In the middle of Black History Month, the Trudeau Liberals unveiled a new “Black justice strategy” last week to fight what they describe as the “systemic discrimination” and anti-Black racism in Canada’s criminal justice system.
In a Feb. 15 news release, the government cited a need for a plan of action because “Black communities in Canada continue to live with the effects of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred” which includes “unconscious bias” and “anti-Black hate crimes and violence.”
The announcement also outlined hopes that the newly-revealed strategy would help “modernize” the criminal justice system.
A press conference on Parliament Hill– which featured federal ministers David Lametti, Ahmed Hussen and Marci Ien, among others – announced the assembly of a nine-member steering group, the next step in implementing the proposed strategy. The committee will now begin consultations with Black communities across the country to understand different regional perspectives.
University of Toronto Associate Professor Dr. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, CBC’s Nature of Things Co-host Anthony Morgan, Quebec-based criminal lawyer Fernando Belton, activist Mandela Kuet, Executive Director of the Black Legal Action Centre Moya Teklu, Senior Manager for the Africa Centre Sandra Muchekeza, Suzanne Taffot, Vanessa Fells and human rights lawyer Zilla Jones are members of the steering group which will facilitate development of the “Black justice strategy”.
Liberal MP Ahmed Hussen– the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion– said that Canadians need “to acknowledge the social, economic and political barriers Black communities have faced and continue to face”. The liberal politician said that the new strategy will serve as a pioneering force in finding solutions to the “disproportionately negative experiences” of Black Canadians.
“Building a more equitable and inclusive country takes hard work and thoughtful engagement, especially when it comes to improving the reality of Black communities across our country,” he said. “I thank the steering group for the challenge it is about to take on as we move toward building a more inclusive and equitable Canada where no one is left behind.”
The Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, Marci Ien, said events south of the border served as a wake-up call to Canada, spurring the development of new approaches to fight racism.
“The murder of George Floyd was a painful awakening to the realities of systemic racism, to the realities of anti-black racism, a reality that black communities across this great country of ours know all too well,” she said.
The Liberals campaigned on the promise of creating a strategy that would address “anti-black racism” in the criminal justice system.
Supporting Black communities has been a focus of the Trudeau government. In 2021, they committed $200 million for a Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund which would service “black-focused,” “black-led” and “black-serving” non-profit organizations. Applications closed last fall.
