There were sixty-three thousand individuals who arrived and claimed refugee status in Ontario in 2023. By mid-December 2024 approximately eighty-four thousand claims had been filed by persons residing in the province. We can make a guesstimate that we’ll end up just over the eighty-five thousand number for 2024, as November had seen a slight dip in numbers from the previous month.
In Toronto where the OCASI office is located and where I live, the numbers were unceasing. The images of Black people seeking protection sleeping on concrete, their plastic wrapped suitcases used for pillows will stay with me for a long time. “The crisis”, as some have come to refer to the summer of 2023, created strange bedfellows, and in situations of crisis much tension. New groups focused on queer African Claimants were emerging and working side by side with conservative evangelical churches who found themselves playing the role of emergency services - from shelter to food to healthcare. Established service organizations and individuals working in community healthcare, shelter and transition housing, and anti-poverty movements brought their expertise and their resources. Some benefactors of conscience stepped up to support with funding and materials. From hygiene products to porta potties.
Black grassroots agencies and other advocates reached out to all levels of government to respond to what was happening on the ground. We acknowledged that Toronto and other surrounding municipalities couldn’t carry the financial burden alone, and that they – the province and federal government needed to step in with adequate resources. And they did to some extent. The federal government in particular stepped up to relocate many who were sleeping on the floors of churches, to cities in southern Ontario like Niagara Falls. Services in the region (OCASI member agencies) stepped up to take on service coordination and to ensure that individuals’ needs were being met.
The call for a shelter dedicated to refugee Claimants in the Greater Toronto Area became louder after the deaths - two months apart - of a man and a woman who will never again see their families left behind in the search for safety and protection. A draft plan that was put together by Toronto refugee houses, coming out of the Syrian resettlement experience with the City of Toronto, was dusted off and brought to light as a place to start. The federal government pledged millions – good enough for establishing the space but certainly not for ongoing operations. The provincial government had invested over ten million for services to the Claimants at the beginning of 2024 and had made its contribution to the COHB- Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (a shared program among the feds and province and municipalities).
There was lots of talk, lots of media stories, ongoing calls for actions from all levels of government. Underlying the advocacy in Toronto was the knowledge that the leadership on City Council, in the beginning of the crisis had directed its staff not to accept refugee Claimants into the shelters, but instead to redirect them to federally funded shelters or housing services when they were aware that there were no such services.
Some of us pointed out the optics of Toronto City Council commissioning hotels for the arrival of Ukrainians just a year or so earlier without any indication that the federal government would pick up the costs. And yet, this differential response to this other group also in need of protection but hailing from a different continent. And wearing a different colour skin.
Things looked up when the new Mayor as a first act of office, rescinded the directive from the former leadership and directed shelters to accept all who were in need as long as space was available. Little did we know that for months this directive was ignored by City Shelter staff.
We were heartened when we learned that the Toronto Ombudsman’s Office planned to do an investigation into the City’s treatment of this group of refugee Claimants. We were pleased to contribute what we knew and had experienced. We thanked the Office for being proactive.
About a month or so ago, the final report landed in my inbox. I read it that very morning. It was thorough, clear, thoughtful, and made practical, implementable recommendations – in fact some of the recommendations mirrored what was already in various policy documents or action plans the City had adopted in the past.
There was much anticipation for the debate and several groups and organizations including OCASI submitted letters in support of Council’s adoption of the report and its fourteen recommendations. Councillors who are seen as progressive and have been leading on the City’s response to the refugee claimants’ arrival were texted and called to support the report.
Concerns were raised when the City manager publicly stated that he was against the report and its recommendations. Many of us were shocked that there was no political response or an immediate call from the Mayor’s office for the City Manager to walk back his comments (he clarified some of his comments weeks later). The Ombudsman responded and this public spat between the City Manager and the Ombudsman threatened to become spectacle, distracting from the important issues raised in the report.
The silence from the Mayor and the so called progressive Councillors (with the exception of one) was loud and noted by Black and allied communities.
The knowledge that the City was pushing back on this seminal report brought great attention to that end of December Council meeting. Discussions on social media, in Whatsapp groups, and over zoom all focused on how and when the report would be presented and adopted. Many of us stayed tuned to the streaming of the meeting. We were hopeful that Toronto had elected enough ‘change agents’ who would do the right thing. Boy, were we in for a surprise!
Without much warning, the report was put to Council to be accepted. No debate. No adoption. No need to act. In effect, Toronto City Council basically shelved a seminal report that factually documented the systemic and interpersonal anti-Black racism that was at play. The report was careful in its presentation of information. It did not demonize elected officials, it provided political and social contexts. And yet, it was killed by a Council that for the first time in memory is most representative ethno-racially of the City’s residents.
There was an immediate outcry as news of this political maneuver got out. One Councillor tried to get the issue reopened. That motion was voted down. At least there was a recorded vote then. The four Black Councillors, the Latin American Councillor and a few white male Councillors (including one known to be right-of-centre politically but with a significant Black constituency) supported the motion. The Mayor ‘abstained’.
Alas it failed. The majority of Councillors decided to bury a report that documents systemic anti-Black racism within the City bureaucracy. Canada’s largest City, the first in North America to establish a ‘Confronting Anti-Black Racism’ program within its bureaucracy.
A report, written by the City’s first Black Ombudsman on systemic anti-Black racism in the City is killed.
Reflect on That!
In Memoriam
It is with heavy hearts that we bid adieu to our colleague, brother Ibrahim Absiye. A champion of refugees and immigrants, Ibrahim came to Canada from Somalia as a refugee. After obtaining a degree in economics he entered the non-profit sector, taking on the leadership and building of Midaynta, a collective of Somali groups and organizations providing support and services to Somali communities across the GTA.
He later moved to CultureLink where he spearheaded the concept of ‘Green Settlement’ introducing a bicycling and winter sports program, and integrating environmentalism into the work of the organization.
Ibrahim served as a member of the Executive of the Board of the Canadian Council for Refugees.
He served as Chair (President) of the OCASI Board of Directors, ending his service in that role in October 2017. His gentle and wise leadership of the Council was exemplified by his commitment to uphold justice, fairness for all. These sentiments were expressed in his farewell speech at the 2017 OCASI Annual General Meeting.
He leaves a legacy of deep caring.