The Department of National Defence will host a talk on the far-left concept of “white fragility” on December 15.
The “ask me anything” (AMA) event, titled Turning White Fragility into White Humility: My Journey Through Change, will be presented by guest speaker and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Senior Innovation and Risk Analyst Ryan Trudeau.
Public servants Faduno Ali and Samantha Moonsammy will be hosting the talk which also features opening remarks by Assistant Deputy Minister Rob Chambers.
“Through his presentation, Ryan guides his audience through his struggles with his own white fragility using powerful personal experiences, practical change management principles, as well as material from leading antiracism scholars,” the event page describes.
“He then shares pertinent information related to allyship, finishing-off with an inspiring but challenging message to all in embarking on our own respective journeys in dismantling systemic racism.”
“White fragility” is a term popularized by author Robin DiAngelo, who wrote a book with the same name. DiAngelo’s book has been criticized as being racially charged and is riddled with statements meant to paint all white people as racist.
“White identity is inherently racist; white people do not exist outside the system of white supremacy,” DiAngelo writes in White Fragility.
“White people raised in Western society are conditioned into a white supremacist worldview because it is the bedrock of our society and its institutions … Entering the conversation with this understanding is freeing because it allows us to focus on how—rather than if—our racism is manifest.”
According to Ryan Trudeau’s biography, he works at GAC’s “Peace and Stabilization Operations Program.”
The bio seems to include a rationale for his role at the AMA.
“As a straight, able-bodied white man born in Canada – Ryan’s perspective on matters related to diversity and inclusion may not seem obvious or even logical at first glance,” it states.
“However, the convergence of his experiences as a father, his personal journey with his partner, and professional background intricately illustrate how we are all capable of change; and that the systemic change we desire first begins at the individual level, one person at a time.”
True North reached out to Ryan Trudeau to confirm whether or not he was related to the prime minister but did not receive a response by the time this article was published.
