definition essay about racism

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What is racism?

What are some of the societal aspects of racism, what were the measures taken to combat racism.

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Racism, also called racialism, is the belief that humans can be divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called “races"; that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural and behavioral features; and that some races are innately superior to others.

Historically, the practice of racism held that members of low-status races should be limited to low-status jobs or enslavement and be excluded from access to political power, economic resources, and unrestricted civil rights. Members of low-status races could encounter segregation, acts of physical violence, and in some places, racism dictated that it was unnatural for members of different races to marry.

Racism elicits hatred and distrust and precludes any attempt to understand its victims. Many societies attempt to combat racism by raising awareness of racist beliefs and practices and by promoting human understanding in public policies, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, set forth by the United Nations in 1948.

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racism , the belief that humans may be divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called “races”; that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality , and other cultural and behavioral features; and that some races are innately superior to others. The term is also applied to political, economic, or legal institutions and systems that engage in or perpetuate discrimination on the basis of race or otherwise reinforce racial inequalities in wealth and income, education , health care, civil rights, and other areas. Such institutional, structural, or systemic racism became a particular focus of scholarly investigation in the 1980s with the emergence of critical race theory , an offshoot of the critical legal studies movement. Since the late 20th century the notion of biological race has been recognized as a cultural invention, entirely without scientific basis.

Following Germany’s defeat in World War I , that country’s deeply ingrained anti-Semitism was successfully exploited by the Nazi Party , which seized power in 1933 and implemented policies of systematic discrimination, persecution, and eventual mass murder of Jews in Germany and in the territories occupied by the country during World War II ( see Holocaust ).

In North America and apartheid -era South Africa , racism dictated that different races (chiefly blacks and whites) should be segregated from one another; that they should have their own distinct communities and develop their own institutions such as churches, schools, and hospitals; and that it was unnatural for members of different races to marry .

Historically, those who openly professed or practiced racism held that members of low-status races should be limited to low-status jobs and that members of the dominant race should have exclusive access to political power, economic resources, high-status jobs, and unrestricted civil rights . The lived experience of racism for members of low-status races includes acts of physical violence , daily insults, and frequent acts and verbal expressions of contempt and disrespect, all of which have profound effects on self-esteem and social relationships.

Racism was at the heart of North American slavery and the colonization and empire-building activities of western Europeans, especially in the 18th century. The idea of race was invented to magnify the differences between people of European origin and those of African descent whose ancestors had been involuntarily enslaved and transported to the Americas. By characterizing Africans and their African American descendants as lesser human beings, the proponents of slavery attempted to justify and maintain the system of exploitation while portraying the United States as a bastion and champion of human freedom, with human rights , democratic institutions, unlimited opportunities, and equality. The contradiction between slavery and the ideology of human equality, accompanying a philosophy of human freedom and dignity, seemed to demand the dehumanization of those enslaved.

By the 19th century, racism had matured and spread around the world. In many countries, leaders began to think of the ethnic components of their own societies, usually religious or language groups, in racial terms and to designate “higher” and “lower” races. Those seen as the low-status races, especially in colonized areas, were exploited for their labour, and discrimination against them became a common pattern in many areas of the world. The expressions and feelings of racial superiority that accompanied colonialism generated resentment and hostility from those who were colonized and exploited, feelings that continued even after independence.

Since the mid-20th century many conflicts around the world have been interpreted in racial terms even though their origins were in the ethnic hostilities that have long characterized many human societies (e.g., Arabs and Jews, English and Irish). Racism reflects an acceptance of the deepest forms and degrees of divisiveness and carries the implication that differences between groups are so great that they cannot be transcended .

Racism elicits hatred and distrust and precludes any attempt to understand its victims. For that reason, most human societies have concluded that racism is wrong, at least in principle, and social trends have moved away from racism. Many societies have begun to combat racism by raising awareness of racist beliefs and practices and by promoting human understanding in public policies, as does the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , set forth by the United Nations in 1948.

In the United States, racism came under increasing attack during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s, and laws and social policies that enforced racial segregation and permitted racial discrimination against African Americans were gradually eliminated. Laws aimed at limiting the voting power of racial minorities were invalidated by the Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964) to the U.S. Constitution , which prohibited poll taxes , and by the federal Voting Rights Act (1965), which required jurisdictions with a history of voter suppression to obtain federal approval (“preclearance”) of any proposed changes to their voting laws (the preclearance requirement was effectively removed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 [ see Shelby County v. Holder ]). By 2020 nearly three-quarters of the states had adopted varying forms of voter ID law , by which would-be voters were required or requested to present certain forms of identification before casting a ballot. Critics of the laws, some of which were successfully challenged in the courts, contended that they effectively suppressed voting among African Americans and other demographic groups. Other measures that tended to limit voting by African Americans were unconstitutional racial gerrymanders , partisan gerrymanders aimed at limiting the number of Democratic representatives in state legislatures and Congress, the closing of polling stations in African American or Democratic-leaning neighbourhoods, restrictions on the use of mail-in and absentee ballots, limits on early voting, and purges of voter rolls.

Despite constitutional and legal measures aimed at protecting the rights of racial minorities in the United States, the private beliefs and practices of many Americans remained racist, and some group of assumed lower status was often made a scapegoat. That tendency has persisted well into the 21st century.

Because, in the popular mind, “race” is linked to physical differences among peoples, and such features as dark skin colour have been seen as markers of low status, some experts believe that racism may be difficult to eradicate . Indeed, minds cannot be changed by laws, but beliefs about human differences can and do change, as do all cultural elements.

Racism, bias, and discrimination

Racism is a form of prejudice that generally includes negative emotional reactions to members of a group, acceptance of negative stereotypes, and racial discrimination against individuals; in some cases it can lead to violence.

Discrimination refers to the differential treatment of different age, gender, racial, ethnic, religious, national, ability identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and other groups at the individual level and the institutional/structural level. Discrimination is usually the behavioral manifestation of prejudice and involves negative, hostile, and injurious treatment of members of rejected groups.

Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology

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What Is Racism: Definition and Examples

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Dictionary Definition of Racism

Sociological definition of racism, discrimination today.

• Internalized and Horizontal Racism

Reverse Racism

• M.A., English and Comparative Literary Studies, Occidental College
• B.A., English, Comparative Literature, and American Studies, Occidental College

What is racism, really? The use of the term racism has become so popular that it’s spun off related terms such as reverse racism, horizontal racism, and internalized racism .

Let’s start by examining the most basic definition of racism—the dictionary meaning. According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, racism has two meanings. This resource first defines racism as, “The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others” and secondly as, “ Discrimination or prejudice based on race.”

Examples of the first definition abound throughout history. When enslavement was practiced in the United States, Black people were not only considered inferior to White people but also regarded as property rather than human beings. During the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, lawmakers agreed that enslaved individuals were to be considered three-fifths people for the purposes of taxation and representation. Generally speaking, during the era of enslavement, Black people were deemed intellectually inferior to White people as well. Some Americans believe this still today.

In 1994, a book called "The Bell Curve" posited that genetics were to blame for Black people traditionally scoring lower than White people on intelligence tests. The book was attacked by many including New York Times columnist Bob Herbert, who argued that social factors were responsible for the differential, and Stephen Jay Gould, who argued that the authors made conclusions unsupported by scientific research.

However, this pushback has done little to stifle racism, even in academia. In 2007, Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson ignited similar controversy when he suggested that Black people were less intelligent than White people.

The sociological definition of racism is much more complex. In sociology, racism is defined as an ideology that prescribes statuses to racial groups based on perceived differences. Though races are not inherently unequal, racism forces this narrative. Genetics and biology do not support or even suggest racial inequality, contrary to what many people—often even scholars—believe. Racial discrimination, based on manufactured inequalities, is a direct product of racism that brings these notions of difference into reality. Institutional racism permits inequality in legislation, education, public health, and more. Racism is allowed to spread further through the racialization of systems that affect nearly every aspect of life, and this combined with widespread discrimination results in racism that is systemic—allowed to exist by society as a whole and internalized by a majority to some extent.

Racism creates power dynamics that follow these patterns of perceived imbalance, which are exploited in order to preserve feelings of superiority in the "dominant" race and inferiority in the "subservient" race, even to blame the victims of oppression for their own situations. Unfortunately, these victims often unwittingly play a role in the continuation of racism. Scholar Karen Pyke points out that "all systems of inequality are maintained and reproduced, in part, through their internalization by the oppressed." Even though racial groups are equal at the most basic level, groups assigned lesser statuses are oppressed and treated as though they are not equal because they are perceived not to be. Even when subconsciously held, these beliefs serve to further divide racial groups from one another. Radical versions of racism such as white supremacy make overt the unspoken ideologies within racism: that certain races are superior to others and should be allowed to hold more societal power.

Racism persists in modern society, often taking the form of discrimination. Case in point: Black unemployment  has consistently soared above White unemployment for decades. Why? Numerous studies indicate that racism advantaging White people at the expense of Black people contributes to unemployment gaps between races.

