IDERD: Fighting racism means looking back as well as looking forward
March 21, 2022
As we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Canada’s unions are making note of statistics released last week showing a dramatic increase in reported hate crimes. According to Statistics Canada hate crimes targeting race or ethnicity that were reported to police increased by 80 per cent between 2019 and 2020. Notably, hate crimes against East or…
Governments must honour Emancipation Day by addressing systemic racism
July 29, 2021
Canada’s unions are calling on governments at every level to mark Canada’s first national recognition of Emancipation Day by addressing systemic racism in employment experienced by Black workers. Emancipation Day has been observed in Ontario since 2008, but this year it will be commemorated across Canada for the first time. Over a year into the pandemic and one year after…
Canada’s unions condemn hate-motivated terrorist attack against Canadian Muslim family; express concern over rising incidents of hate
June 8, 2021
Canada’s unions unequivocally condemn the recent escalation of hate crimes and violence against members of numerous racialized and religious minority communities across the country. The most recent and tragic hate-motivated attack occurred on Sunday in London, Ontario. A Muslim family out for an evening walk were plowed down by a lone driver which resulted in the murder of four family…
Labour and anti-hate activists must unite to confront white supremacy
January 28, 2021
By Hassan Yussuff and Bernie M. Farber, as published in Toronto Star January 27 2021 As civil society leaders, we have individually and together advanced workers’ rights and inclusive communities. Despite the passage of years, we find ourselves once again facing down a familiar threat: white supremacy and far-right extremism. In fact, we both happened to reconnect by phone on…