Racism and Discrimination in Canada Laws, Policies and Practices

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Racism and Discrimination in Canada Laws,
Policies and Practices

• A. Marguerite Cassin, Tamara KrawchenkoMadine
  VanderPlaatAtlantic Metropolis Centre/Centre
  Metropolis Atlantique

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Presentation

• Mandate
• Research Questions
• Methodology
• Findings
• Gaps
• Directions

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Mandate

• The Multiculturalism and Human Rights Program at
  the Department of Canadian Heritage supports the
  following strategic outcome
• Canadians live in an inclusive society built on
  intercultural understanding and citizen
  participation.

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Research Questions

• What are new and contemporary forms of racism and
  racial discrimination experienced by visible
  minorities in Canada at the beginning of the 21st
  century?
• What visible minority groups are the most
  susceptible of being victims of racism and racial
  discrimination?
• What policies, programs and practices eradicate
  the new and contemporary forms of racism and
  racial discrimination?
• What gaps, successes, and failures of existing
  laws, policies and programs exist especially in
  the light of the 2017 demographic and the
  socio-economic conditions of visible minorities
  in Canada?

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Methodology

• Literature Review
• Research influenced by
• Ethnicity survey
• United Nations Report
• Focused searches
• No broad theoretical search
• Publications with Commentary on
• Policy
• Legislation
• Programs

• Jurisdictional Review
• Internet Based
• the level of government, action (legislation,
  policies programs)
• topic area (education, justice, community,
  communication, culture, arts, health, social
  welfare, labour relations)
• geographic area target group
• description of the legislation, policy or program
  
• mode of implementation and
• method of evaluation (if any).

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Literature Review Findings

• Assumes link of race, income and social status
• Formulates racism as normative to Canadian
  culture
• Points to lack of evaluation of all initiatives
• Adds more anecdotal support for the anecdotal
  findings of UN special Rapporteur

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Jurisdictional Review Findings

• Extensive body of law, policy and program
• Grants and contributions reach into community
• Proximity creates awareness, knowledge and
  skills celebrations useful
• Different jurisdictions, different approaches
• Little or no evaluation

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Research Question

• New and contemporary forms of racism
• Subtle
• Systemic
• Aversive
• Symbolic
• Inferential
• Subliminal and
• Democratic racism

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Research Question

• 2) Visible minority groups are the most
  susceptible of being victims of racism and racial
  discrimination
• Aboriginals
• Black Canadians
• Recent Immigrants
• South Asians and Chinese

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Research Question

• 3) Policies, programs and practices eradicate the
  new and contemporary forms of racism and racial
  discrimination
• Focuses differ between jurisdictions
• Education is overwhelmingly the primary focus of
  most programs, policies and practices
• The Federal Government plays a key role in
  funding and supporting anti-racism initiatives

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GAPS

• Conceptualization
• Belonging everyday experience
• Exploration of data for what it means, tells us
• Critique politicization strategy
• Normative strategies

• Program
• Community Sustain
• Focus on Everyday
• Youth
• Innovation
• Workplace and community problem solving

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Recommendations

• Develop substantive evaluation framework
• Address everyday experience
• Youth
• Arts, Culture, Nationality
• Rapport Building
• Link to Community Initiatives
• Build connections