For example, in 2003, researchers at the University of Chicago and MIT released a study involving 5,000 fake resumes, finding that 10% of resumes featuring “Caucasian-sounding” names were called back compared to just 6.7% of resumes featuring “Black-sounding” names. Moreover, resumes featuring names such as Tamika and Aisha were called back just 5% and 2% of the time. The skill level of the faux Black candidates made no impact on callback rates.

Internalized Racism and Horizontal Racism

Internalized racism is not always or even usually seen as a person from a racial group in power believing subconsciously that they are better than people of other races. It can often be seen as a person from a marginalized group believing, perhaps unconsciously, that White people are superior.

A highly publicized example of this is a 1940 study devised by Dr. Kenneth and Mamie to pinpoint the negative psychological effects of segregation on young Black children. Given the choice between dolls completely identical in every way except for their color, Black children disproportionately chose dolls with white skin, often even going so far as to refer to the dark-skinned dolls with derision and epithets.

In 2005, teen filmmaker Kiri Davis conducted a similar study, finding that 64% of Black girls interviewed preferred White dolls. The girls attributed physical traits associated with White people, such as straighter hair, with being more desirable than traits associated with Black people.

Horizontal racism occurs when members of minority groups adopt racist attitudes toward other minority groups. An example of this would be if a Japanese American prejudged a Mexican American based on the racist stereotypes of Latinos found in mainstream culture.

“Reverse racism” refers to supposed anti-White discrimination. This term is often used in conjunction with practices designed to help people of color, such as affirmative action .

To be clear, reverse racism does not exist. It’s also worth noting that in response to living in a racially stratified society, Black people sometimes complain about White people. Typically, such complaints are used as coping mechanisms for withstanding racism, not as a means of placing White people into the subservient position Black people have been forced to occupy. And even when people of color express or practice prejudice against White people, they lack the institutional power to adversely affect the lives of White people.

• Bertrand, Marianne, and Sendhil Mullainathan. " Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination ." American Economic Review , vol. 94, no. 4, Sep. 2004, pp. 991–1013, doi:10.1257/0002828042002561
• Clair, Matthew, and Jeffrey S. Denis. " Sociology of Racism ." The International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences , 2015, pp. 857–863, doi:10.1016/B978-0-08-097086-8.32122-5
• Pyke, Karen D. " What Is Internalized Racial Oppression and Why Don't We Study It? Acknowledging Racism's Hidden Injuries ." Sociological Perspectives , vol. 53, no. 4, Dec. 2010, pp. 551–572, doi:10.1525/sop.2010.53.4.551
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Addressing the Racism in Society Definition Essay

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Racism is a relatively new term, invented in the modern age when man discovered science. Using his abilities to understand the natural world he began to make theories, and one of the ideas that he created is the concept of race. There are groups of men and women who were created to rule the world – they are the masters while others are the slaves.

Races were differentiated by physical characteristics and the negative implication of the analysis of physical characteristics led to prejudice, abhorrence, and even hatred towards another human being. Understanding the concept of racism can be achieved by looking at standard definition as well as using analogies such as the way that a biologist can classify different types of animals and the way a an art collector discriminates between different works of art.

Before going any further it is imperative to look into a scholarly definition of the term racism. There will be two academic sources that will be consulted for this study. The first one comes from Webster’s II New College Dictionary and from Encyclopedia Britannica online.

From the college dictionary here is the first definition of the word racism: “The notion that one’s own ethnic stock is superior” (Webster, p.912).

A more lengthy definition comes from the encyclopedia and it says that it is also known as racialism and adds the following: any action, practice, or belief that reflects the racial worldview – the ideology that humans are divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called ‘races’, that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits and traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural behavioral features, and that some races are innately superior to others (Smedley, p.1).

Based on these definitions one can surmise that racism is a mindset, a belief system governed by the idea that humans were not created equal and can never be treated equal. There are groups of people that must be considered superior to others and therefore there are those that must be treated as inferior.

This is based on the ideology that “humans are divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called races” and thus human beings can be classified in the same way that a biologist can classify different types of animals. And an art collector discriminates between different works of art.

It must also be highlighted that this classification of human beings can only be made possible if the basis for classification is the difference between physical characteristics. The most common method is to look at the color of the person’s skin as well as differences in facial features. But this is not only limited on what can be seen in the external features of the person, racism is also a product of observing the behavioral tendencies of a group of people such as their religious and dietary practices.

By looking at the physical characteristics and the religious as well as cultural differences one can easily ascertain that others are not like them. In ancient times there used to be a derogatory term that a rich and powerful civilization used to describe others and they call those who cannot attain their level of sophistication as barbaric and they call citizens of neighboring countries whom they consider inferior to them as barbarians.

As a result, “In North and apartheid South Africa, racism dictated that different ‘races’ should be segregated from one another, that they should have their own distinct communities and develop their own institution such as churches, schools, and hospitals, and that it was unnatural for members of two ‘separate races’ to intermarry” (Smedley, p.1) This gave rise to the aforementioned definition of race that others believe in the innate superiority of their race and that they try to impose this worldview on others.

This can be best understood in the way that a biologist looks at the natural world. A biologist will classify animals and plants based on their physical characteristics for instance a mammal is different from an insect; a grass is different from a tree. This is because of clear differentiations based on external features. It is not difficult to spot the major differences that exist between a tiger and a whale and an oak tree and a dragonfly.

This is the reason why there used to be apartheid in South Africa and segregation in the United States. A classification scheme was developed not to judge animals but humans. The classification scheme was not created to identify and appreciate the differences but to create separation.

Aside from a crude analysis of the physical features there is no clear basis for pigeonholing or stereotyping human beings into different classes or sub-species. However, it is clear why this system was perpetuated. It is to create order and understanding in the same way that a biologist tries to understand the complexity of the natural world.

Another way to look at racism is to look into the activities of the art collector and how he creates a standard in order to judge which artwork is much more valuable than others. This time around the basis for comparison is subjective.

There are no clear rules because what a collector will consider a worthless piece of creation can be valued highly by others. In other words no one can judge and no one should judge that a group of individuals is of greater importance to other groups. This should not be the case but the history of mankind proves otherwise.

The methodology used by an art collector is necessary to understand the worth of a artwork and as a result collectors can trade or sell what they own. If a system does not exist then art collection may never have taken off and no one would spend their time searching, examining, and storing art works. This was done to justify their actions.

In the same manner, racism and the profiling of tribes, clans, and groups of people into “races” was done to justify the use of slaves and the use of humans as tools. In the past slavery was a part of American society. This was made possible by the belief that the white race is superior to the Negro race and therefore those with black skin must serve the white man and the white man must no feel a tinge of guilt that they are treating their fellow human beings as if they were beasts of burden.

This has created innumerable injustices, not to mention the deaths of many who tried to argue that there is no such thing as race. One of the most ironic settings of this debate occurred in the United States when founding fathers who led the people into a successful revolution against tyranny wrote the U.S. Constitution and it says there that all men were created equal.

This is the reason why they revolted against those who tried to control them and yet after the war for American independence Negro slaves were still oppressed and working the farms without wages, rights, and freedom.

Racism is the classification of human beings into groups and therefore it creates a belief system that there are those who are superior to others and those who are inferior can be treated with less respect and force to serve others. This is what happened to former Negro slaves who felt the bitter effects of segregation.

The same thing can be said of the black men and women of South Africa who had to contend with the fact that the white man had created systems and institutions to perpetuate this belief and to maintain the status quo that blacks are inferior to the whites.

Works Cited

“Racism.” Def. Webster’s II New College Dictionary . 2001, print. Smedley, Audrey. “Racism.” Encyclopaedia Britannica . Web.

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Essay #8. Anti-Racism May Be An Answer

There’s one thing about writing about racism today. There will never be a shortage of material. It seems there will always be someone, somewhere, who will eventually say something racist. Everyday people say racist things. Famous people say racist things. The difference is, the famous have more to lose than the rest of us–or do they? Because their racist rants oftentimes find their way into mainstream and social media, we find out about it sooner or later. The rest of us can say our racist comments in the privacy of our homes and among our friends. Remember when Hulk Hogan became the newest celebrity to add his name to the racist rant hall of fame? I liked the character Hulk Hogan. So, it saddened me to learn about his racist rant. If you remember, Hulk Hogan apparently got upset with his daughter after finding out she was dating a Black man. He then went on an “N” word rant, which was taped. The taping was 8 years prior but brought back to life and made public. From the news account, I remember listening to it and from a reporter who grew up loving Hulk Hogan, it was bad. The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) cut all ties with Hulk Hogan. I mean the WWE excommunicated him to the land of nonexistence. To his credit Hulk Hogan apologized profusely. But what else was he going to do?

Is the WWE’s punishment going to undo, un-hurt or fix any problems in the Black community? Is the WWE’s punishment going to help teach society not to say or do such racist things? The answer is no. Like I’ve said to you several times before, racism is an on-purpose act that must be undone, on-purpose. I think the WWE should have given Hulk Hogan a chance to undo his racist rant, by sending him to (in this case) a Black school or youth center and let him tell the kids and their parents why he’s sorry for what he said. I think WWE and Hulk Hogan should have gone into their pockets and fix a problem in a poor Black school district. I think the WWE and Hulk Hogan should have started an after-school tutoring program to help Black kids do better in their school. This would have been an anti-racist act. This would have started the process of un-doing racism. If Hulk Hogan had made racist comments about Mexican people, Asian people, Native Indian people, or women, then what I’m talking about would apply to those communities. The same goes for any other race or group of people that have been offended by racist and hateful acts or comments perpetrated by wealthy people or organizations.

