Study shows that Black Canadians experience racial discrimination at least once a week

BY PAUL JUNOR

The release of recent study revealed that about 40% of Black Canadians experienced racial discrimination every week. The details of this study was reported in an article by Andrew Duffy on Thursday, December 24^th,2021 for the Ottawa Citizen.

The study is the first of its kind in Canada by University of Ottawa’s psychology professor Jude Mary Cenat. It was published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and was based on results from 845 volunteer participants between the ages of 15 and 40.

The study participants were asked to describe their exposure with different forms of racial discrimination, which range from microaggressions, normal racism to significant racism. When the data was analyzed, it found that about four of ten participants faced casual discrimination at least once a week. The details of the show revealed the following:

• 46% reported being treated with less courtesy or respect than others
• 43% reported being treated as if they’re unintelligent
• 41% reported being threatened or harassed
• 38% reported receiving poorer service than others at stores or restaurants

• 5% reported being treated unfairly during discussions about housing
• 3% reported being treated unfairly during discussions about bank loans

Analysis of the data revealed that over 50% of the 845 participants reported that they faced  “Major episodes of racial discrimination at least once in their lives related to job hiring (61.5%), education (60.5%), policing (55.5%) and health services (53.1%).”

The conclusion of the study notes, “These initial observations indicate that racial discrimination, whether it is daily, major or comprised of microaggression is not an isolated occurrence for people from Black communities in Canada. On the contrary, it forms part of their daily lives.”

These numbers are startling considering that African-Canadians only make up approximately 3.5 percent of the population of Canada. Professor Cenat stated that it is important to obtain quantitative data after hearing anecdotal information from Blacks who had experienced mental health challenges related to discrimination and “About its impact on people’s school and work lives.” Dr. Cenat states, “In my clinic, I have never taken on a Black man, a Black woman, a Black youth, who told me, I have never experienced racial discrimination. It is part of our daily life.”

He mentioned that this study highlights the fact that racial discrimination is not simply an American phenomenon, “But also very much present in Canada.” He believes that the results of this study will help to dispel Canada’s colour-blind approach. He states, “I want schools for instance, to take into account the pathway for each student. You cannot just say, ‘I don’t see skin colour.’ You have to take into account that experience is related to my skin colour.”