prejudice or some form of discrimination.
https://www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/project-details/race-relations-in-canada-2019 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancity-poll-on-racism-1.4011796
And in B.C., 82% of visible minorities say they have experienced prejudice or some form of discrimination.
https://www.environicsinstitute.org/projects/project-details/race-relations-in-canada-2019 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancity-poll-on-racism-1.4011796
In Montréal, black and Indigenous people are 4 to 5 times more likely than white people to be stopped by police in "street checks."
Indigenous women are particularly overrepresented: they're 11 times more likely to be stopped by police than white women. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/spvm-racial-profiling-report-recommendations-and-findings-1.5311589
Indigenous women are particularly overrepresented: they're 11 times more likely to be stopped by police than white women. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/spvm-racial-profiling-report-recommendations-and-findings-1.5311589
In Toronto, black people are 20 times more likely to be shot by police than the city’s white residents.
And despite only making up 8.8% of Toronto's population, black people are involved in 61% of police use-of-force cases involving civilian death. https://globalnews.ca/news/4746387/ontario-human-rights-commission-toronto-police/
And despite only making up 8.8% of Toronto's population, black people are involved in 61% of police use-of-force cases involving civilian death. https://globalnews.ca/news/4746387/ontario-human-rights-commission-toronto-police/
And it's not just police violence.
Black Canadians are almost twice as likely than non-racialized Canadians and other visible minorities to be unemployed.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
Black Canadians are almost twice as likely than non-racialized Canadians and other visible minorities to be unemployed.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
This also extends to college-educated minorities:
Among Canada-born university graduates, the unemployment rate is twice as high for visible minorities as it is for anyone else (6% vs 3.1%). https://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/rima-elkouri/201709/29/01-5138168-le-mythe-du-quebec-raciste.php
Among Canada-born university graduates, the unemployment rate is twice as high for visible minorities as it is for anyone else (6% vs 3.1%). https://www.lapresse.ca/debats/chroniques/rima-elkouri/201709/29/01-5138168-le-mythe-du-quebec-raciste.php
And when they are employed, black people STILL make 30% less than non-racialized Canadians and other visible minorities.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
In fact, black people are almost twice as likely to be considered low-income than non-racialized Canadians.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/five-charts-that-show-what-systemic-racism-looks-like-in-canada-1.4970352
And yet, so many Canadians still refuse to acknowledge the pervasive racism in our country.
Just look at the Premiers of Québec and Ontario, who last month both denied the existence of systemic racism in Canada (though Doug Ford changed his tune after some backlash).
Just look at the Premiers of Québec and Ontario, who last month both denied the existence of systemic racism in Canada (though Doug Ford changed his tune after some backlash).
Or look at Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who recently discontinued $1 million in funding for anti-racism initiatives in Alberta through the Alberta Human Rights Commission.
This is despite seeing hate crimes rise in Alberta by 49% between 2016 and 2018.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2020001/article/00003-eng.htm
This is despite seeing hate crimes rise in Alberta by 49% between 2016 and 2018.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2020001/article/00003-eng.htm
As Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present, puts it:
"That attention is only paid when something is happening in the United States is very much an insult to people living here who are undergoing violence every day."
"That attention is only paid when something is happening in the United States is very much an insult to people living here who are undergoing violence every day."
So let's take #CanadaDay as an opportunity to not only acknowledge our deep-rooted racism, but also take steps toward addressing these issues across our country. 
https://blacklivesmatter.ca/donate
https://blacklivesmatter.ca/donate
