Recent data shows that Black workers are the most likely racialized group to be covered by a union contract, with unionization boosting their annual income by more than $3,000. Unionized Black workers benefit from better wages overall, increased job security, and protections against discrimination.

However, systemic barriers in employment persist, creating harmful impacts that ripple across generations of Black workers. Despite higher rates of unionization and the resulting benefits, Black workers still deal with significant barriers at work: the report also shows that Black workers face the second-largest racialized wage gap due to their disproportionate representation in lower-wage sectors and limited access to or exclusion from work in higher-wage sectors.

Black workers in Canada experience ongoing labour market discrimination and systemic racism—severe obstacles which impact their access to fair employment, advancement, and equitable treatment at work. The effects of anti-Black racism are far-reaching, causing enduring barriers to economic advancement and empowerment for Black communities.

A 2023 Black Canadian National Survey conducted by York University’s Institute for Social Research, in partnership with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, showed that 75% of those polled experienced racism in the workplace as a serious or very serious problem, and that Black workers see workplaces as epicentres of racial discrimination and unfairness.

This is unacceptable, and unions have a pivotal role to play in addressing and redressing these systemic injustices—both in workplaces, and in broader society.

“The labour movement must continue to uphold our core mission to fight for equity, fairness, and dignity for all workers. This means actively working to dismantle anti-Black racism and discrimination in workplaces and unions, bargaining for equitable opportunities, educating members and leaders, amplifying the voices and leadership of Black workers, and engaging with Black workers to organize for better jobs and pay,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. Unions can be a powerful force for racial and economic justice for Black workers, whether at work, in the union or in society. Don’t forget to register for our webinar on February 18, and be sure to check out our new factsheet on Black workers and unionization. You can also get involved with us this Black History Month and beyond by texting BHM to 55255 (message & data rates may apply).

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The Employment Equity Act represents a critical tool in our efforts to combat racism in the workplace and address the inequities experienced by Black, Indigenous, and racialized workers. Enacted to promote equality and eliminate discriminatory barriers in employment in federally-regulated workplaces, the Act provides a framework for employers to proactively address systemic inequities and ensure fair representation for all groups, including Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, women, and racialized people – designated groups under the current Act.

While the Employment Equity Act lays the foundation for progress, much work remains to be done to fully realize its potential, which can be achieved through its modernization. The recently released Employment Equity Review Task Force report, which came after consultations with numerous stakeholders, including Canada’s unions, provides a number of recommendations to strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of the Act, including measures to address systemic racism and discrimination in hiring, promotion, and retention practices.

“We stand firm in our commitment to combat systemic racism and discrimination in the labour market, to ensure a future where every individual is treated with dignity, respect, and equality,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau. “The recommendations put forth by the Task Force offer an important opportunity to eradicate existing deep-seated inequities and prevent future ones, which is absolutely essential to addressing systemic racism and ensuring Black, Indigenous, and racialized workers are no longer being left out in the cold. This is how we build a society free from discrimination, racism, and prejudice.”

The Task Force recommendations include investing in targeted initiatives to support the recruitment, training, and advancement of underrepresented groups in the workforce, as well as ensuring robust enforcement mechanisms to hold employers accountable for compliance with the Act.

Addressing racism and discrimination in the labour market is paramount to achieving fairness for all workers. Racial income gaps persist, as Indigenous, Black, and racialized workers continue to face barriers to employment opportunities, discriminatory hiring practices, unequal pay, and limited opportunities for advancement. Failure to address these inequities will only result in further exacerbation of the issues faced by these workers and perpetuate their exclusion from full and fair participation in the workforce.

Canada’s unions also have a role to play by taking proactive measures to advance employment equity within our own organizations. This includes removing barriers to equal opportunity and fair treatment, making employment equity part of the bargaining agenda, and ensuring that those most affected are on bargaining committees. Other measures include raising awareness among their members about the importance of employment equity, educating staff and leadership on the issue, and establishing accountability mechanisms for monitoring progress on employment equity within their organizations. Lastly, it is crucial for unions to advocate for policies and initiatives that advance employment equity, including a strengthened Employment Equity Act.

Read the full report from the Employment Equity Review Task Force here.

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Canada is facing a crisis: Statistics Canada data released earlier this year showed a record jump in hate crimes against 2SLGBTQI+, Muslim, and Jewish communities in 2021. This number continues to increase. This includes an alarming rise in incidences of hate and hate crimes, divisive ideologies, and racist, prejudicial, and discriminatory acts, both online and offline. It is crucial for all Canadians to urgently come together, to confront and combat this hate head-on. 

Canada’s unions are urging the federal government to take immediate action to put an end to the rise of hate in this country. This includes releasing its National Action Plan on Combatting Hate, a much-needed tool to help combat the rapid increase and spread of hate.  

Hate speech also continues to thrive online. This environment allows white supremacist, fascist, and right-wing extremist groups to organize and spread hate-based rhetoric and ideologies, quickly and effectively. The federal government must release its long-promised online harms bill, aimed at countering the deeply troubling trend of online hate, harassment, and violence.  

To combat rising anti-2SLGBTQI+, anti-inclusion, and pro-violence campaigns across the country, Canada’s unions are also calling for the implementation of all 29 policy recommendations in the White Paper on the Status of Trans and Gender Diverse People.   

“This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As we mark and reflect on this significant milestone, we must unite against hate in all its forms. Hate—whether rooted in racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, or any other form of prejudice and discrimination—has no place in our society. It undermines the principles of human rights and jeopardizes the very fabric of our society,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). 

Canada’s unions have long been at the forefront of human rights issues and will continue to fight for a more just and equitable future for all.  

“We will not let anyone roll back hard-won human rights. Every worker deserves to live a life free from fear, prejudice, and bigotry. We remain unwavering in our commitment to confronting hate in our workplaces, unions, and communities,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “The ongoing rise of hate requires an urgent response, and we’re calling on the federal government to take concrete steps to protect and preserve human rights in Canada. But we also have a collective role to play in confronting and combatting hate. It’s up to each of us, to stand up to hate when we see it and when we hear it. Only together can we make our workplaces and our communities safer for everyone.” 

Everyone in Canada must do their part to confront and combat hate. Join the fight by: 

• Downloading our Workers in Transition Guide to learn more about how you can support trans people in your workplace.  

• Downloading our report on confronting Islamophobia in our workplaces and communities
  Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities.  

• Learning more about how right-wing extremism and populism are spreading online and in communities across Canada. 

• Sign the #TransEqualityNow petition to tell the federal government they must act. 

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This ground-breaking report explored systemic racism in union structures, our communities, institutions and society. It highlighted the perspectives, concerns, and recommendations of labour and community activists from across the country.

