Question Period Note: Anti-Black Racism

• The Government recognizes the unique challenges Black Canadian communities face and understand the importance of combating racism and discrimination, including system racism, in all of its forms.
• As part of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, our Government established the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat in October 2019 in order to engage provinces and territories, civil society, and stakeholders from diverse communities, including Black Canadian communities, to identify and develop further areas for action.
• In the Fall Economic Statement, our Government committed $12 million over
three years towards a dedicated Centre for Diversity in the Federal Public Service at Treasury Board Secretariat. It also committed an additional $50 million over two years, starting in 2021-2022, to expand Canadian Heritage’s Community Support, Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program and its Anti-Racism Action Program, and to enhance the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat and the ability to deliver on anti-racism objectives.
• Housed within Innovation, Science, Economic Development Canada, the Black Entrepreneurship Program (BEP) is a partnership between the Government of Canada, Black-led business organizations, and financial institutions. With an investment of up to $221 million over four years, it will help Black Canadian business owners and entrepreneurs grow their businesses and succeed now and into the future.

• A class-action lawsuit alleging that Black civil servants have been the victims of systemic discrimination is seeking $900 million in compensation. Twelve representative plaintiffs are named in the lawsuit, but it has been filed on behalf of all Black federal public service employees who have been subject to systemic discriminatory barriers in hiring and promotion since 1970. The lawsuit alleges that legislative action aimed at preventing discrimination has masked the exclusion and marginalization of Black Canadians from equal access to opportunities and benefits.
• Black Canadians remain one of the groups most affected by systemic racism and unconscious bias. Black Canadians are far more likely than non-racialized Canadians to be unemployed (12.5 percent compared to 7.3 percent in 2016); have a significantly lower median income than non-racialized Canadians across all generations ($35 580 compared to $48 966 in 2016); are more likely to be targeted by hate crimes than any other racial or ethnic group (36 percent of all hate crimes targeting race or ethnicity in 2018); and, despite being 3.5 percent of the Canadian population, represent 8 percent of federal offenders.
• Budget 2019 provided $45 million in funding over three years, beginning in 2019-2020, for Canada’s Anti−Racism Strategy. The Strategy recognizes that racism in Canada is a serious, long-standing and systemic issue. It has been designed to support three guiding three principles: Demonstrating Federal Leadership; Empower Communities; and, Building Awareness and Changing Attitudes.
• Budget 2018 provided $9 million over three years to enhance local and community support for Black Canadian youth. Canadian Heritage funded 56 proposals for a total of $7.75 million, with an additional $1.57 million allocated for outreach, engagement, research projects, and performance measurement.

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