Question Period Note: TRANSFER OF THE FEDERAL ANTI-RACISM SECRETARIAT FROM CANADIAN HERITAGE TO EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA

On July 26, 2023, an Order In Council moved the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat from the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) to the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat leads a whole-of-government approach to combat systemic racism.

Since its founding in 2019, it has:

guided the federal response to COVID-19 from an anti-racism perspective;

developed a whole of government anti-racism framework;

supported the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy; and

supported the work leading to our Prime Minister, the US President, and the Mexican President committing to establishing a North American Partnership on Racial Equity and Inclusion, signed last January.

The Secretariat brings its track record of driving change to ESDC.

Shape

As of July 26, 2023, the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat is now controlled and supervised by the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada, as per an Order In Council emitted that same day.

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat was set-up in 2019, as a signature initiative of Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, 2019-2023..

Under the “Demonstrating Federal Leadership” pillar of the Strategy, it is tasked with coordinating federal action and driving the overall strategy, by leading federal institutions to identify and coordinate responsive initiatives, identify gaps, assist in developing new initiatives, and consider the impacts of new and existing policies, services and programs on communities and Indigenous Peoples.

Over the course of the last four years, the Federal Secretariat has played a leadership role across the federal government by assisting several government organizations in developing and implementing policy and other initiatives that address the needs of populations with lived experience of racism. It has involved persons and communities most affected by racism to inform its whole of government policy change work, and hosted commemoration activities to mark the history and contributions of racialized and religious minority populations.

The Federal Secretariat has also contributed on the international stage, facilitating the signing of trilateral and bilateral agreements, and informing the work to advance Canada’s anti-racism, human rights, diversity and inclusion, and democratic value foreign policy objectives.

Under Budget 2022, the Government has committed to deliver Canada’s new Anti-Racism Strategy and the country’s first ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat has been active in informing the development of both priorities, notably through an extensive public engagement and consultation process with populations most affected by racism as well as with key sectors of society.

Since 2019, the Government has invested over $200M in the initial

anti-racism strategy as well as in the new Strategy and the action plan

on combatting hate. These investments include:

$95M under the initial Strategy, comprised of $45M (Budget 2019) and $50M (2020 Fall Economic Statement); and

$110.4M under the second strategy, comprised of $85M over 4 years, starting 2023-2024 (Budget 2022), and $25.4M over 5 years, starting 2023-2024, and $0.6M ongoing (Budget 2023).

The new Strategy is anticipated to be launched in fall 2023.

None