“This year’s United Nations’ theme for Human Right Day is ‘Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All.’ We live by these words and adopt an anti-racism lens in all the work we do. However, while good progress has been made when it comes to advancing human rights and anti-racism in the twenty-five years since the release of the Task Force report, we know there is still work to be done to dismantle racism in all its forms,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive-Vice President, “and we must all commit to working together to get there.”

Recent data from Statistics Canada showed a sharp rise in hate in Canada since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the urgent necessity for this collective work. From 2019 to 2021, there was a 72 percent increase in reported hate crimes, largely targeting religion, race ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

“This rise in police-reported hate crimes is deeply troubling, and we know this is just the tip of the iceberg, as countless incidents go unreported,” said Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. “These alarming numbers demonstrate the effects of continued normalization and mainstreaming of hate. It is our responsibility to work together to counteract this trend by confronting all forms of racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism.”

Canada also has an obligation to do more to address its history of colonialism and its legacy and ongoing impacts experienced by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Canada’s unions continue to call on the federal government to implement every one of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

To mark Human Rights Day and celebrate 25 years of union activism against racism, the CLC will be hosting a webinar on December 13, 2022. Click here to register.

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A national report released by the Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter and Project 1907 shows that anti-Asian racism and xenophobia have continued to rise consistently across Canada two years into the pandemic.

“Historically, Asian Canadian workers faced exclusion from organized labour. They were barred from joining unions in numerous sectors, limiting opportunities for gainful and fair employment. Sadly, the discrimination and racism experienced by Asian workers is not relegated to the past. Workers continue to face anti-Asian racism in workplaces and unions, as well as – and increasingly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic – in society at large,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).

Canada’s unions are committed to working to eliminate anti-Asian racism and discrimination, both in the labour movement and society. This includes carrying on the work started by the CLC’s Anti-Racism Task Force, which developed a crucial report with recommendations on what needed – and still, 25 years later, needs – to be done within union structures to live up to the labour movement principles of justice and equality.

“We must do everything we can to adequately reach out to and support Asian workers to join and get involved in unions as workers and leaders, ensure that Asian workers are properly represented and supported as union members and support and amplify the great work being done by Asian community and labour activists across Canada,” said Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer.

Asian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate and recognize workers from across Asia. It is an opportunity to highlight the rich and varied contributions made by generations of Canadians of Asian descent, and reflect on everything they have overcome. This includes the struggles of Asian workers in securing labour and human rights and facing racism and discrimination within workplaces, trade unions and broader society.

In the 1800s, an estimated 17,000 Chinese workers were first brought to Canada as indentured labourers to build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Workers laboured under dangerous and difficult conditions. They faced widespread racism from employers, government and from within the communities in which they worked and lived.

Asian workers also faced discrimination and exclusion in certain industries. In British Columbia, for example, the province’s Inspection of Metalliferous Mines Act of 1897 barred Japanese and Chinese workers from the metal mining industry. Asian workers were also excluded from public works projects, and several subsequent laws prohibited Asian workers from being hired by smaller railway companies in the province. While many South Asian workers found work in the lumber industry after arriving in Canada in the early 1900s, a law passed shortly thereafter barred all Asian workers from holding logging licenses.

Action:

Help us celebrate the contributions made by Asian communities in Canada. Share a story today.

Learn more:

As Asian Canadian scholars, we must #StopAsianHate by fighting all forms of racism

Doing the Work: Race, Labour and Transformative Justice

Short Documentary: Toronto Solidarity Rally Against Anti-Asian Racism

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“Black people in Canada have had to struggle with the impacts of colonial systems that have rooted anti-Black racism into our institutions, policies, workplaces and society,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “So, while we celebrate Black History Month, it’s critical that our commitment to support and stand with Black workers and communities extends beyond this one month,” said Bruske.

Black History Month is an important time to recognize both the contributions and struggles of Black communities in this country. The history of Black people in Canada spans centuries and consists of a wide range of experiences, including slavery and abolition, homesteading and migration, the civil rights movement, and immigration.

Black people in Canada have made notable contributions to all aspects of life in this country, including to the labour movement, but these achievements have not come without struggle – which Black communities continue to face to this day.

“The social and economic impacts of anti-Black racism and discrimination have been significant and have resulted in a multigenerational wage gap for Black communities in Canada. And the barriers to social and economic advancement are only worse when the Black experience meets other experiences of marginalization, such as for Black people with disabilities, Black Muslims, Black women or Black trans people,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC.

The effects of systemic racism include ongoing labour market discrimination against Black workers, which has seen Black workers receive lower wages and face barriers in all aspects of work, from the hiring process, to advancement and retention.

Longstanding issues require long-term solutions and supports. Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to address economic and systemic racism and discrimination faced by Black workers by committing to and implementing the following actions:

• Create an intersectional national anti-Black racism strategy, including strong employment and pay targets and concrete measures to address systemic labour-market discrimination and disadvantages faced by Black workers;
• Ensure the reform and modernization of the Employment Equity Act includes employer requirements to divulge pay gaps affecting Black workers and a plan to narrow and eliminate the gender and multigenerational racial pay gap;
• Invest in public social infrastructure and care work as part of an equitable pandemic recovery plan to ensure good, safe jobs and stronger care systems that support all those who need care as well as all care workers – many of whom are Black women; and
• Launch an inquiry on the overrepresentation of Black children and youth in the care of child protection services.

This Black History Month and beyond, Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with and support Black workers and communities. Show your support and join us for a text rally on February 23 at 1pm. Eastern, where we will be texting Canadians across the country and inviting them to demand change from government and increased supports for Black workers and communities.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified historical xenophobic, anti-Asian sentiment and rhetoric, which has resulted in increased violence against members of Asian communities. Live data from Fight COVID Racism shows that from March 10, 2020 to mid-April 2021, there were 994 reported incidents of anti-Asian hate crimes across Canada.

“May is Asian Heritage Month, and we’re taking this opportunity to highlight the struggle Asian communities are currently facing,” said Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President. “There is no place for hate in Canada, and Canada’s unions are committed to advancing anti-racism efforts to confront and counter hate, and promote safer workplaces and communities.”

Canada’s unions are marking Asian Heritage Month by honouring the historical struggles of people of Asian descent in Canada and the community activism that challenged this country’s racist and discriminatory laws, practices and policies.

Asian communities helped build this country, yet they have faced exploitation, discrimination and racism, both in their workplaces and broader society. From the internment and property seizure of Japanese Canadians, to Chinese migrant workers who were first brought to Canada to build the Canadian Pacific Railway, to the Vancouver anti-Asian riots in the early 1900s, to the Continuous Journey Regulation and the Komagata Maru incident, the history of Asian communities in Canada includes experiences of significant adversity, as well as hard-won triumphs.

Members of Asian communities overcame these struggles by coming together and organizing in order to successfully challenge racist and discriminatory immigration laws and practices. Today, Asian community members continue to contribute greatly to the economy and to Canadian society, and provide a rich diversity of heritage, culture and perspectives across all sectors and industries.