My point is, apologies aren’t enough. With all the racist rants and acts that are going on in this country, nothing is being done to undo racism. Firing people who make racist, sexist or any other hateful comments, doesn’t do anything for those communities or people hurt by the comments. An anti-racism approach needs to be taken. These communities need to demand more than apologies. Firing people who make racist comments does not educate or re-educate anyone. If society stays uneducated, racism will continue; Headline: “Racist person fired! End of Racism!”–probably not.

From Racist to Non-Racist to Anti-Racist: Becoming a Part of the Solution Copyright © 2001, 2020 by Keith L. Anderson, PhD is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What is racism?

Definition of racism.

Racism is the process by which systems and policies, actions and attitudes create inequitable opportunities and outcomes for people based on race. Racism is more than just prejudice in thought or action. It occurs when this prejudice – whether individual or institutional – is accompanied by the power to discriminate against, oppress or limit the rights of others. 

Historical context of racism in Australia

Race and racism have been central to the organisation of Australian society since European colonisation began in 1788. As the First Peoples of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have borne the brunt of European colonisation and have a unique experience of racism. The process of colonisation, and the beliefs that underpin it, continue to shape Australian society today.

Racism adapts and changes over time , and can impact different communities in different ways, with racism towards different groups intensifying in different historical moments . An example of this is the spike in racism towards Asian and Asian-Australian people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How does racism operate?

Racism includes all the laws, policies, ideologies and barriers that prevent people from experiencing justice, dignity , and equity because of their racial identity. It can come in the form of harassment, abuse or humiliation, violence or intimidating behaviour. However, racism also exists in systems and institutions that operate in ways that lead to inequity and injustice.

The Racism. It Stops With Me website contains a list of ' Key terms ' that unpack some of the different ways that racism is expressed.

Lets Talk About Racism

Further reading

• Commit to learning to address racism in a meaningful way on the It Stops With Me website
• Understand why racism is a problem?
• Explore who experiences racism?
• Review a guide to addressing spectator racism in sports
• Watch the Kep Enderby Memorial Lecture 2023 "Racism in Sport"
• Explore human rights teaching resources relating to racism
• Understand the Australian Human Right's Commission work on Race Discrimination
• Review the Australian Human Rights Commission's Anti-Racism Framework  

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Definition of racism

Racism and racist appear to be words of recent origin, with no citations currently known that would suggest these words were in use prior to the early 20th century. But the fact that the words are fairly new does not prove that the concept of racism did not exist in the distant past. Things may have words to describe them before they exist ( spaceship , for instance, has been in use since the 19th century, well before the rocket-fired vessels were invented), and things may exist for a considerable time before they are given names ( T-shirt does not appear in print until the 20th century, although the article of clothing existed prior to 1900). Dictionaries are often treated as the final arbiter in arguments over a word's meaning, but they are not always well suited for settling disputes. The lexicographer's role is to explain how words are (or have been) actually used, not how some may feel that they should be used, and they say nothing about the intrinsic nature of the thing named or described by a word, much less the significance it may have for individuals. When discussing concepts like racism, therefore, it is prudent to recognize that quoting from a dictionary is unlikely to either mollify or persuade the person with whom one is arguing.

Examples of racism in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'racism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

race entry 1 + -ism , perhaps after French racisme.

Note: The word racism competed in the early twentieth century with the older word racialism , which is now much rarer.

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing racism

• anti - racism
• environmental racism
• institutional racism
• structural racism
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“Racism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.

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Structural racism: what it is and how it works

Professor of Race and Education and Director of the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality in the Carnegie School of Education, Leeds Beckett University

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Acknowledgement: My thanks to Professor David Gillborn for his guidance and suppport with this article.

Leeds Beckett University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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From the moment it was published, the UK’s Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities’ report was met with a media storm driven by both its supporters and detractors. Months later, amid continued division over the report’s position that racism isn’t pronounced in the UK, there’s still some confusion about what exactly some of the report’s buzzwords mean.

The terms “structural racism” and “institutional racism” are among many of the concepts that have been mentioned in relation to the report’s position on whether or not racism is ingrained in the UK.

But assessing the truth behind the Commission’s suggestion that these forms of racism aren’t factors in driving racial inequality first requires decoding these terms.

Structural and institutional racism

Defined initially by political activists Stokely Carmichael and Charles Vernon Hamilton in 1967, the concept of institutional racism came into the public sphere in 1999 through the Macpherson Inquiry into the racist murder of Black teenager Stephen Lawrence.

Institutional racism is defined as: “processes, attitudes and behaviour(s) which amount to discrimination through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people”.

As Sir William Macpherson, head of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, wrote at the time, it “persists because of the failure … to recognise and address its existence and causes by policy, example and leadership”.

Institutional and structural racism work hand in glove. Institutional racism relates to, for example, the institutions of education, criminal justice and health. Examples of institutional racism can include: actions (or inaction) within organisations such as the Home Office and the Windrush Scandal ; a school’s hair policy ; institutional processes such as stop and search, which discriminate against certain groups.

Structural racism refers to wider political and social disadvantages within society, such as higher rates of poverty for Black and Pakistani groups or high rates of death from COVID-19 among people of colour .

In plain terms, structural racism shapes and affects the lives, wellbeing and life chances of people of colour. It normalises historical, cultural and institutional practices that benefit white people and disadvantage people of colour. It also stealthily replicates the racial hierarchy established more than 400 years ago through slavery and colonialism, placing white people at the top and Black people at the bottom.

Read more: Learning about white privilege isn't harmful to white working class children – viewpoint

Structural racism is enforced through institutional systems like seemingly neutral recruitment policies, which lead to the exclusion of people of colour from organisations, positions of power and social prominence. It exists because of white supremacy : a pattern of beliefs, assumptions and behaviours which advance the interests of white people and influences decision-making to maintain their dominance.

White supremacy lies at the heart of how systems in society work. It’s the main reason behind inequalities such as the ethnic pay gap across many institutions, as well as fewer judges and university vice chancellors of colour.

How does structural racism work?

Structural racism exists in the social, economic, educational, and political systems in society. Many of the issues that come with it have been escalated by the pandemic, including the disproportionate deaths of people of colour from COVID-19.

These challenges have worsened because of existing structural racial inequalities which mean that Black and Pakistani communities are more likely to work in unskilled jobs . As a result, many have had to work through the pandemic as key workers, increasing their exposure and susceptibility to catching or dying from the virus.

In fact, large numbers of health workers of colour reported being too afraid to complain about the issues they faced, with some being “bullied and shamed” into seeing patients, despite having no PPE. Their exposure to these inequalities can’t be blamed on pessimism or class or culture, but the structures within which they worked.

Structural and institutional racism account for under-representation in many fields. These barriers are responsible for everything from the 4.9% ethnic pay gap between white medical consultants and medical consultants of colour, a lack of teachers of colour in schools , the 1% of Black professors in universities and the absence of medical training about skin conditions and how they present on black and brown skin. The examples are endless.

It would be easy to blame the people affected, but that would ignore how structural racism works. Black people, for example, can work exceptionally hard but still encounter significant barriers that can be directly traced to issues of structural racism.

It’s also tempting to believe that the success of a small selection of people of colour means that the same opportunities are available to all. The suggestion being that these gains are evidence of a meritocracy (the idea that people can gain power or success through hard work alone). But this ignores the invisible hurdles that on average make the likelihood of achievement for various communities of colour much slimmer than for white people.

Critical Race Theory (a concept devised by US legal scholars which explains that racism is so endemic in society that it can feel non-existent to those who aren’t targets of it) also debunks the idea that we live in a meritocracy . It describes meritocracy as a liberal construct designed to conceal the barriers which impede success for people of colour.

If structural and institutional racism can’t be explained away by the idea that people of colour simply don’t work hard enough, or are “overly pessimistic” about race, it’s apparent that society needs alternative solutions. One of which is accepting not only that racism exists, but that it’s much more far-reaching than it seems to white people. We can’t eradicate these forms of racism without courage, commitment and concerted efforts from those in positions of power, which in the UK especially includes action from the white majority.

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Racism Essay | Essay on Racism for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Racism Essay: Racism can be defined as the belief that individual races of people have distinctive cultural features that are determined by the hereditary factors and hence make some races inherently superior to the others. The idea that one race has natural superiority than the others created abusive behaviour towards the members of other races. Racism, like discrimination towards women, is a form of discrimination and prejudice.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Racism for Students and Kids in English

We are providing children and students with essay samples on an extended essay of 500 words and a short piece of 150 words on the topic “Racism” for reference.

Long Essay on Racism 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Racism is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Racism is the illogical belief that a particular race has distinctive cultural traits endowed due to the genetic factors that make individual races inherently superior to the others and give them the right to exploit the inferior races. When we openly state the meaning of racism, we can see how inexplicable and unimaginable, such a thought is. But, racism is so deep-seated in our consciousness and subconsciousness that we have long bowed down to such infuriating ideals.

