Freeland sitting atop a glass cliff
August seems to be a month of shattering “glass ceilings” for women in politics. From Kamala Harris being named as Joe Biden’s running mate to Chrystia Freeland becoming the first woman federal finance minister, the future seems to be bright for women in politics. But there is much more to it than that. Women in politics are often […]
‘I refused to be silenced’: Women politicians say gender makes them a target
When Wanda Thomas Bernard was appointed to the Senate in 2016, she spent thousands of dollars upgrading security at her Nova Scotia home. No stranger to racist and sexist attacks, she said she knew being a Parliamentarian, publicly visible, and vocal on the issues she cares about, would make her a target. “It makes me […]
Triage model necessary to shift away from police-first system in response to distress calls, say officers
As the government grapples for solutions in addressing systemic racism in police institutions, two police leaders say they support a national shift to a model of policing that emphasizes public health over “traditional law enforcement.” In a hearing on Friday before the House Public Safety Committee, Nishan Duraiappah, chief of Peel Regional Police, said that […]
‘It’s a national security threat’: DND launches anti-Black racism initiative
Addressing anti-Black racism in the ranks of the Canadian military is a matter of national security, with recent bad press likely to dampen recruitment, says the head of the Federal Black Employee Caucus. “For a long time this work has been piecemeal and people kind of do it at the corner of their desk, but […]
A roadmap already exists to advance the rights of Black communities
Earlier this year, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, put out a call for feedback on efforts underway to achieve the objectives of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). Given the dramatic events and protests that have marked the year so far, one could say that little has been […]
PM’s ‘Tiger Team’ meant to address diversity, inclusion in Canada’s national intelligence and security community hasn’t met since 2018
The federal government still has “much work to be done” on addressing diversity and inclusion issues within its intelligence and security apparatus, according to a recent parliamentary committee report, with one leading intelligence expert suggesting more senior leadership within the Privy Council Office with “power and clout” is needed to oversee the problem—and questioning why […]
Racism poisons Canada’s future
OTTAWA—Last week, I had lunch with two exceptional young Canadians, Ayanda and Mordecai. It was both enlightening and disturbing. I have known Ayanda for more than a decade. He worked at the YMCA camp, Kanawana, near Montreal. Ayanda was a counsellor, then a colleague to my children and became a family friend. He was always […]
Deem Indigenous policing essential, boost support for Northern communities to help scrap racism in policing, committee hears
Demilitarize the police, defund or divert their resources, adopt nationwide data collection to track race and use of force, adopt true and transparent civilian oversight, and make Indigenous policing an essential service. These are just some of the calls to action repeatedly raised by witnesses during last week’s parliamentary study on systemic racism and policing […]
Work of reconciliation and anti-racism held back by performative action
OTTAWA—It’s been five years into reconciliation and there’s been a lot of talk and not enough action. It’s time to start naming performative action as the barrier to real change. Performative action is doing just enough to avoid recrimination but not enough to affect real change. For example, the federal government has expressed superficial support […]
‘I must speak, I have no choice but to speak’: CBC’s Adrian Harewood talks about his decades-long fight against systemic racism in the media
CBC Ottawa News anchor Adrian Harewood has been involved in the fight against systemic racism in the media for nearly 30 years, a fight that’s been accelerated in recent weeks and months as much of the Canadian media landscape is now contending with a rising chorus of voices within the journalistic community calling for more […]