In addition to a rise in anti-Asian sentiment, the pandemic has also increased the exploitation of workers in Canada, including migrant workers—many of whom are South Asian and South-East Asian women.

Throughout the pandemic, essential and migrant workers have made critical contributions to the wellbeing and safety of our communities. However, many have been working in dangerous conditions and without adequate protections, leaving them vulnerable and dependant on employers.

“While we welcome the recent federal announcement regarding the introduction of pathways to permanent residency for temporary essential workers, more action is needed for workers,” said Rousseau. “The limited nature of this new policy means that countless workers will continue to fall through the gaps. We urge the federal government to offer these pathways to permanent residency to all migrant workers, which would provide them with access to the government supports and labour protections they need.”

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The Government of Canada should now move to officially recognize the genocide and implement the recommendations of the Subcommittee of International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SDIR).

Witnesses say the persecution of Muslim groups in Xinjiang has included mass detention and inhumane treatment, forced labour, pervasive state surveillance, population control and the eradication of Uyghur culture and religion.

It is reported that over three million Uyghurs have been interned in concentration camps. Nearly a million Uyghurs have been forced into industrial slavery in manufacturing facilities across mainland China.

Due to the repressive climate, human rights monitoring by international organizations is not possible and due diligence in supply chains cannot be conducted. These forced labour practices are tainting global supply chains.

Canada’s unions support the human rights committee’s recommendations, which call on the Government of Canada to:

• Investigate potentially problematic sources of consumer goods and to take a strong stand against the use of forced labour, particularly when it involves Canadian companies;
• Enhance import control mechanisms, to prevent products made with forced labour from entering the Canadian market;
• Impose sanctions on entities and individuals that benefit from the use of forced labour;
• Empower the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise with independence and the power to investigate human rights abuse allegations and enact a comprehensive human rights due diligence law that compels businesses to respect the most current international human rights standards across their global operations and supply chains and be held accountable for harms caused or on behalf of their operations; and
• Conduct a review of its procurement practices to ensure it is not purchasing products manufactured through forced labour.

Canada’s unions are also calling on the federal government to condemn other human rights violations including mass detention, inhumane population control measures, and to ensure the protection of activists and Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims living in Canada who have experienced harassment and intimidation by the Government of China.

Here at home, Canada’s unions reject the rise in Sinophobia fuelled during the COVID-19 pandemic and underscore that this statement addresses the actions and practices of the Government of China, as represented by the Chinese Communist Party, and not the Chinese people.

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The Proud Boys, the Base, Atomwaffen, and the Russian Imperial Movement have been listed as terrorist entities. This means that these groups can no longer raise money or organize.

“These groups are a direct threat to the safety and wellbeing of workers of all backgrounds and specifically to those who are Indigenous, Black, Jewish, Muslim, or who represent other minority communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “We have seen a drastic resurgence in far-right extremist behaviour over the past several years. Letting these groups operate unchecked is dangerous and poses a real threat to our democracy and to the wellbeing of our communities. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in addressing this scourge.”

Unions in Canada have a long history of organizing against racism through advocacy and education. But far-right groups have thrived online, and the use of social media in particular has made it difficult to stem their use of misinformation to recruit new members and to mobilize.

Last year and for the first time ever, the federal government added two white-supremacist groups to the list of terrorist organizations.

“The reality is that white supremacist groups have not faced the same scrutiny as other racialized groups and that has allowed them to mobilize with relative freedom and impunity,” added Yussuff. “Furthermore, under anti-terror legislation, stereotypes and guilt by association have led to the over-surveillance of Muslim and Arab communities. Public safety measures must not stigmatize specific communities.”

According to counter-terrorism experts in Canada, there were 100 alt-right or white supremacist groups operating in Canada in 2015. There is widespread concern that those numbers are growing.

“Attacks by white supremacists tend to be targeted, and do not happen in isolation. The climate of hatred they foster puts workers’ health and safety at risk,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Incidents of intimidation at work and online harassment are on the rise, and must stop. Everyone deserves to live free from violence and harassment.”

To arrange an interview, please contact:
CLC Media Relations
media@clcctc.ca
613-526-7426

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“This is a time of reckoning,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “The double crisis of a global pandemic and outcries over racial injustice and police violence have taken a significant toll on Black communities in particular. We must move forward together and ensure no one is left behind.”

Black communities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. COVID-19 mortality rates are higher in neighbourhoods with a larger proportion of population groups designated as visible minorities, including Black people.

Black workers are at work on the frontlines of this pandemic. Many of these workers are women who are largely underpaid, working in dangerous and precarious working conditions without access to paid sick leave. This makes them even more vulnerable to the health, social and economic fallout of the pandemic.

“The pandemic has only worsened long-standing, stark social and economic inequities,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the CLC. “Racial equity and the needs of Black communities must be a priority in the government’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. The government must seize the opportunity to centre the voices and concerns of Black workers and communities.”

Canada’s unions are also calling on the government to make stronger data collection and accountability a priority. The availability and collection of race-based data in Canada is sorely lacking. Without such data, the full scope and manifestations of systemic anti-Black racism and racial inequity will remain unaddressed.

Furthermore, there is an urgent need for critical investments in public social infrastructure including child care, Employment Insurance and affordable housing, as well as community-based health and social services.

The CLC will be hosting a webinar on equitable recovery for Black workers and communities in Canada during Black History Month. Information will be available on the CLC’s Facebook page.

In the meantime, be a part of our work by signing our petition today for a just, equitable and disaster-proof pandemic response and recovery plan.

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The country’s labour movement supported community calls to commemorate this painful anniversary since the attack on the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre devastated the community in 2017. Six men were killed in the massacre, and many more were permanently injured.

“This announcement sends a powerful message to Muslims in Canada, and to the broader public: Islamophobia has no place in our country,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “An annual commemoration ensures we never forget those we lost that day and that we remain vigilant to the dangers that Islamophobia poses to workers and to their families.”

Inclusive communities require proactive efforts and Canada’s unions are committed to ensuring that every worker in Canada has an opportunity to fully participate in society, regardless of race, gender, class, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are.

“With this designation, we will need further concrete action,” added Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC. “The federal government must continue to step up in providing resources and support to advance education and awareness efforts around Islamophobia and all forms of racism and discrimination. None of us are safe until all of us are safe.”

The CLC published a detailed report on confronting Islamophobia in the workplace in 2019, which provides recommendations to employers, governments, and trade unions.

“With this important designation, we ensure a national conversation in which people across Canada will learn about the presence of anti-Muslim sentiment and its impacts on people’s day to day lives. The annual remembrance of the École Polytechnique massacre on December 6 provides Canadians with an opportunity to remember the victims and to take stock of the progress, or lack thereof, towards eliminating gender-based violence. Similarly, this new day of remembrance will allow similar introspection and dialogue around white supremacy, hate, and Islamophobia,” said Yussuff.