Such instances of subtle racism within a society are rampant and lead to inexcusable behaviour of people towards others. Such unjustifiable behaviour and actions are things like mental stress, social harassment, and even physical assaults. Since we have let racist comments and activities unnoticed, it is left untreated and leads to more division and anger between the two different people of different backgrounds. It is a never-ending, vicious cycle and a massive crisis in today’s world.

You can now access more Essay Writing on this topic and many more.

We should never judge others for the way they look for the way they speak. All people are born equal, and nothing can change that. Narrow-minded thoughts like racism should have extinguished with the increase in educated people and the intermixing of various races. Still, sadly, such behaviour is the blatant reality and shows no signs of toning down.

Racism makes people feel sorry for being born a certain way, of having a particular skin colour. Racism has no scientific explanation, and the racist people are entirely ignorant about the feelings of other human beings.

No one can choose to be black, white, dark, fair, or anything in particular. God has made us, and there is nothing that should make us feel guilty for that. It is ridiculous and inhumane to make fun of people due to their cultural background or colour of skin.

We keep talking about how modern society embraces diverse cultures and diverse people. We try to accomplish gigantic things like World Peace, eradicate hunger and poverty, but we are not ready to unite to make such changes happen.

Racism is a barrier between the social advancement of our society. It is impossible to achieve something great with such narrow-minded and exclusive ideals. It is a delicate topic and requires people to have an open mind and embrace the changes.

It is possible to eradicate racism in our society if we are more open about such sensitive topics and give simple matters like this a thought. Most of us are way too self-centred to think about such obstacles. It is so commonplace a behaviour that we forget its adverse effects. It is high time we made a change.

Since racism is such a deep-seated belief, we will need some time to change. But, we can achieve anything if we put our mind to it. We do not need racism to divide us. People should acknowledge the fact that to achieve anything significant. We need to let go of narrow-minded beliefs. Only then can we advance as a society of the world.

Short Essay on Racism 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Racism is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Racism is the prejudiced belief of people that a particular race is superior to others. The idea has resulted from years of neglection and oppression on some races for their traits and skin colour. Racism is a critical social barrier, which prevents our society from advancing.

Racism is a type of discrimination which makes the recipient feel bad about where they were born and how they look. It is an unscientific method of judging people.

Racism is so deep-seated in our culture that we think it to be the norm. The need to eradicate racism has come to highlight after a series of violent activities against people for their race.

We, as a society, need to let go of this narrow-minded thought that some people are inferior to others only because of what their skin colour is. Racism can only be removed by spreading awareness and correcting people when they make a racist comment. Together, we can fight against racism. Let us unite and eradicate racism once and for all.

10 Lines on Racism Essay in English

1. Racism is the wrong belief that some people are better and superior to others due to their genetic trait corresponding to their skin colour and race. 2. It refers to the thought that inherent physical appearance has a link with personality and intelligence. 3. Many corrupt people use racism as an excuse to justify horrific behaviour towards others. 4. The beginning of racism is somewhat unclear but might have originated when migration began. 5. People think that passing casual comments that link people’s work with their ethnicity is a joke. 6. Racism comes in several forms like symbolic, ideological, structural, interactional, etc. 7. Ideas and assumptions about racial categories dictate the behaviour of some people towards others. 8. Racism is a baseless and unscientific method of judging people. 9. Racism is a discriminatory process of thinking which is unacceptable. 10. We must correct people and not let casual racist comments pass when we hear them.

FAQ’s on Racism Essay

Question 1. What is racism?

Answer: Racism is hate towards people simply because of their differences. It is the enemy of freedom and should be washed away from society. Racism continues to grow alongside the technological advancements and education.

Question 2. Why do people pass racist comments?

Answer: Many people are unaware of their discriminatory behaviour towards their neighbours or peers due to apparent differences in their race. We have become so used to facing racism that we deem it as normal behaviour and let go of it.

Question 3. Why should we try to wipe out racism?

Answer: Racism is the barrier between the modernization of our society. There is no place for such unjustifiable behaviour in our community.

Question 4. What are the types of racism?

Answer: There are seven forms of racism. Some of them are symbolic, ideological, discursive, interactional, institutional, structural, and systemic racism.

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Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028

On this page, an acknowledgement to first nations, inuit, and métis in canada, message from the prime minister, foreword from the minister, executive summary, what we heard, building a foundation for change: canada’s previous strategy, select achievements during canada’s anti-racism strategy 2019-2022, an undeniable turning point: covid-19 and increased global awareness of racism, a community-driven and intersectional approach, anti-indigenous racism, anti-black racism, racialized and religious minority communities, intersectionality.

• Promoting economic, social, and cultural empowerment
• Advancing racial equity in immigration, health, and housing systems
• Driving justice, law enforcement, intelligence, and public safety systems reform
• Using international engagement to inform advancement on racial equity and inclusion at home

Advancing Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service

Government levers to make systems fairer and more inclusive, evaluation approach, appendix 1: glossary, the rights of indigenous peoples, the international decade for people of african descent (2015-2024), canada and the international holocaust remembrance alliance, the sustainable development goals, appendix 3: the federal anti-racism ecosystem.

In the spirit of and based on the principles of truth and reconciliation, the Government of Canada commits to working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples. This means meaningfully addressing the ongoing impacts of colonization as we attempt to support an increased understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis worldviews. It also requires an expanded awareness of the responsibilities all people on this land have for repairing and forging more equitable relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities across this land.

Tabled in 2019, Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls included 231 calls for justice. Call 15.2 explicitly asks Canadians to, “Decolonize by learning the true history of Canada and Indigenous history in your local area. Learn about and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ history, cultures, pride, and diversity, acknowledging the land you live on and its importance to local Indigenous communities, both historically and today.”

Our efforts to advance anti-racism can only be truly realized with recognition of the unjust consequences of colonialism, our continued commitment to decolonization, and striving to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Given systemic racism’s historical and ongoing impact on the colonization of Indigenous Peoples, we bear the duty of maintaining the memory of the dispossession of Indigenous lands and the responsibility to take action to ensure equity, safety, and respect for Indigenous Peoples. This includes acknowledging and addressing the root causes of the violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people. Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028, and other related efforts demonstrate that the Government of Canada recognizes the work it needs to do to ensure equity, safety, and respect for Indigenous Peoples and is committed to acting.

We would like to begin by acknowledging that the lands on which many of us live, work and gather, including the digital infrastructure enabling our work, are on the traditional territories of various Indigenous nations across the country. We acknowledge that our national headquarters in Gatineau, Quebec, are on the unceded and un-surrendered traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe People. This is a place which has long served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst nations whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.

We acknowledge the importance of co-developing solutions with Indigenous partners, and the importance of self-determination and of supporting Indigenous-led actions. We respect the enduring presence and longstanding ties that Indigenous Peoples have to this land where we reside, and where we may have come and settled. In recognition of the many and different territorial lands that each reader may be coming from, we encourage you to do your research and learn about the territory on which you reside. Explore how you can recognize the history of settler expansion and uplift the equity and sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples in your own way. We all share in the responsibility as Canadians to maintain respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples.

The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada

In Canada, no matter what our faith is, where we were born, what colour our skin is, or what language we speak – we should have every opportunity to fulfill our potential. Unfortunately, that has historically often not been the case.

Indigenous Peoples Footnote 1 and people of African descent were enslaved on this land. Laws were passed to assimilate Indigenous Peoples, including the Indian Residential School system, which the House of Commons unanimously recognized as genocide of Indigenous Peoples. Footnote 2 Discriminatory laws and government practices were passed targeting Asian communities - including the Chinese Exclusion Act (also referred to as the Chinese Immigration Act ) and the internment of Japanese Canadians - and excluding Jewish survivors fleeing Nazism during the Second World War. The passengers of the steamship Komagata Maru came to our shores looking for a better future in Canada, only to be denied food, water and medical aid – and after two months of confinement – were forced to return to India, where many were killed under British rule. While we delivered an official apology in 2016, the Komagata Maru incident remains a dark chapter in Canada’s history. Members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s first battalion of African descent, faced systemic racism and discrimination, and until our official apology in 2022, had their recognition of service ignored. We have seen former governments target marginalized faith-based communities with dangerous rhetoric, policies, and the politics of fear.

We can work to build a better future, with diverse communities and inclusive spaces. It’s why in 2019, we launched Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy . In partnership with communities across the country, the strategy was a landmark initiative to build a fairer Canada. We took action to combat online hate, address disinformation, and create meaningful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples. It’s time to take another step forward.

With Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives, 2024-2028 , we’re putting forward an ambitious, comprehensive plan to make Canada more diverse, inclusive, and prosperous. That means encouraging voices with different experiences to lead and ensuring those voices are reflected in federal policies, programs, and services. This is part of our larger work to build more homes and keep them affordable, invest in quality health care, reform our justice system, and make our streets safer in partnership with communities.

We want the federal government to reflect the Canada it serves – because the more voices and perspectives we have at the table, the better the decision making.

