Building a More Inclusive Canada: Government of Canada Supports Anti-Racism Projects in British Columbia

Racism and all forms of discrimination are some of the main causes of social and economic barriers for many Canadians. While progress has been made, much more remains to be done. (File photo: Jason Hafso/Unsplash)

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, highlights 13 anti-racism projects in British Columbia that address systemic barriers faced by racialized communities, religious minorities, and Indigenous Peoples

VANCOUVER, BC – Strengthening diversity and inclusion is fundamental to building a consciously more inclusive society, where everyone is able to participate fully. Racism and all forms of discrimination are some of the main causes of social and economic barriers for many Canadians. While progress has been made, much more remains to be done.

The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, along with the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government and Member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra, highlighted 13 anti-racism projects in British Columbia that were recently announced as part of the Anti-Racism Action Program. Examples of these projects include:

• Tools for Equity: ICA Equity Training Program, led by the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria. This project is a multi-layered diversity, equity, and inclusion training program for businesses and organizations in Victoria. It will support the development of workshop modules and organizational audit tools, with the goal of providing an all-round service for local businesses and organizations to increase their diversity understanding and inclusionary practices in an authentic and lasting way.
• Knowledge is the road to empowerment: a digital campaign to empower Muslim women to experience meaningful and positive participation in Canadian society. The NISA Foundation will work with young Muslim women, aged 14 to 25, who are living in communities with a low Muslim population and limited access to culturally appropriate resources, often making it challenging to fully participate in society. This project will focus on three main areas where these young women face particular challenges: community legal education, digital media literacy, and community leadership building.
• Holding Space for QTBIPOC Artists and Audiences, delivered by the Pride in Art Society, is a project that will address barriers to employing and engaging QTBIPOC artists and communities, as well as provide opportunities to strengthen Indigenous and racialized LGBTQ2 artists, whose intersectional identities often present additional barriers and increased marginalization. The project will also support the continued development of QTBIPOC artists through the coordination of workshops and exhibits that will highlight QTBIPOC artists and their intersecting identities, and provide opportunities to educate the community on the lived experiences of QTBIPOC people, as well as the historical roots of racism and discrimination in Canada.

These important initiatives will support communities in British Columbia to engage in critical work needed to create meaningful change and lasting impact on a number of systemic issues, including barriers in the workplace and equity in the arts.

The $15-million Anti-Racism Action Program funded 85 local, regional, and national initiatives, as well as outcomes-based activities that address racism and discrimination in all forms. This support is an important way that the Government of Canada is implementing its anti-racism strategy to continue the work of combatting systemic racism and building an even stronger and more consciously inclusive society.

Quotes

“Our commitment to combatting all forms of racism and discrimination is unwavering. These projects will help address the systemic barriers preventing Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities, and religious minorities from participating fully and equitably in all aspects of society. We will continue our work as allies and partners with all equity-seeking communities to combat racism as we build an even better and consciously more inclusive society.”

—The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth

“Promoting inclusion, removing stigma and eliminating discrimination require action and commitment from each of us. These important British Columbia-based projects put the needs and experiences of LGBTQ2 communities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized communities and religious minorities front and centre in ensuring they receive the support and resources they need to thrive.”

—The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Digital Government and Member of Parliament (Vancouver Quadra)

“To create a community where everyone can fully participate and have an equal opportunity to succeed, we must address the historical roots of racism and discrimination that impact racialized and religious minority communities. This includes systemic and institutional racism that exists in many workplaces, in education, healthcare institutions, and our communities. ICA’s Tools for Equity training program will address racial disparities and employment barriers faced by immigrants, refugees, and communities of colour in the Capital Regional District.”

— Jean McRae, Chief Executive Officer, Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

“Through outreach and education we can equip minority women with the confidence and skills needed to thrive and positively contribute to Canadian communities. We are humbled and grateful to accept the support of the federal government’s Anti-Racism Action Program. With this funding, we will continue to empower women to overcome barriers faced due to race or religious identities.”

—Tanweer Ebrahim, Executive Director, NISA Helpline | NISA Foundation

“Pride in Art thanks Canadian Heritage for this contribution toward our continued work programming QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) artists and curators at the Queer Arts Festival and SUM gallery, at this time Canada’s only gallery mandated for queer art. By interrupting the cyclical narrative of exclusion, we increase work experience, income and influence for QTBIPOC curators and artists. We shift the culture to understand QTBIPOC identity not as a mark of disenfranchisement, but as a site for creative self-authorship. When we, as an organization mandated specifically for 2SLGBTQ+ art, present engaging and critically acclaimed programming with 80 percent or more QTBIPOC artists, we demonstrate that arts presenters with more broadly defined mandates should be easily able to achieve diverse programming.”

—SD Holman, Artistic and Executive Director, Pride in Art Society

Quick Facts

• Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy, which was released June 25, 2019 after extensive cross-country consultations, is a $45-million investment to build long-term changes in supporting communities and improving policies, initiatives, and practices in our federal institutions.
• As part of the Anti-Racism Strategy, a $15-million call for proposals for the Anti-Racism Action Program was launched on September 3, 2019.
• The Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiative also received $15 million as part of the strategy.
• The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat website was recently launched. It is a resource for all Canadians to find information on the work of the secretariat, upcoming events, and funding opportunities across government.
• On September 23, 2020, the Speech from the Throne outlined the Government of Canada’s priorities, including its ongoing efforts to address systemic racism by working with racialized communities and Indigenous Peoples