The labour movement is committed to advancing anti-racism efforts and works with all levels of government in promoting safe and welcoming communities for all.

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The new bill, Bill C-15, comes four years after former NDP MP Romeo Saganash introduced Bill C-262, a similar private members bill that died in the Senate.

“By introducing Bill C-15, the federal government is taking a long overdue and much needed step on the path toward reconciliation,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “The Bill would require the government to take concrete action to ensure that Canadian laws are consistent with the Declaration.”

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People establishes a framework of global minimum human rights standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples. Just as Bill C-262 did before it, the new Bill affirms UNDRIP as a universal international human rights framework with application in Canadian law.

The Bill would require the federal government, in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples, to:

• Ensure the laws of Canada are consistent with the Declaration;
• Prepare and implement an action plan to achieve the objectives of UNDRIP, to be completed as soon as practicable, but no later than three years after the day on which this section comes into force; and
• Prepare and table an annual report on progress on the action plan, and to align the laws of Canada with UNDRIP.

Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls called for the government to fully adopt and implement UNDRIP as the framework for reconciliation and justice for Indigenous peoples, including Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit persons who continue to face the deep brunt of the legacy of colonial violence.

Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to pass and enact Bill C-15 in a timely fashion and are joining Indigenous leaders and community members in stressing that Indigenous peoples have been waiting far too long for substantive and resolute measures from the federal government when it comes to justice and reconciliation.

“The government must seize this opportunity to make significant and meaningful change in the lives of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples and move forward on the path to true reconciliation,” said CLC Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau.

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“We are appalled and outraged by the relentless attempts to disrupt and undermine the Mi’kmaq fisher fleets and their right to a moderate livelihood as guaranteed by the Supreme Court of Canada,” said Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. 

“We are also alarmed that even in the midst of the escalating violence by non‑Indigenous fishers, there have been troubling reports of the RCMP’s failure to protect the Mi’kmaq people, further entrenching a relationship of distrust between Indigenous communities and law enforcement,” added Yussuff. “This points to systemic racism that cannot be left to stand. Law enforcement must take the appropriate actions to end the violence.”

All levels of government have a duty to uphold the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples, as per section 35 of the Constitution, the Peace and Friendship Treaties, and relevant court decisions. Canada’s unions call on the federal government to:

1. Uphold the rule of law and respect treaty rights. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans must negotiate in good faith with the Sipekne’katik First Nation representatives, to work out a reasonable solution to the fishery dispute that respects the Marshall Decision;
2. Address the threats, attacks and discrimination against Mi’kmaq people; and
3. Ensure the safety and security of Mi’kmaq people as they exercise their legal treaty rights.

Justice for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) peoples is long overdue, and Canada’s unions are committed to ensuring the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are fully implemented. Reconciliation is only possible when the rights of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples are fully respected.

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Canada’s unions are committed to standing in solidarity with racialized and Indigenous communities in upholding principles of equity, justice, and human rights. These are principles central to the labour movement.

The efforts required to undo systemic racism will necessitate difficult and ongoing conversations and the formulation of deliberate strategies to educate, empower, and engage all workers. We all have a responsibility towards dismantling systems that perpetuate racism and inequality and towards rebuilding new ways of promoting the health and well-being of our entire collective.

Following the spate of tragic killings and abuse of racialized and Indigenous people at the hands of police in both the United States and in Canada, a key demand that has emerged from human rights advocates and targeted communities includes a call to defund the police.

The context and meaning of this demand is critical. While the brutal killing of George Floyd earlier this past summer was a galvanizing moment helping to propel anti-Black racism and its impacts into the public consciousness, the long history of police brutality is a key factor.

The traumatic legacies of slavery, oppression and colonization continue to reverberate throughout society and this includes in the ways in which law enforcement agencies have been overpolicing, surveilling, and at times, even killing, members of racialized and Indigenous communities. Racial profiling, so-called ‘random’ street checks, the disproportionate number of Black and Indigenous people in prison, the presence of police in schools and the disproportionate number of violent interventions by police must all be addressed.

The call to divert funding away from police services towards community support is justified when cuts to youth programming, investments in affordable housing and mental health supports, and other key social programs have hurt far too many vulnerable communities. In fact, over the last few decades, there have been considerable increases in police budgets, at the same time as austerity measures eroded public funding for community and social programs and services throughout various levels of government.

In far too many Canadian municipalities, provinces and territories, budget allocations for police services outweigh combined spending on other priorities like public transit, libraries and parks and recreation. This spending has accompanied the increased militarization of police services in Canada, reflected in the purchase of armored vehicles and tactical gear more suited for battlefields than urban and suburban neighbourhoods. Due to the chronic underfunding of social programs, police services are expected to address a host of societal challenges and crises – situations for which their training, culture and mandate are ill-suited.

It is incumbent on working people to demand that public services be assigned towards lifting communities up and helping people reach their fullest potential.

Canada’s unions support efforts to reduce federal, provincial, territorial and municipal budget allocations to police services, and to reinvest these funds toward alternatives to policing, such as community-based health and social services and programs, mental health supports and crisis intervention, public transportation, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, services to prevent and address gender-based violence, addiction treatment and harm reduction programs, among others.

On a broader scale, increased government investments in affordable housing, mental health care, child care and employment supports would have a direct impact on the health and well-being of our most marginalized communities, promoting public safety and addressing the root causes of violence.

Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with the call to defund police budgets, which have continued to grow exponentially as public services, have been reduced or eliminated. The labour movement further supports efforts to look at the ways in which law enforcement agencies have upheld legacies of harm, as well as to re-examine how resources could be better allocated towards strengthening our communities and helping the most vulnerable.

Furthermore, leaders within Canada’s unions reiterate their commitment towards advancing human rights within our own unions; among our staff and leadership, and in collaboration with communities. This will require ongoing efforts, which include education, advocacy, training and resources. We will continue to strive to achieve and model the highest standards of equity and hold ourselves accountable throughout.

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The fight against anti-Black racism and police brutality is based in the long, despicable history of slavery, oppression and colonization of Indigenous communities and Black people in North America. The impact of which continues to be felt today.

There is no reason that Black people in Canada should die at the hands of our police services. Yet the deaths of Black Canadians, Abdirahman Abdi, Bony Jean-Pierre, D’Andre Campbell and most recently under investigation, Regis Korchinski-Paquet, demonstrate that anti-Black racism continues to be a leading cause for the loss of Black lives.

“Anti-Black racism is a destructive force in our society afflicting families and communities,” said Hassan Yussuff, Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) president. “Canada’s unions are committed to fighting all forms of discrimination and are urgently calling for accountability and systemic change.”

It’s important to highlight the severe lack of mental health supports, the lack of access to prescription medication and poor working conditions facing many workers who are often Black and racialized. Research clearly shows that Black communities have diminished health outcomes compared to the broader population as a result of historic neglect on the part of our system. This is playing out in this current pandemic, with early indications of a disproportionate impact on Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities.