The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

Diversity is at the heart of what it means to be Canadian. From coast to coast to coast, Canadians of different backgrounds and lived experiences, races, and religions enrich our communities and shape our country. If diversity in Canada is a fact, inclusion is a shared responsibility and equity is the law.

Since 2015, our government has been very deliberate in making the choice to be inclusive. We have taken unprecedented measures and worked with partners and communities to tackle racism, in all its forms, including:

• Investing nearly $100 million into Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022, with $70 million allocated directly to communities;
• Creating the Black-Led Philanthropic Endowment Fund and launching the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative, representing a $400 million investment to support vibrant Black communities and combat anti-Black racism from coast to coast to coast;
• Hosting national summits on antisemitism and Islamophobia;
• Appointing Canada’s first Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia Footnote 3 , and two Special Envoys on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism Footnote 4 ;
• Creating the National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia;
• Creating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Despite those important milestones, racism and racial discrimination remain an unacceptable daily reality for too many Canadians. Since the launch of Canada’s first Anti-Racism Strategy, the world has experienced several tragically impactful events, which have resulted in devastating consequences right here in Canada. The deadly Islamophobic terrorist attack on a Canadian Muslim family in London, Ontario in June 2021 shook the country to its core, leaving lasting scars in London and on Muslim communities beyond. The murder of George Floyd in the United States sparked worldwide outrage about the deadly impacts that systemic racism has on so many innocent lives. We experienced a significant rise in anti-Asian sentiment throughout the coronavirus pandemic, clearly indicating that prejudice is not buried in our history but is a lived reality for so many. The death of Joyce Echaquan reminded us of the brutal legacy of colonialism and how it still perpetuates in the very systems that are supposed to protect people. Finally, since the events of October 7, 2023, we have seen unprecedented levels of hate towards Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities right here in Canada.

These events have left lasting marks on the fabric of our society and the trust we have in each other within our communities. Undeniably, they have put our values of tolerance, empathy, and inclusivity to the test. These events and their subsequent consequences underline how important and relevant the fight against racism and hate remains. Considering these challenges, it is imperative that we strengthen our whole-of-government approach to combating racism in all its forms.

To that end, I am pleased to present Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 .

The heart of the Strategy lies within communities across the country, by working with them and investing in them. It was developed through extensive engagement with community leaders, researchers, and organizations. Informed by the invaluable insights of thousands of Canadians with lived experience of racism and religious discrimination, it aims to make a marked difference in the lives of Indigenous Peoples, as well as Black, racialized, and religious minority communities.

This Strategy is an action-oriented approach to federal leadership designed to drive results in critical areas such as employment, health, economic empowerment, and public safety. It will explore anti-racism legislative options, invest in communities, and improve frameworks for delivering results, accountability, and institutional capacity-building through measurable outcomes.

This Strategy will adapt to the evolving needs of communities experiencing racism and discrimination, ensuring that our government responds effectively to their changing realities, while recognizing the unique challenges each community faces.

As Canadians, each of us bears a responsibility to confront racism and discrimination wherever it persists. This Strategy marks another stride in our collective journey to be united and build a more equitable and inclusive Canada, together.

We have faced tests in the past, and I am confident that we will overcome these challenges together as a country. Because there is always more that unites us than divides us.

In 2019, the Government of Canada released Building a Foundation for Change: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022 . This Strategy laid the groundwork for demonstrating federal leadership and empowering communities.

Building on the lessons and accomplishments from the first Strategy, Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 is developed based on robust evidence and input from people and communities with lived experience of racism. It aims to tackle systemic racism and make our communities more inclusive and prosperous.

Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 aims to tackle systemic racism by removing barriers and making systems more inclusive – especially for marginalized communities. In the long-term, this is about building a Canada where everyone can reach their full potential – with equality, equity and fairness.

That starts with better aligning, better designing, and better implementing new and existing federal initiatives to address inequalities. There are over 70 programs, policies, services, and laws in place or in development, across 20 organizations in the Government of Canada. To make these more inclusive and better reflect the diversity of Canada, we will collaborate with provincial, territorial, and international governments, as well as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners, and cities and communities across Canada.

This Strategy acknowledges the diverse needs and distinct realities of various peoples and communities by avoiding a one-size fits all approach.

For many, racism is often connected to other forms of oppression, such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, caste-discrimination, ableism, and discrimination based on language. These different types of discrimination can intersect and make the experience of racism even more severe and painful. The Strategy aims to address these intersections and tackle the unique challenges they present.

Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 takes a comprehensive, holistic approach by addressing all aspects of society that contribute to systemic racism. Recognizing that multiple factors, including the widening of racial disparities over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, contribute to the perpetuation of racism, the Strategy targets four priority areas within federal jurisdiction. The Strategy also includes collaboration with all sectors of society and draws upon different fields of knowledge and expertise.

Priority Areas and Actions

The Strategy prioritizes action in the following four priority areas:

Additionally, underpinning this work to advance on these four priorities are actions to enable a federal public service that is free from racism and is equitable and inclusive.

To deliver results across these four priority areas, the government will:

• Establish systems and explore legislation to boost accountability and make systems more inclusive
• Prioritize and support communities as experts in combatting racism by placing their voices at the centre of decision-making and providing necessary resources
• Strengthen relationships between orders of government, with national and international partners, to drive progress and create positive change in Canada

The Strategy will deliver concrete and measurable outcomes that reduce racial disparities and uphold the dignity of individuals who have experienced racism. It seeks to make a marked difference in the lives of Indigenous Peoples, as well as Black, racialized, and religious minority communities by working with and investing in those communities. This Strategy reflects the Government of Canada’s ongoing and deliberate commitment to promoting inclusivity by embracing and celebrating diversity and delivering fairness for every generation.

The Rationale

Unprecedented public recognition of racial inequity in canada.

When Canada’s previous Anti-Racism Strategy was launched in 2019, opinion polling showed that less than half of Canadians believed racism was a problem .

Since 2020, in reaction to the discovery of unmarked graves of Indigenous children, racial inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and underscored by global movements like Black Lives Matter and the response to the tragic murder of George Floyd, over 60% of Canadians now recognize that systemic racism exists , according to a poll by the Association for Canadian Studies and Léger.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, preexisting racial inequalities were exacerbated. According to Statistics Canada, 51% of visible minorities reported a major or moderate financial impact of the pandemic, compared with 29% of people who are not visible minorities. Footnote 5 Over one-third (36%) of Indigenous participants reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on their ability to meet financial obligations or essential needs compared to 25% among non-Indigenous participants. Footnote 6 Data shows that a higher incidence of overqualification and underemployment among Black populations has contributed to earnings gaps.

Black men and women earn less than their non-racialized counterparts of the third generation or more. The earnings gap is most pronounced among Canadian-origin Black men, at -$16,300, and least among African-origin Black men, at -$8,500. Similarly, Canadian-origin Black women earn -$9,500 less, and Caribbean-origin Black women -$1,300 less compared to their non-racialized counterparts of the same generation. Footnote 7

A large portion of the wage gap observed between Black populations and non-racialized third-generation populations (the reference population) remains unaccounted for by the socioeconomic factors included in the analysis.

Similar trends are observed among other racialized populations. Using Canada’s Official Poverty Line for comparison, the study found that out of 11 racialized groups analyzed, 10 had higher poverty rates than the White population, with this gap not significantly diminishing across successive generations. Footnote 8

It should be noted that for most of the racialized population, experiences of racism are widespread. According to the General Social Survey on Victimization, among individuals of Chinese origin aged 15 and older, 29% have encountered discrimination or unfair treatment in their daily lives. Footnote 9 Project 1907, a grassroots initiative tracking racism against Asian-origin individuals in Canada, reported a 47% increase in racist incidents towards Asian communities from 2020 to 2022. Incidents involving children and adolescents under 18 saw a 286% rise, while racist occurrences targeting Black individuals increased by 339%. Additionally, there was a 132% increase in reports of online hate and racism. Footnote 10

Racism and racial and religious discrimination are exacerbated by overlapping forms of discrimination based on such considerations as sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, language, disability, age, and religion. According to Statistics Canada , the number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada rose by 7 % in 2022 and there was a cumulative rise of 83% from 2019 to 2022 in hate crimes reported by police. The annual increase observed in 2022 is mostly due to a rise in hate crimes targeting a race or an ethnicity (+12%) and a sexual orientation (+12%). Statistics Canada notes that “hate crimes targeting a religion were down 15% from 2021 yet remained above the annual numbers recorded from 2018 to 2020” (at the time of releasing this Strategy, the official statistics for 2023 are unavailable). The national statistical office further emphasizes that “police-reported data on hate crimes reflect only incidents that come to the attention of police and that are subsequently classified as confirmed or suspected hate-motivated crimes”. According to the 2019 General Social Survey on Victimization, approximately one in five incidents perceived as being motivated by hate were reported to the police in the 12 months preceding the survey. Most recently, the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israel-Hamas conflict has exacerbated the increasing rates of antisemitism and Islamophobia reported in recent years; there has been a sharp increase in police-reported hate crimes and incidences targeting places of worship, synagogues, mosques, schools and communities across the country. Footnote 11 Research suggests that sexual minority people (those who stated their sexual orientation as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, or otherwise not heterosexual) experience violence at a greater prevalence than heterosexual people. This has also been noted among transgender people when compared to cisgender people Footnote 12 and is even more pronounced among LGBTQ2S Indigenous women, who are more likely (86%) to experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime compared with non-LGBTQ2S Indigenous women (59%). Footnote 13 Finally, Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to face violence than non-Indigenous women and face a homicide rate seven times higher than non-Indigenous women. Footnote 14 As Canada continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing levels of income inequality, reported by Statistics Canada in July 2023 , risk further exacerbating racial inequities. That is why Blueprint for Transformation: The 2023 Report of the National Advisory Council on Poverty calls on the Government to take the necessary steps to take urgent steps to curb poverty, particularly groups most affected by racial discrimination. Footnote 15

