Black Class Action Secretariat brings international attention to anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in Canada

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Racism!

It is a buzzword that people don’t want to talk about, or actively shy away from. It has been used to divide people, and has done notable harm to the very structure of our society. Regardless, racism has become a very real aspect of our everyday existence, a trigger word that is handled by using words like, “Diversity,” and “Equity.” It is one of the reasons that systemic racism can go unnoticed by White elites, because they’re not looking for it, or choose to ignore it.

The harsh reality is that the systems that are in place in our society to help people meet their basic needs are biased against people of colour. These systems favour White elites and make it difficult for people of colour to have access to certain rights, and privileges.

Talking about racism is not an attempt to guilt, or shame anyone; racism needs to be discussed so that it can be properly addressed. Evoking change is a long process, but learning more about systemic racism is an important first step.

In October of this year, the Secretariat, with support from Amnesty International, submitted a complaint to the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance.

On December 4^th, 2022, the Black Class Action Secretariat addressed the United Nations Permanent Forum for People of African Descent in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Nicholas Marcus Thompson (Executive Director) and Mr Alain Babineau (Director of Operations for Quebec) represented the Secretariat.

They were joined by numerous: civil society groups, member states, and leaders from both Canada and around the world. The goal was to bring attention to global anti-Black racism and to chart a path toward addressing the many interconnected challenges.

Mr Nicholas Marcus took the opportunity to draw international attention to the pervasive and persistent systemic challenges Black Canadian workers are encountering when looking for employment with Canada’s federal public service, as well as the obstacles experienced when looking to advance in this sector.

“We’re here today alongside Canadian non-governmental organizations to bring international attention to anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in Canada. For decades, federal public sector workers of African descent have faced significant discrimination both at the hiring and promotional stages of employment.

All Canadians of African descent, workers in the public and private sectors are disproportionately impacted by policies and practices that create systemic barriers to their hiring, promotion, and advancement – leading to their gross underrepresentation in leadership roles.”

Remember those buzzwords I was talking about: diversity, and equity; they are a part of the rhetoric that addresses the decades-old challenges of anti-Black racism in Canada. It seems that Canada chose not to send a senior Black Ministerial official from the governing party to participate in this historic meeting.

Mr. Alain Babineau, the Secretariat’s Director of Operations in Quebec, made sure to point this disappointing fact out. “It’s not only disappointing to see that Canada did not want to openly support this UN forum despite being a signatory to the UN Decade for People of African Descent, but it’s further dismaying that we didn’t even see it fit to send a Minister of Government or a member of the Black Caucus to attend.”

The Secretariat has called on Canada to establish a Black Equity Commissioner, similar to the permanent Special Envoy on Antisemitism, and the new Special Representative on Islamophobia. The Black Equity Commissioner would serve as a champion and special advisor to the federal government on anti-Black racism domestically and internationally.