“It’s time to hold some very uncomfortable conversations and reflect on the policy decisions and choices that have led us here,” continued Yussuff. “The whole country is looking to our government for leadership and immediate action that will lead to real and meaningful changes in the way Black communities are treated.”

The CLC is committed to raising awareness on the role of Canada’s labour movement to combat anti-Black racism, including providing educational opportunities to union members, as well as to the broader public, and publicly advocating for accountability and systemic change at the policy level.

For further reading related to anti-Black racism in Canada:

Policing Black Lives by Robyn Maynard

White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo

The Skin We’re In by Desmond Cole

BlackLife: Post-BLM and the Struggle for Freedom by Rinaldo Walcott and Idil Abdillahi

There’s Something In The Water by Ingrid R. G. Waldron

Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada edited by Rodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson, and Syrus Marcus Ware

Find more resources here.

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Although there is still much we do not know about this tragedy, now the deadliest massacre in Canadian history, it has come to light that the killer began his shooting spree by assaulting his intimate partner.

Women’s shelters in Nova Scotia and across the country have called on the media and police to call the recent massacre what it is: an act of gender-based violence.

“We must acknowledge that these murders were rooted in misogyny,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress. “They are not ‘senseless,’ ‘random’ or ‘isolated’. They are part of the nationwide crisis of violence against women. It is the same crisis that sees a woman or girl killed every three days in this country.”

Research shows that in the majority of mass shootings there is a history of domestic violence. Misogyny was also at the root of Canada’s other deadliest killings: the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal and the 2018 Toronto van attack.

While misogynist violence can touch any woman, some groups of women are impacted disproportionately: Indigenous women, young women, women with disabilities, and trans women and non-binary folk all experience higher rates of domestic violence.

Other groups of women face barriers to support and to accessing justice. Black and Indigenous women, refugees and migrant women, and trans women may be reluctant to seek the support of police or social services because these systems may expose them to other forms of structural violence and discrimination. Accessible services are difficult to find for deaf women and women with disabilities. Few such services exist in rural and remote communities.

“This pandemic, along with the public health recommendation to stay at home has put women further at risk,” said Clarke Walker. “Canada’s unions applaud governments’ efforts to ensure that shelters and other support providers have the resources they need to manage an increase in demand and to assist women whose homes are not safe.”

Over the last five years, the Canadian labour movement successfully fought for and won paid domestic violence leave both federally and in the vast majority of provinces and territories. Now, we must go further.

Canada needs a National Action Plan on Violence Against Women and Girls. A Plan would help plug the gaps in anti-violence services while establishing clear targets for progress and ensuring consistency across and within jurisdictions. Although the federal government has signaled its intent to develop a Plan, it needs to establish the funding and the process to see it through.

The federal government needs to step up and accelerate these efforts. Women and non-binary people – especially those who are marginalized – are literally dying while we wait.

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Migrant workers, undocumented people, people living on low-incomes, international students, racialized workers and refugees are particularly vulnerable to the health fallout of the current pandemic, as well as the economic impacts of the crisis.

“It is critical that the strategies around containing the virus and supporting workers includes these vulnerable populations,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “This includes upholding the human rights of asylum seekers who present at irregular crossings along Canada’s border. No one should be turned away but screened for the virus while being provided with the support guaranteed under our international obligations to refugees and migrants.”

The CLC echoes the Migrant Rights Network call for immediate government action to ensure:

• healthcare for all, including those without status;
• comprehensive worker protections, including paid emergency leave;
• a stop on detentions and deportations;
• increased funding for community supports, including food banks; and
• emergency shelters.

Furthermore, the CLC is calling on everyone to be vigilant against anti-Asian racism due to the unfair linkages being made with Chinese communities and the virus.

“We know there will be those who take advantage of a global crisis to unfairly scapegoat certain groups. This is absolutely unacceptable. Racism, xenophobia, and expressions of hate have no place in our communities. Canada’s unions will continue to promote inclusive communities.

“This global pandemic must bring about the best in all of us. Together, we will get through the immense challenges we are now facing,” said Rousseau.

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Statistics show workers of colour are more likely to be employed in precarious, low-wage jobs with no benefits. These workers also have higher unemployment rates. In fact, the unemployment rate of Black women is almost double that of non-racialized women. Black men earn 66 cents for every dollar a non-racialized man earns, and Black women only 56 cents per dollar.

One important way to address these disparities is to strengthen the federal Employment Equity Act, and restore mandatory compliance with the Act for federal contractors.

“Strengthening the Employment Equity Act is one step towards fairness for racialized workers,” said Canadian Labour Congress Vice-President Larry Rousseau. “In our country’s history we have seen men and women of colour work to support each other, even when discriminatory laws made it that much more difficult. We owe it to them to correct such inequality moving forward.”

From Desmond Davis and the other founders of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters to his daughter, Janice Gairey, former Human Rights Director at the Ontario Federation of Labour. From Carrie Best, who founded her own newspaper and worked to publicize the case of Viola Desmond, to her son Cal Best, former President of the Civil Service Association of Canada.

“These workers and activists and many, many more have paved the way and ensured the participation of racialized workers who follow in their footsteps,” said Rousseau. “Now we will pave the way for future workers.”

For Black History Month, the Canadian Labour Congress will be doing interviews with Black union leaders, please check our Facebook page for more information.

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“Canada’s unions stand with the Muslim community today as we mark three years since the deadly attack on a Quebec City mosque.

Our hearts are with the community of Quebec City’s Islamic Cultural Centre, and across Canada and to the friends and families of the six men killed that day.

As we remember this tragedy, we must also remind ourselves of the obligation we all share to challenge racism, Islamophobia and hatred of any kind whenever and wherever we see it.

The CLC is proud to have put together a report to help our members confront Islamophobia in their workplaces. These are difficult but necessary conversations.

We believe that there is no better way to remember the victims and demonstrate our solidarity than designating January 29^th as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia. This is especially important in the face of the rising right-wing populism we see in the world today.

Racism harms us all.”

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During the federal election campaign, a few parties campaigned on anti-immigrant sentiment and against multiculturalism. Yet all the major political parties pledged to do more to address racism and discrimination in Canada.

“Canadians can be proud that we collectively rejected the right-wing populism that is gripping much of the Western world,” said CLC Vice-President Larry Rousseau. 

“This new minority government must now implement lasting and impactful policies to combat racism and hate that nevertheless continue to exist. Every effort should be made to tear down barriers to success that far too many people face due to their race, ethnicity, religion, or any other identifiable characteristic.”