In the past few decades, the number of racialized people in Canada has increased at a much faster rate than the population as a whole. Evidence shows that racialized populations are an overwhelmingly younger population than non-racialized people Footnote 16 . According to Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census data, there were 1.8 million with an Indigenous identity (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) in the country in 2021, representing 5.0% of the total population. Footnote 17 2021 Census data also shows that racialized people made up 26.5% of the total population. Footnote 18 This number has been projected to further increase, with Statistics Canada’s Centre for Demography’s detailed demographic projections indicating that by 2041, the Canadian racialized population would reach 16.4 million to 22.3 million, making up 38.2% to 43.0% of the total Canadian population. Footnote 19 However, according to recent Angus Reid data, half of Canadians (51%) say that being White is a source of privilege in Canada. Footnote 20 Moreover, two in five Canadians (38%) say they face discrimination in Canada, and disaggregated data shows these proportions rise to 50 per cent among Indigenous respondents, and 78 per cent among visible minorities. Footnote 21 Bold action to address lasting systemic barriers is needed now more than ever as Canada’s population continues to become more diverse.

Between 2019 and 2024, the government extensively engaged Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority communities, partners, and stakeholders from a variety of different sectors.

Their feedback was clear: systemic racism and racial discrimination is a threat to the collective wellbeing, prosperity, safety, and security of Canada. They repeated the concern that white supremacist and far right organizations spread disinformation and create divisions against and within equity-deserving populations. They expressed a need to better embed anti-racism in federal programs, services, and policies, as well to pass legislation. Communities advocated for an anti-racism lens to be applied to the design, assessment, and implementation of federal initiatives. They indicated that the next federal anti-racism strategy should track results. Lastly, they indicated the government should report publicly on results. Emphasis was also placed on adopting harm reduction, trauma-informed, holistic approaches to policymaking and delivery and on addressing systemic racism, spanning and connecting a variety of areas, such as housing, immigration, justice, health, and employment. There was consensus that a coordinated, horizontal approach is needed to remove barriers and ensure full and equitable participation of diverse equity-deserving populations in all spheres.

Public Engagement

Shaping Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 involved the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat leading engagement and commemoration activities, reaching people across the country. This included:

• 15 town halls
• 2 national summits on antisemitism and Islamophobia
• 1 national youth forum on anti-Black racism
• 21 roundtables
• an online questionnaire on racism and discrimination, open to people in Canada.

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 expands on Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022 , launched in 2019. It represented an investment of nearly $100 million and focused on the following three pillars:

• Demonstrating Federal Leadership
• Empowering Communities
• Building Awareness and Changing Attitudes

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat (the Federal Secretariat) was created out of Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022 to lead a whole-of-government approach in addressing racism. In addition to coordinating federal action and driving the overall Strategy, it was created to work with federal departments and agencies to address the effects of systemic racism and discrimination. This meant helping federal institutions to identify and coordinate responsive initiatives, identifying gaps, assisting in developing new initiatives, and considering the impacts of new and existing policies, services and programs on communities and Indigenous Peoples.

Additionally, recognizing that it is essential to support collective community initiatives and responses, where communities are best placed to effect change, Canadian Heritage delivered over $91.1 million in funding through the Anti-Racism Action Program and Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program to enable communities to utilize their expertise in addressing racism, and allowing them to draw on their lived experiences to tailor initiatives to their circumstances.

Key Actions to Date

• Creation of the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat
• Funding of 174 projects under the new Anti-Racism Action Program
• Funding of 292 projects under the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Program
• Establishing a community-to government policy recommendations pipeline
• Piloting of an Anti-Racism Framework for the federal public service
• Creation of the COVID-19 and Equity-Seeking Communities Taskforce with Women and Gender Equality Canada
• Funding for Statistics Canada to collect more disaggregated data under the 2020 General Social Survey on Social Identity
• Development of new and innovative tools for data collection and analysis
• Co-developed a definition of anti-Asian racism with Asian community organizations and experts through extensive consultation
• Declaration on the North American Partnership for Equity and Racial Justice at the North American Leaders’ Summit (NALS) in January 2023 in Mexico City
• Official announcement of the Canada-Mexico Action Plan by PM Trudeau and Mexico’s President Lopez-Obrador on the margins of the North American Leaders’ Summit in January 2023, including a pillar on anti-racism
• Supporting over 10 federal departments in developing new policies, programs, services, and legislation from an anti-racism perspective
• New investments in the Canadian Race Relations Foundation

An evaluation of the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program and Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022 was conducted by Canadian Heritage and covered the period from 2017-2018 to 2021-2022. As part of the evaluation, data was collected and analyzed from a range of sources including a survey and interviews with federal organizations and external stakeholders. The full report informed the development of Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 .

The evaluation identified the need for stronger federal coordination. In particular, feedback from federal partners indicated a desire for more integrated coordination and communication with other federal departments and anti-racism units.

External stakeholders also highlighted gaps and needs including:

• Enhanced federal efforts on anti-Islamophobia, antisemitism, and anti-Black racism, in particular
• Less focus on eurocentric Canadian history and more focus on the history of Indigenous Peoples and the long history of specific racialized communities in Canada and their experiences
• Specific action on hate and disinformation

Financial supports through grants and contribution programs for community-based efforts were also seen as critical. According to interviews with stakeholders, there is a continuing need to provide funding supports to organizations serving diverse communities in combatting racism and promoting inclusion.

Funding for projects

• From 2022-2024, Association Canadienne Française de l’Ontario-Stormont, Dundas et Glengarry received project funding for Tous ensemble - Akwé:kon skátthne . The project organizes learning and discovery activities where non-aboriginal and Mohawk francophone youth explored a variety of themes, including discrimination, equity and leadership. These activities are intended to nurture an awareness of the other's culture. At the end of the project, the young leaders organize and host a day of celebration and cultural exchange with hundreds of young people from both communities. Activities were held from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2024, in Akwesasne, Cornwall and the counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. A joint school-community committee was set up to guide and supervise the entire project, plan, and promote activities, and recruit young people.
• From 2022-2024, People of the Dawn Indigenous Friendship Centre Inc. received project funding for Through our eyes: Signs and Stories. The project aims to create fuller, more accurate representations and narratives about Indigenous culture in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project prioritizes youth and empowers them to share their culture with other youth and the community at large. It includes the creation of Indigenous Youth Councils which lead activities in their respective schools to showcase a number of Indigenous activities and introduce non-Indigenous students to these aspects of their culture. The project also includes the showcase of Indigenous culture through interactive displays in public buildings and through digital resources, such as film, photography and music. These activities bring Indigenous culture to the forefront of the community and allow all people in the area the opportunity to learn about the history and contribution of Indigenous peoples in a largely Indigenous area.
• From 2019-2020 to 2022-2023, York University received program funding to carry out a project to enable two Toronto-area school boards as well as Asian Canadian, African Canadian and Indigenous artists to widen attitudes and perspectives regarding anti-racism education and community involvement. This was achieved via a suite of arts and artificial intelligence (AI) in-person and virtual workshops in the school boards that were held on community engagement, multiculturalism, and anti-racism. AI Apps were designed with the school boards and IBM on cultural colour visual recognition, culturally enhanced natural language understanding and virtual assistant. Asian Canadian, African Canadian, and Indigenous artists shared best practices to overcome social and cultural barriers.

Oversampling of the 2020 General Social Survey – Social Identity (GSS-SI)

• The GSS-SI is a survey of the general population conducted every five years. The key components of the survey include the following topics: social networks, civic participation and engagement, knowledge of Canadian history, appreciation of national symbols, shared values, confidence in institutions, and trust in people.
• The 2020 cycle also covered people's possible experiences of discrimination before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Thanks to funding from Canadian Heritage, the sample size of the 2020 cycle almost doubled to oversample six racialized groups (i.e., Black, Arab and West Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Latin American, Chinese). This additional sample allowed for more targeted policy analysis with respect to the experiences of some racialized groups.

