The new Strategy provides a community-driven framework and a more holistic approach to tackling systemic racism and discrimination in Canada

TORONTO, June 8, 2024 /CNW/ - Since 2015, the Government of Canada has been strongly committed to diversity and inclusion, aiming to make Canada—and the world—a better place. Despite the progress made, racism remains an unacceptable reality for far too many people in Canada.

To strengthen federal leadership against racism and discrimination, the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, unveiled today Canada's new Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028.

This Strategy is part of the Government of Canada's plan to build a better, fairer and more inclusive country for every generation of Canadians, by ensuring that everyone can reach their full potential. It aims to deliver concrete and measurable outcomes in key priority areas. These include:

• promoting economic, social and cultural empowerment;
• advancing racial equity in immigration, health and housing systems;
• driving justice, law enforcement, intelligence and public safety systems reform; and
• using international engagement to inform advancement on racial equity and inclusion at home.

Racism and discrimination continue to be barriers to inclusion for Indigenous peoples and Black, racialized and religious minority communities, preventing them from fully participating in Canadian society and the economy, while undermining our shared values.

Canada's new Anti-Racism Strategy is a $110.4 million investment aimed at driving action in employment, justice and law enforcement, housing, healthcare and immigration systems. It encompasses over 70 federal initiatives designed to ensure federal policies, programs and services reflect the Canada it serves, while also working in partnership with communities by investing over $70 million in local initiatives across the country.

This Strategy builds on the endorsement of a second United Nations (UN) International Decade for People of African Descent, and historic investments totalling up to $872 million within communities through the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund and other initiatives focused on Black communities.

"Since the launch of Canada's last Anti-Racism Strategy, the world has experienced several tragically impactful events, resulting in devastating consequences, including right here in Canada. While diversity is a fact in Canada, inclusion is a choice. Through this new Anti-Racism Strategy, our government is taking decisive action to strengthen federal coordination in combating racism within our institutions and to support key initiatives undertaken by local community organizations across the country. In doing so, we are not just standing up against racism; we are standing up for all individuals who live in Canada. This Strategy represents a roadmap for a brighter tomorrow, starting today, for all of us to be part of the solution."

—The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

"Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy has been developed in concert with racialized communities. This transformative strategy will empower Canadians long impacted by systemic racism and discrimination. It was developed through extensive consultations. It's an evergreen strategy. It will continue to adapt to the needs of racialized Canadians."

—Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

Canada's first anti-racism Strategy, Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022, had a total investment of nearly $100 million, including $70 million to support community organizations across Canada addressing issues of anti-racism and multiculturalism. The Strategy served all people living in Canada by addressing racism and discrimination in their various forms, with a strong focus on community-based projects.

The new Strategy builds on the foundation set with the first Strategy in 2019–2022. It covers over 70 federal initiatives and takes a more comprehensive approach to eliminating systemic racism and discrimination in Canada.

Budget 2022 provided $85 million over four years, starting in 2022–2023, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support the work to launch the new Anti-Racism Strategy and a national action plan on combatting hate. Of this $85 million, approximately $70 million was allocated over three fiscal years (2023–2026) in grants and contributions. This funding supports community projects that ensure that, Indigenous peoples and Black, racialized and religious minority communities have access to resources that support their full participation in Canadian society and the economy, while also raising awareness of issues related to racism and hate in Canada.

Budget 2023 provided an additional $25.4 million over five years, starting in 2023–2024, and $0.6 million ongoing to the Department of Canadian Heritage to continue to support Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy and fight all forms of racism, including but not limited to anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia.

In 2018, Canada endorsed the UN International Decade for People of African Descent, which runs from 2015 to 2024. On February 7, 2024, the Prime Minister announced an extension, until 2028 of the federal government's efforts within these frameworks, to promote equality, empower Black Canadians, and strengthen their leadership in business, social justice, and community.

During the third session of the Permanent Forum, held from April 16 to 19, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, members of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent recommended that the United Nations adopt a second International Decade for People of African Descent, following the conclusion of the current Decade at the end of this year. Canada signaled its intention to support the Forum's call for a second Decade.

Backgrounder: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028

TORONTO, June 8, 2024

To shape Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028, the Government led multiple engagement activities between 2019 and early 2023. The federal government engaged people from coast to coast to coast through:

• 15 town halls;
• 2 national summits on antisemitism and Islamophobia;
• 1 national youth forum on anti-Black racism;
• 21 roundtables; and
• an online questionnaire on racism and discrimination, open to everyone in Canada.

To enhance accountability and deliver results on this Strategy, the government will:

• establish systems and explore legislation to boost accountability and make systems more inclusive;
• prioritize and support communities as experts in combatting racism by placing their voices at the centre of decision-making and providing necessary resources; and,
• strengthen relationships between different orders of government, with national and international partners, to drive progress and create positive change in Canada.

The Strategy prioritizes action in the following four priority areas:

• promoting economic, social and cultural empowerment;
• advancing racial equity in immigration, health and housing systems;
• driving justice, law enforcement, intelligence and public safety systems reform; and
• using international engagement to inform advancement on racial equity and inclusion at home.

The Strategy also acknowledges the complexity of intersectionality, by addressing the ways in which multiple forms of racism are compounded by other forms of oppression, including but not limited to sexism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, caste discrimination, ableism and language-based discrimination.

For more information, consult the full Strategy at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/combatting-racism-discrimination/canada-anti-racism-strategy.html.

Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives 2024–2028
Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022
Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat
Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (formerly the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives [CSMARI]) 
Declaration on the North American Partnership for Equity and Racial Justice

SOURCE Canadian Heritage