These were the key commitments made by the various political parties:

• Doubling funding of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy;
• Increasing supports for members of racialized communities seeking good, stable employment;
• Improving data collection around hate crimes;
• Convening a national working group to counter online hate and implementing stricter regulations against platforms that fail to remove hate speech in a timely manner;
• Working with local governments to ensure hate crime units exist in every major city;
• Mandatory training on unconscious bias and cultural competency for judges; and
• Potential civil remedies for victims of hate speech.

Canada’s unions further call on all provinces and municipalities to consult local communities in the implementation and operation of anti-racism directorates or secretariats, all of which should include clear mandates and defined deliverables to combat systemic racism.

“Far too often, discrimination can hold people back in a number of ways, including in employment and overall civic engagement,” said Rousseau. “Communities of colour need concrete action and demonstrated results when it comes to inclusion. With consensus across party lines, we believe now is the time for Ottawa to act. Canadians are clearly ready for this.”

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“Gender Equality Week was created to celebrate recent gains while reflecting on the work that needs to be done to improve gender equality and women’s rights across Canada,” said Marie Clarke Walker, Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). “With a federal election underway, we are asking political leaders to take this opportunity to prove their commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.”

Gender Equality Week runs from September 22 to 28, 2019 and was first introduced by the federal government in 2018 through Bill C-309, the Gender Equality Act. This year’s theme is #EveryoneBenefits and is inspired by the vision of a gender equal society and the benefits of advancing gender equality to women, men and people of all gender identities.

“On election day, voters will have the chance to reject the politics of division by voting for a party that stands firmly for gender equality and women’s rights,” said Clarke Walker. “We hope to make that choice much easier by asking candidates to distinguish themselves through concrete platform commitments.” 

The CLC’s plan for “A Fair Canada for Everyone” asks political parties to commit to taking action on five key priorities for working people and their families – actions that can make a real difference for women and help promote gender equality.

Women deserve good jobs, liveable wages and fair working conditions.

Unions are calling for action on pay and employment equity, access to universal, affordable child care and a federal task force on care work and care jobs.

Women deserve opportunities to learn and advance their careers. They deserve adequate support to balance work, family and personal time.

Women should not face barriers in accessing medication.

Many women do not have workplace benefits and face difficult choices when they or a loved one requires medication they cannot afford. Everyone in Canada deserves a universal, single-payer, public prescription drug plan that would guarantee pharmacare for all.

Women deserve retirement security.

Thanks to the persistent gender pay gap, senior women are among Canada’s poorest populations. After a lifetime of hard work (whether paid or unpaid), no one should have to struggle to make ends meet. Action on retirement security means improved Old Age Security benefits and a reformed Guaranteed Income Supplement.

Women must be at the centre of climate action.

The climate crisis will have a disproportionate impact on women and marginalized populations. Smart investments in a clean future will put people at the centre of climate action. Investments in renewable energy, clean technology and green manufacturing can provide a source of good, green jobs for women. Climate action can also include investments in social infrastructure to help create and support good jobs and resilient communities.

Women deserve a government focused on equity and inclusion.

Canadians need a government committed to challenging hate and intolerance in all its forms. They need a government ready to improve our immigration and refugee policies, track and report on hate groups, and commit to strengthening Canada’s action plan against racism.

They also need an action plan to implement the recommendations of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“The CLC’s election campaign outlines a plan that would promote gender equality and make a real difference in the lives of women and their families,” said Clarke Walker. “Everyone benefits if we unite together to challenge racism, welcome refugees and support real reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This election we are demanding fairness.”

This Gender Equality Week, unions are calling on voters to attend local election town halls and debates to ask candidates what their party is prepared to do to promote gender equality and a fairer Canada for everyone.

CLC Secretary-Treasurer Marie Clarke Walker will be hosting a Facebook Live event on Wednesday, September 25 at noon EST featuring a conversation about what is at stake for gender equality in the federal election.

Voters can sign up for real-time election updates from the CLC as the campaign progresses.

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Not only are they shocking and disturbing, they are deeply hurtful to those of us who have faced racism and discrimination firsthand. It brings to the forefront the injustices committed against people of colour and Indigenous communities in this country for over 150 years.

As a labour leader, I have had to work with whatever government is in power. I have seen the efforts of this particular government in addressing anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination. While its record hasn’t been perfect, so much has been achieved even though there is clearly more work to do.

It’s now up to the Prime Minister to rebuild Canadians’ trust in him again by continuing to take actions that show the sincerity behind his regret and remorse. Should he be re-elected, his government must commit to a meaningful strategy for dismantling systemic discrimination that keeps far too many people of colour from succeeding in our society.

For the rest of us, it’s critical that now, more than ever, we vote for the Canada we want.

Please learn about what Canada’s unions are calling for in this election, particularly around the issues of equity and inclusion.

Thank you.

Hassan Yussuff
Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of Canada’s unions

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Islamophobia at Work: Challenges and Opportunities explores the rise of anti-Muslim attitudes and discrimination in Canada. It provides recommendations for employers, trade unions, and government on how to address this pernicious phenomenon.

The report comes just one week after the horrific terrorist attack at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Those attacks were a stark reminder of the urgency of addressing Islamophobia in our communities.

“All of us were deeply shocked by the events last week that saw the murder of 50 people. We can’t condemn such acts without also committing to address the underlying attitudes that lead to the demonization of marginalized communities,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

“Canada’s unions have a long and proud history of advocacy for human rights because discrimination and racism in our communities ultimately impacts on workers and their families. Islamophobia is one of many forms of racism that can poison workplaces but it often does so without stigma. We need to establish better measures to protect workers against individual and systemic discrimination,” said Yussuff.

“We hear all too regularly from Muslims right across the country who face discrimination at work. This impacts their ability to contribute positively and to seek and hold meaningful employment,” said Ihsaan Gardee, Executive Director at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).

“This report is the first of its kind to examine the underlying trends fueling Islamophobia in the context of workplaces and to include concrete recommendations targeted towards unions, employers, and government. We believe this report will serve as a valuable resource for anyone committed to challenging racism and creating equitable and inclusive workplaces,” added Gardee.

There has been a steady rise of hate crimes targeting Muslim communities in Canada over the past several years. In 2017, a young man consumed by hatred killed six men attending prayers at a Québec City mosque. Alexandre Bissonnette’s name was even cited by the New Zealand terrorist.

That same year, hate crimes targeting Muslims rose by 151 percent across the country. Meanwhile, members of far-right groups continue to mobilize online and offline, organizing anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rallies which further demonize these communities.

The report aims to address the impact of this harmful climate on Canadian workplaces with specific recommendations aimed at reinforcing the responsibility of employers to educate management and staff about legal obligations around human rights and religious accommodations; encouraging governments to do more to support anti-racism awareness campaigns and develop strategies to address online hate; and highlighting the important role trade unions must play in championing fairness, equity, and social justice for Muslims in Canada.