Production of analytical papers

• “ The weekly earnings of Canadian-born individuals in designated visible minority and White categories in the mid-2010s ”
• “ Perceptions of and experiences with police and the justice system among the Black and Indigenous populations in Canada ”
• “ The relative earnings of individuals in designated visible minority categories in Canada across four workplace sectors ”
• “ The neighbourhood ties of long-term residents in lower-income neighbourhoods ”

Funding for the Canadian Legal Problems Survey

• Canadian Heritage invested funds in the development of the Canadian Legal Problems Survey 2021 .
• The Canadian Legal Problems Survey collects data on the experiences of middle and low-income Canadians with the civil justice system, and the challenges they face in 19 categories of concern (e.g., housing, immigration, consumer debt, family, employment, health).
• An analysis titled “ Experiences of serious problems or disputes in the Canadian provinces ”, 2021, based on the 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey , presented findings on self-reported serious problems or disputes experienced by people living in Canada’s provinces in the three years prior to the survey.

Creation of an Anti-Racism Framework

• The Federal Secretariat ramped up its whole-of-government leadership role, including by developing an Anti-Racism Framework with the help of several federal departments and agencies.
• The purpose was to offer a series of intersectional, anti-oppression racial equity tools to better equip federal organizations to remove systemic barriers and biases in areas such as policymaking, procurement, communications, and grant making.
• Federal organizations including 16 departments, central agencies and anti-racism and equity units, piloted the Anti-Racism Framework.
• Under the new Strategy, the Anti-Racism Framework will move beyond the pilot phase to address systemic barriers, and identify gaps in government, as well as to generate positive outcomes for all people in Canada, particularly those with daily lived experiences of racism.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated pre-existing racial inequities that disproportionately affect Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority populations in Canada.

In Canada and around the world, mobilization around and coverage of shocking, racially motivated incidents received heightened coverage. This includes the tragic death of a First Nations woman, Joyce Echaquan; the deadly terror attack on a Muslim family in London, Ontario; and the identification of hundreds of unmarked graves and potential burial sites of Indigenous children on the grounds of former Indian Residential Schools. The murder of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement also contributed to a ubiquitous recognition of racism around the world.

Most recently, unprecedented global tensions arising from the Israel-Hamas conflict post October 7, 2023, have resulted in a significant increase in hate crimes and incidents across Canada leaving Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab communities feeling unsafe. Altogether, these events underline the need for a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach to addressing racism and discrimination.

The Strategy – Fairer, More Inclusive Federal Leadership

Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 builds on the previous Anti-Racism Strategy with new initiatives and is a fresh and more comprehensive way forward to eliminating systemic racism and discrimination. It is a four-year action-oriented plan for change that is built on a set of guiding principles and four thematic priority areas, all the outcome of extensive community engagement.

It proposes a whole-of-government undertaking centred on changing the federal system to help transform the lives of millions across Canada who are disadvantaged by racism. This approach focuses on removing the systemic barriers and the legacy of white supremacy and colonialism in federal institutions. These factors continue to limit the ability of Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority populations to live a life of dignity in which their rights and freedoms are fully respected.

Combatting racism is a shared responsibility which involves concrete action by provinces and territories to address racial discrimination in their respective jurisdictions. This Strategy will see active engagement with provinces and territories to work towards a fairer, and more inclusive Canada.

An inclusive, equitable society free of racism where everyone can fully and meaningfully participate and thrive in all economic, cultural, social, and political spheres.

For the federal government to work more effectively with diverse communities, including Indigenous partners, to eliminate systemic racism and improve the quality of life of populations facing racism and discrimination in Canada.

These priorities are supported by efforts to foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive federal public service free from racism.

To deliver transformative change across the four priority areas, the government will:

• Set up systems within our institutions and explore legislation to drive accountability and results
• Prioritize and support communities as experts in eliminating racism
• Strengthen relationships between different orders of government, with national and international partners, to drive progress and create positive change in Canada

Guiding Principles

Nothing about us without us.

Ensure that communities most affected by racism are active collaborators in implementing the Strategy.

Trauma and Violence-Informed

Establish safety, empathy, and compassion when supporting communities with lived experience of racism.

Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppression, and Intersectionality

Address how people’s lives are shaped by intersecting identities and multiple forms of oppressions.

Flexibility

Maintain the capacity to offer rapid responses to the evolving self-defined needs of communities.

Integrated, Holistic Approach

Center the work on understanding and addressing how interlocking systems perpetuate racism.

Evidence-Based and Data-Driven

Ensure that all action is informed by community voices, disaggregated data, and the academic research.

Honouring Unique Histories and Intergenerational Harms

Recognize the experiences of racism as well as the historic achievements of populations targeted by racism.

The Strategy draws insight from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report , including 94 Calls to Action (June 2015); the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Women and Girls , which included 231 recommendations; the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ; the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024), which focuses on 3 key pillars of activity affecting Black communities (Justice, Recognition and Development); the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (September 2007) (PDF version); the Government of Canada’s implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (June 2021); and the Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) analytical process.

The Strategy is centred on the critical need to ensure that the voices and experiences of diverse populations targeted by racism drive its delivery whilst acknowledging the common thread of white supremacy and colonialism that runs through experiences of systemic racism. As such, it recognizes that various communities and peoples experience systemic racism in different ways, and that collaboration is crucial for implementation of the Strategy across Canada. It acknowledges how the distinct histories of diverse populations inform the different ways in which social, economic, and political inequalities shape everyday life in the Canada of today.

To avoid a “one size fits all” method, the Strategy uses an intersectional community-centred approach. Similarly, racism is addressed by considering the different ways it affects Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority communities. This also requires addressing the ways in which multiple forms of racism are compounded by other forms of oppression. These include sexism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, caste-discrimination, ableism, and discrimination based on belonging to an official language minority community.

The Strategy acknowledges the unique relationship that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis have with the Crown, as articulated in s. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 . It also recognizes how the tragic history of colonialism, displacement, genocide, language loss, Indian Residential Schools and the Indian Act are part and parcels of systems of white supremacy that continue to undermine the wellbeing and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples today. In fact, Indigenous participants in town halls hosted between 2020 and 2022 reiterated that the unique legislative structure of the Indian Act , which provided legal grounding for the establishment of Indian Residential Schools, is a critical element of the specific racial harm experienced by many Indigenous Peoples today. Systemic anti-Indigenous racism accounts for the fact that compared to non-Indigenous People, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis experience poorer social, economic, and political outcomes than their non-Indigenous counterparts Footnote 22 . This includes disproportionately poorer health outcomes, fewer educational opportunities, inadequate housing, higher levels of children taken into government care, lower income levels, and higher rates of unemployment. It also involves, higher levels of incarceration, higher death rates among women, children and youth, and higher rates of suicide. At the onset of this Strategy, the Federal Secretariat, working with Canadian Heritage, will co-develop, as committed to through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan , with National Indigenous Organizations, Indigenous federal employee networks, as well as other First Nations, Inuit, and Métis urban, rural and northern organizations, a federal approach specifically tailored to tackling anti-Indigenous racism. It will reflect the Calls to Action and the Calls for Justice.

A Decolonized Approach

The Strategy will use caution in deploying the terms ‘Aboriginal or Indian’, given these terms may be grounded in a colonial worldview. In addition, drawing from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action and the 231 Calls for Justice from the Final Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls , the Strategy will give particular attention to addressing the distinct ways in which Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and persons with disabilities experience anti-Indigenous racism. The Strategy recognizes that a community-driven and intersectional approach is required to eliminate institutionalized and systemic racism afflicting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada.

• Indigenous Peoples experience racism differently than other communities. As a result of historical and ongoing colonization and displacement Indigenous Peoples experience poorer health, lower levels of education, inadequate housing, lower income levels, higher rates of unemployment, higher levels of incarceration, higher death rates among children and youth, and higher rates of suicide compared to the rest of the population of Canada.
• Discrimination was more common among Indigenous populations than among populations who are both non-Indigenous and non-visible minority (33% versus 16%). More specifically, 44% of First Nations had experienced discrimination in the 5 years preceding the survey, as had 29% of Inuit and 24% of Métis.
• While Indigenous Peoples make up approximately 5% of the Canadian population, they represent over 31.6% of its prison population. Half of the female population in federal prisons are Indigenous. Indigenous females in custody represent 43.2% of all in-custody females, though that number reached 50% for the first time on April 28, 2022.

Anti-Black racism has a four-hundred-year history in Canada. It emerged in this country as part of a worldwide history of forcibly removing human beings, with distinct identities, languages, and cultures, from the African continent and subjecting them to slavery across the American continent and beyond. To justify this trade in enslaved peoples, a pernicious ideology was developed, which suggested that Black people were at the bottom rung of an oppressive and socially constructed racial hierarchy. This ideology was then embedded in laws, political institutions, and social and cultural systems in Canada and elsewhere to maintain Black people in a state of permanent servitude. In Canada, and abroad, Black people resisted, and alongside similar-minded allies, contributed to the abolishment of slavery in British North America and around the world. Nonetheless, in Canada, anti-Black racism and white supremacy persisted in legal segregation, denial of land to Black loyalists and maroons in Nova Scotia, separate schools, and restrictive immigration policies. Even after the passage of Human Rights legislation and the introduction of the Charter in 1982, anti-Black racism continues to be embedded within public institutions and other systems in Canada. The disproportionately higher rates of incarceration, Footnote 23 the higher unemployment rates, Footnote 24 the lower levels of wealth, Footnote 25 and the unequal access to philanthropic dollars, Footnote 26 despite comparable levels of education to the Canadian average, are symptomatic of anti-Black racism. Footnote 27 The Federal Secretariat will collaborate with diverse Black community organizations, experts, and Black federal employee networks, on the development of a federal approach to combat anti-Black racism. The approach will reflect the principles of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent as well as the Black-centric Lens developed by Employment Social Development Canada, alongside the Federal Secretariat, to embed Black community-focussed considerations in policy development.

