“This is not the end, but a hopeful beginning!” A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

BY PAUL JUNOR

On Saturday, June 27^th, 2024, Honorable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada released the external Steering Group’s Report: A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada’s Black Justice Strategy.

It was three years ago in December 2021 that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada was mandated to develop Canada’s Black Justice Strategy. This involved the support of the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the collaborative involvement of the: provinces, territories and Black communities.

It was intended to address anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination that has led to the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system, including victims of crime. The development of this strategy was in alignment with Justice Pillar of the International Decade for People of African Descent, which commenced in 2015 and concluded in 2024.

An intersectional, anti-Black racism and anti-oppression lens was incorporated by the external Steering Group. This was necessary to ensure that the: multiple perspectives, social lived realities, backgrounds and views as well as regional areas of diverse Black communities were included. There were 114 recommendations that arose from the report, which were connected to eight overarching accountability measures while the others were grouped into: short, medium, or long-term actions for implementation under the following five pillars:

• Pillar 1: Social Determinants of Justice (Employment and Income; Housing; Education; Health and Mental Health; Child Welfare; and Immigration and Settlement)
• Pillar 2: Policing
• Pillar 3: Courts and Legislation
• Pillar 4: Corrections
• Pillar 5: Parole, Re-entry and Reintegration

There were nine experts and leaders from Black communities across Canada that made up the external Steering Group. They engaged in consultations and engagements with twelve Black-led community-based organizations, which were established in February 2023. During Fall 2023, the feedback obtained was used to advise the Government of Canada. The press release notes that it identifies actions to transform the criminal justice system to ensure that all people in Canada receive equal treatment before and under the law.

Minister Verani states, “I welcome the report and am pleased to share it publicly, given its importance in guiding the work ahead, with our partners. I want to reiterate my appreciation of the external Steering group in particular to the authors of this substantial report. They have given us a history making report. They lay the groundwork for policies, programs and legislation that will help build a fairer, more effective justice system, confront systemic anti-Black racism and address the disparities that limit opportunities and increase marginalization and overrepresentation for Black people in our justice system.”

Dr. Akasi Owusu-Bempah, a steering group member who played an active part in the report highlighted the importance of taking steps to tackle systemic inequities in order to facilitate a more inclusive and equitable Canada. He states, “Justice is not a destination, but a journey we must all embark upon together. By recognizing and addressing the systemic inequities faced by Black communities, we pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable Canada.  Canada’s Black Justice Strategy serves as a beacon of hope, guiding us toward a future where every individual is afforded the dignity, respect, and fairness they deserve.”

Zella Jones, another steering group member and states, “One of the foundational principles of this report was that it must be centered in the voices and experiences of Canada’s Black communities, and the rich but painful histories of Black population, and as a co-author of the report, it was the honour and privilege of my life to receive the stories entrusted to us by the members of participating organizations from coast to coast.”

“What came through most to me was not only the terrible injustices our people still live with as a legacy of enslavement and colonialism, but the great resilience of Black Canadians.”

She credits the significance of this epoch-making event in the present moment. She elaborates, “This report both remembers our ancestors and builds a better future for our children. I thank the Government of Canada, the Minister of Justice, and the dedicated staff of the Department of Justice for all they did to support the creation of this report, which builds on a long tradition of activism and advocacy by African-Canadians. There is more work to do, of course; this is not the end, but a hopeful beginning.”