“The labour movement has come to recognize that Islamophobia is a threat on far too many levels, including to our very democracy,” said Yussuff. “Workers across Canada must start mobilizing against the forces of fear and hatred. We must not let them succeed in dividing communities and driving people apart. That’s not the Canada we want nor deserve.”

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“On behalf of Canada’s 3.3 million workers, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the families and victims of the terrorist attacks on the Muslim houses of prayer in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Canada’s unions are united in grief and outrage at the despicable acts of those espousing white supremacist and fascist ideology.

We express our utmost condemnation of these dangerous movements and are committed to doing all we can to confront all forms of racism, bigotry, and Islamophobia wherever they emerge.

We call on our elected officials and representatives to do all they can to address the rise of far-right extremism and hatred in our communities. These troubling currents are a threat to all of us, and a threat to our very democracy.

We specifically call on elected representatives to distance themselves from any of those who promote or support racism, bigotry, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

Every person living in Canada, and anywhere around the world, has the right to feel safe and secure expressing their faith, traditions, and being who they are.”

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This Black History Month, Canada’s unions say there can be no environmental justice without racial justice: addressing anti-Black racism is an integral part of the conversation on environmental activism.

Alongside Canada’s Indigenous communities, Black and people of African descent are disproportionately burdened with environmental hazards. This environmental racism includes exposure to toxic waste facilities, garbage dumps, and other sources of environmental pollution that negatively impact quality of life and health outcomes.

Africville, a small, yet vibrant, Black community in Halifax, NS, is an important example of how anti-Black racism was perpetuated by environmental policies. Despite paying municipal taxes, the community was deprived of basic services such as access to clean water, sewage, and waste management. Africville’s proximity to the development of an infectious disease hospital, a prison and a garbage dump, over time, added to deplorable living conditions imposed by the City.

The residents, after 120 years of resilience, were subject to a forced and dispersed relocation. Often overnight, over the span of a number of years, residents had their personal items transported in garbage trucks and their homes demolished.

This forced relocation, after years of marginalization by the City of Halifax, impacted the community by displacing residents both from their homes and their place of work, therefore exacerbating their economic insecurity.

Today, compounded by the barriers to sustainable employment, pay inequities, and barriers to opportunities for advancement in the workplace, Black workers and their families are still exposed to harmful and often life-threatening conditions in their home communities.

Hogan’s Alley in British Columbia, Leamington in Ontario, and Shelburne in Nova Scotia, are only a few examples of Black communities faced with the serious challenge of environmental racism.

“In the case of environmental racism in Black communities, environmental justice is linked to economic justice and that is at the root of why this is a trade union issue,” said CLC Executive Vice-President, Larry Rousseau.

A UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent recommended that the “Government of Canada should encourage federal, provincial and municipal governments to seriously consider the concerns of African Nova Scotians and help to develop legislation on environmental issues affecting them.”

Ingrid R.G. Waldron, author of There’s Something In The Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous & Black Communities, has said that although environmental racism has a disproportionate impact on Black and Indigenous communities, pollution travels to adjacent communities, meaning this injustice affects everyone and will require collective action.

“Ingrid Waldron’s research shows the true reach of this issue — it expands far beyond Nova Scotia. We can’t ignore or deny the history of mistreatment of Black communities across Canada. Canada’s unions can play a key role in connecting the dots between environmental justice and anti-Black racism,” said Rousseau.

Last February, the Federal Government acknowledged the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). While this recognition is important, more action is required. Canada’s unions and our allies are ready to take on the issue of environmental racism in Canada.

To learn more about anti-Black racism in Canada and how workers are challenging it, sign up here.

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With hate crimes on the rise, the Canadian Labour Congress is encouraging people to endorse the Charter for Inclusive Communities which promotes “inclusive, just, and respectful communities in Canada”.

Recent data released by Statistics Canada shows that police-reported hate crimes in Canada rose dramatically in 2017, up by 47% over the previous year. Incidents targeting the Muslim community rose by 151%. Hate crimes targeting Jewish people rose by 63% and those targeting Black people rose by 50%.

“The hate crime numbers are profoundly disturbing,” said CLC President, Hassan Yussuff. “Canada has been a proud champion of human rights, at home and abroad. These numbers illustrate the impact of ongoing normalization of hatred. While Canada continues to address its painful legacy of colonialism, it must additionally do more to promote values of diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. We must work collectively to confront all forms of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.”

As well, Canada’s unions have joined in the call for January 29^th to be recognized as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia. The date marks the tragic anniversary of the Quebec mosque massacre in which a gunman killed six people and severely wounded eight more.

In the 2018 budget, the federal government committed to additional funding to help support anti-racism initiatives. In addition to $2 million already allocated to anti-racism engagement, the government announced:

• $21 million was added to strengthen the Multiculturalism program’s resources for anti-racism and discrimination community support. This included additional funding for events and projects that address racism and discrimination with a priority on Indigenous Peoples as well as women and girls;
• $19 million was allocated to enhance local community supports for Black Canadian youth and to develop research in support of more culturally focused mental health programs for Black Canadians.

“It’s imperative that any new funding support the varied needs of communities”, said Yussuff. “This means the federal government must continue to consult with those most impacted by racism, and ensure their voices inform policies intended to remove barriers to participation. This is how we can truly promote inclusive communities.”

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“The Canadian government has a moral duty and an international obligation to ensure that we provide a safe haven for all people fleeing imminent danger, disaster and war. The U.S. has failed the safety test for migrants and we cannot send displaced families who meet the refugee criteria back into another climate of fear and persecution,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

A year after issuing a controversial Executive Order barring Syrian refugees and discriminating against travellers from predominantly Muslim countries, American authorities have been instructed to rigorously enforce migrant detention and the separation of children from parents caught crossing into the U.S. The Trump administration announced further plans to deny survivors of domestic violence the ability to claim asylum, even when authorities in their homeland will do nothing to protect them.

“The history of Japanese internment and Canada’s residential school system offer lessons that we cannot afford to ignore. In modern immigration policy, there should be no place for practices that treat thousands of desperate refugees like criminals, tear children from their parents and deport women back to abusive situations. Canada must be unwavering in its commitment to championing human rights and international law,” said Yussuff.

Canada has expressly refused to discriminate in its immigration policy based on faith or ethnicity. That’s why Canada’s unions are calling on the Trudeau government to further distinguish itself by taking immediate steps to publicly challenge America’s new immigration policies and to encourage Canadians to continue to open their hearts and homes to the world’s most vulnerable people.

These steps include:

• Re-examining Canada’s Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States to ensure that all migrants entering Canada through the U.S. have their claims for refugee protection fairly and properly processed;
• Helping those stranded now, on an emergency basis, by offering asylum to all those who – despite having passed a two-year rigorous screening process – are being denied entry to the U.S.; and
• Launching an intensive public awareness campaign to educate Canadians about Canada’s rigorous border security and the dire and vulnerable circumstances facing refugees in the lands from which they flee.

