January 2019/ Toronto - Colour of Poverty - Colour of Change (COP-COC) has submitted a Proposed Framework for a New Anti-Racism Strategy for Canada to the Canadian government's consultations on a new national anti-racism strategy.
The submission draws on work by COP-COC over the last ten years. It is further informed by a recent community consultation on an Anti-Racism Strategy for Canada organized by COP-COC and held on January 11, 2019.
In February 2018, the Government of Canada announced in its 2018 budget that it will:
“... provide support for events and projects that help individuals and communities come together, the Government proposes to provide $23 million over two years, starting in 2018–19, to increase funding for the Multiculturalism Program administered by Canadian Heritage. This funding would support cross-country consultations on a new national anti-racism approach, would bring together experts, community organizations, citizens and interfaith leaders to find new ways to collaborate and combat discrimination, and would dedicate increased funds to address racism and discrimination targeted against Indigenous Peoples and women and girls.”
Prior to the release of the Budget, on February 1, 2018 the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage presented to Parliament the report, “Taking Action Against Systemic Racism and Religious Discrimination Including Islamophobia”. Certain COP-COC Steering Committee members had an opportunity to appear as witnesses to the Committee’s study and offer concrete recommendations for action, specifically the collection of disaggregated data and the principle of targeted universality – to draw special attention to communities that are most affected.
In this submission COP-COC proposes a set of guiding principles to ensure that the new Anti-Racism Strategy will lead to meaningful outcome for the Government and communities.
COP-COC recommendations in the submission are groups under the following themes:
- Racial inequities in the labour market
- Racialization of Poverty
- Systemic racism in the criminal justice system and access to justice
- Systemic racism in national security
- Systemic racism in child welfare
- Systemic racism in health care and health inequities
- Inequities in access to basic necessities including housing and other social benefits
- Inequities in access to education, and in education outcomes
- Systemic racism in immigration legislation and policy, including temporary immigration and the interdiction regime
- Systemic racism in citizenship legislation and policy
- Hate Crimes
The submission calls for anti-racism legislation, as well as the establishment of an independent, ongoing oversight body to implement legislation across government. Finally, the proposal calls on government to provide necessary resources and ensure that Indigenous communities and communities of colour play a key role in developing actions.
Click here for the submission in PDF format.
OCASI is a founding Steering Committee Member of Colour of Poverty - Colour of Change.