The Canadian Labour Congress represents 3.3 million unionized workers and has been actively campaigning to raise public awareness around the plight of refugees and to encourage Canadian municipalities to declare themselves “sanctuary cities” for international refugees.

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• Addressing systemic discrimination of all forms, including stopping anti-Black racism and Islamophobia;
• Reconciliation and nation-to-nation relationship building with First Nations;
• Launching an inquiry into the overrepresentation of Black and Indigenous children and youth in the care of child protection services; and
• Reforming the criminal justice system, with a shift to restorative justice, and addressing the disproportionate number of incarcerated Black and Indigenous people.

“Recent high-profile cases underscore the urgent need to address the systemic discrimination that is woven into the fabric of multiple Canadian institutions. Systemic failures can have life-or-death consequences,” said Yussuff.

Twenty-two-year-old Colten Boushie from the Cree Red Pheasant First Nation of Saskatchewan was shot and killed in the summer of 2016. Boushie’s family spoke publicly about the mistreatment they received from law enforcement when they were informed of his killing. The accused was acquitted of all charges in Boushie’s death, and experts have indicated that the lack of diversity on the all-white jury played a significant role in the acquittal.

The body of Tina Fontaine, a 15-year-old Anishinaabe girl from Sagkeeng First Nation, was found discarded in the Red River in Winnipeg. She was in contact with child protection, law enforcement and medical professionals in the weeks leading to her disappearance and death. Fontaine’s case is one of many examples of systemic failures and helped prompt the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Abdoul Abdi, a young Somali refugee who was brought to Canada as a child has been failed by a system not designed to support him. Upon his arrival in Canada at the age of six, Abdi was removed from his family and ended up being moved between 31 group and foster homes where he faced psychological and physical abuse. He ended up in trouble with the law and serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence. Once released, he learned he would face deportation because the Nova Scotia government failed to fulfill its responsibility to secure his citizenship while he was in their ward. His deportation hearing has been scheduled for March 21 which is – ironically – the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

“These cases and so many more demonstrate why we must do more to end systemic racism, xenophobia and discrimination at home and around the world,” said Yussuff.

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Such a strategy would require the government to commit to analyzing race-based statistics on how various institutional policies impact Canada’s Black communities. The key objective would be to eradicate institutionalized racism that is disproportionately harming this specific segment of Canadian society.

“Black people in Canada are systematically disadvantaged in workplaces, criminalized and victimized by the judicial system, and discriminated against in public services and housing,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff.

The federal government should look to taking the following steps:

• Create an intersectional national anti-Black racism strategy;
• Institute criminal justice reform to address anti-Black racism in the judicial and prison system; and
• Call for an inquiry on the overrepresentation of Black children and youth in care of child protection services.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent as a response to the need to strengthen the rights of people of African descent. Canada’s federal government officially recognized the International Decade of People of African Descent this week.

“Recognition is a step, but it won’t mean much if it isn’t followed up with concrete commitments to addressing the real grievances people have,” said Yussuff.

Canada’s unions are striving to educate their membership on the issue of anti-Black racism.

Last year, the CLC hosted a series of webinars called Working While Black. The series highlighted the contributions of Black activists and organizers in Canada and helped build skills and knowledge towards confronting discrimination.

This year, Canada’s unions are celebrating Black History Month with the release of a special podcast later this month called “Smoke and Mirrors: Uncovering Truths about Human Rights in Canada”. Hosted by lawyer, writer and PhD candidate Hadiya Roderique, the episode will explore the history of anti-Black racism in Canada and its legacy on society today.

The podcast features interviews with Black intellectuals and activists including authors and historians Robyn Maynard and Dr. Afua Cooper, as well as the award-winning journalist Desmond Cole.

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We’ll be thinking of Rania El Alloul and other Canadian Muslims facing discrimination in their day-to-day lives when we commemorate the United Nations (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Racism on March 21.

We’ll also be remembering how systemic racism has led to epidemic levels of poverty for Indigenous women and girls, meaning a lack of secure housing, an absence of economic opportunities and limited access to justice.

We’ll remember how on March 6, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) concluded that Canada’s ongoing failure to address the extreme violence against Aboriginal women and girls constitutes a “grave violation” of their human rights.

We’ll remember that black males living in Toronto are three times more likely to be stopped and asked for identification by police. And we’ll remember that employers are about 40 percent more likely to interview a job applicant with an English sounding name.

How are we helping to end racism?

• The labour movement is supporting communities that face discrimination. After 9/11 for example, we worked with Muslim communities to fight widespread Islamophobia.
• We speak out when racism happens – such as when migrant workers are targeted for deportation, when Aboriginal or racialized youth are shot by police, or when racism is behind the denial of housing.
• We bargain anti-discrimination and harassment language in collective agreements, helping to ensure that hiring is fair and that workplaces are free of discrimination.
• We work with governments at all levels for stronger employment equity legislation.
• We use education to fight racism, training our leadership and membership on how to deal with harassment and individual and systemic racism.

​Our government must do more to help end racism.

The CLC is calling on the federal government to face up to the reality of racism in Canada today, by acknowledging its own role in sustaining and promoting systemic and overt discrimination. Here are three ways the government can play a constructive role in ending both systemic and overt racism:

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has joined the call by Aboriginal women and Canadians across the country for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women. It’s time the government listened.

The government must stop using rhetoric and fear mongering that targets Muslim and other racialized communities. The use of terms like “jihadists” and “radical Islam” is irresponsible and sews hatred. This must stop.

The government must meet its international obligations by reporting to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Canada has never met its obligation to report to this committee.

​Challenge the candidates in the next federal election.

When candidates come asking for your vote in the next election, be sure to ask how they feel about racism in Canada and if they’ll commit to taking those first three steps to help eliminate racism in Canada.

Ahead of the election, the labour movement will be challenging all political parties to outline how they will work to eliminate both systemic and overt racial discrimination faced by Aboriginal and racialized communities in Canada.

Quick facts on racism in Canada today:

• 50 percent of First Nations children live in poverty compared to 17 percent for other Canadians.
• Aboriginal workers earn an average of $19,000 compared to $33,000 for other Canadians.
• The infant mortality rate is one and half times higher for First Nations than other Canadians.
• The average life expectancy for Aboriginal women and men is five and nine years less, respectively, than other Canadians.
• Black males living in Toronto are three times more likely to be stopped and asked for identification by police.
• There were 1,401 reported hate crimes in Canada in 2010.
• Employers are about 40 percent more likely to interview a job applicant with an English-sounding name despite identical education, skills and experience.
•  In 2011, the unemployment rate for visible minority workers was 9.9 percent compared to 7.3 percent for non-racialized workers.
• Racialized Canadians also earn an average of 81 cents to the dollar compared to other Canadians.
• 55 percent of Canadians are satisfied that we have overcome racial discrimination.

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