A Black-Centric Focus

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 will give particular attention to addressing how anti-Black racism and the unequal treatment of Black people is entrenched and normalized within our society. The Strategy recognizes that racism often becomes invisible in federal institutions, policies, and practices - making it difficult to uproot and eradicate. The history of anti-Black racism is unique and stems from the legacy of colonialism and slavery. Black Canadians and their communities are diverse, and they face unique challenges relative to those of other racialized communities, which are compounded by such factors as misogyny, homophobia and transphobia, Islamophobia, and ableism. As a result, the strategy will deploy particular attention to dismantling and eradicating racism embedded in systems and policies that harm Black people in Canada from an intersectional perspective.

• Stemming from the historic and continued impacts of colonialism and slavery, Black Canadians face unique challenges relative to those of other racialized communities. For example, anti-Black racism in employment perpetuates and exacerbates exclusion from professional networks and lack of access to meaningful employment opportunities, resulting in continued gaps in earning, despite the presence of Black people in Canada from the beginning of its settlement by European powers.
• Black people are also over-represented in Canada’s prison system, making up 9.2% of the federal prison population, even though they make up only 4.3% of the population.
• In Canada, four in ten (41%) Black Canadians reported experiencing discrimination based on their race or skin colour, which is approximately 15 times higher than the proportion among the non-Indigenous, non-racialized population (3%). A considerably higher proportion of Black people experienced discrimination in 2019 than in 2014 (46% versus 28%).

In addition to Indigenous Peoples and Black people, systemic racism also affects the lives of countless members of Asian, Latin American, Arab, Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, Sikh, Hindu, and other racialized and religious minority communities in Canada. Anti-Asian racism, for example, is rooted in the historical and ongoing discrimination, negative stereotyping, and injustice experienced by peoples of Asian descent, based on others’ assumptions about their ethnicity and nationality. Persons of Asian origin are subjected to specific overt and subtle racist tropes and stereotypes at individual and systemic levels, which lead to their ongoing social, economic, political and cultural marginalization, disadvantage and inequitable treatment. Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews, the rhetorical and physical manifestations of which are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. Antisemitism is rooted in centuries of persecution and genocide committed against Jewish people spanning several continents. Islamophobia includes racism, stereotypes, prejudice, fear or acts of hostility directed towards individual Muslims or followers of Islam in general. In addition to individual acts of intolerance and racial profiling, anti-Muslim hate can lead to viewing and treating Muslims as a greater security threat on an institutional, systemic, and societal level. Furthermore, negative perceptions about racialized newcomers of all backgrounds, insufficient settlement services, and barriers to accessing services such as affordable childcare and employment networking opportunities make it difficult to secure employment. This speaks to the importance of advancing inclusion for populations who face intolerance due to their combined ethnic and religious identities, recognizing that experiences can vary even within an ethnoreligious community. The Federal Secretariat will collaborate with Canadian Heritage’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch, the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia and the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, as well as Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, and Asian federal employee networks on tackling racism against racialized communities and religious minorities, including anti-Asian-Racism.

Manifestations of Racism

The relationship between religious minority communities and racism often involves misconceptions and misrepresented data that negatively impacts adherents of distinct faith groups. The cumulative effect of these narratives has ranged from perceptions of intolerance, negative stereotyping, and discrimination to physical manifestations involving the significant loss of lives. The Strategy addresses the ways in which racism is entrenched and normalized within our institutions. Eliminating systemic actions that perpetuate unequal access to opportunities readily enjoyed by most people living in Canada will feature prominently in the Strategy.

• In Canada, people of South Asian (38%) and Chinese (36%) origin and people from racialized groups (32%) have personally experienced discrimination due to race or ethnicity from time to time if not regularly.
• Antisemitism and racism are intertwined and cannot be understood in isolation of the other. As shown, for example, by the growing incidents of assaults against Jews, synagogues defaced with graffiti, and demonstrations featuring explicitly antisemitic signs and slogans, antisemitism has become increasingly normalized in mainstream society.
• Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism have exacerbated barriers for Muslims. Implicit biases need to be addressed as there is a distinct link between attacks against mosques, individuals and families, and the negative stereotypes of Muslims in the media.
• In 2022, hate crimes targeting the Jewish population accounted for 67% of hate crimes targeting a religion reported by the police, and those targeting the Muslim population represented 14%. Following the global tensions arising from the Israel-Hamas conflict post October 7, 2023, antisemitic and Islamophobic violence have increased in Canada. In its 2022 data release , Statistics Canada emphasizes that “[l]ike other types of crime, counts of police-reported hate crime can be impacted by major social events, policing initiatives or awareness campaigns.” Information for 2023 will be released in summer 2024.

The Strategy recognizes that people have multiple and diverse identity factors that intersect to shape their perspectives and experiences. In this, it adopts an intersectional approach that acknowledges the ways in which people's experience of racism is shaped by their multiple and overlapping characteristics and social locations. Together, they can produce a unique and distinct experience for that individual or group, for example, creating additional barriers for some and/or opportunities for others. For example, an August 2022 study conducted in Quebec by the Association for Canadian Studies found that 53% of Muslim women and 38% of Muslim men reported high levels of exposure to prejudicial remarks and discrimination. Thus, anti-racism efforts must be pursued using an intersectional approach which recognizes how racialization is affected by such things as ableism, trans and homophobia, and misogyny.

The intersectional lens will be decolonizing in intent. It will acknowledge the extent to which intersecting forms of oppression, such as homophobia and transphobia, are the legacy of laws, practices, and worldviews of colonial powers that ruled in Canada and abroad. The harm done to Indigenous Peoples whose gender identities and sexualities did not conform with colonial ideologies and practices, is well-documented, notably through the Calls for Justice (PDF version) of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls . It is also mirrored by the historical harms of colonization and other forms of oppression experienced by racialized and religious minority members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities at home and abroad. As such, the Strategy will seek to empower communities, build bridges across intersections, and counter efforts to weaponize these intersections to feed disinformation and polarize our society. It will also reflect the Gender-Based Analysis Plus priorities of the government in ensuring that gender is adequately addressed across all aspects of the Strategy, from an intersectional perspective.

Priorities and Associated Actions

Over three years of extensive engagement, diverse persons with lived experience of racism, stakeholders, and partners expressed a desire to have Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 go beyond social participation, employment, and justice, which were prioritized areas under Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022. They indicated that for it to be successful, the government must address racism from a social determinants of health perspective. This means addressing the variety of interlocking factors that affect a person’s life. For many, the pandemic demonstrated the extent to which systemic racism is rampant across several spheres of society. They called for a new federal anti-racism strategy to take a whole-of-society approach to address the range of factors that perpetuate systemic racism today, across a variety of areas, using all the tools at the disposal of the federal government. This means working with all sectors of society and leveraging all disciplines.

A commitment to ensuring the full participation of all people in Canada in the social, political, civic, and economic spheres of society must include access to tangible opportunities. The legacy of slavery, colonialism, segregation, and the government’s past policies towards Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority communities remain. It has resulted in lasting systemic barriers in the social, political, civic, and economic spheres of society. In turn, these barriers have had profound, persistent and inter-generational negative impacts on these distinct populations. Subjecting generations to unequal access and lack of opportunities has led to employment barriers, and precarious financial instability. It has also led to misrepresentation and elimination of voices and experiences in the arts and culture industry and eradication or extinction of language and culture. Growing levels of income inequality are also signs that the post-pandemic period may further exacerbate racial inequities.

The Government of Canada is committed to addressing this issue through a variety of existing and soon-to-come initiatives including:

• Fostering equity in economic opportunities and employment for all communities such as the 50-30 Challenge and the Black Entrepreneurship Program – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Working with federally regulated industries and workplaces such as financial institutions to boost employment and managerial opportunities for under-represented equity groups – Innovation, Science and Economic Development
• Taking action on labour, training, and skills development, including opportunities to create inclusive workplaces, where all employees are treated with dignity and respect – Employment and Social Development Canada
• Co-developing solutions with community stakeholders to address Black and Indigenous priorities in science and innovation and include capacity funding – Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Providing opportunities for and equitable representation of equity-deserving communities in the arts and cultural industry through grants and contributions funding – Canadian Heritage
• Conducting an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Review of departmental programs to identify and remove systemic barriers to accessing programming for equity-deserving communities, and support sectors in developing their own approaches to improve equity, diversity and inclusion – Canadian Heritage
• Working with provinces and territories to build a Canada-wide system of early learning and childcare (ELCC) through new investments in the ELCC Infrastructure Fund – Employment and Social Development Canada
• Continue implementing Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy and Poverty Reduction Act (legislation that sets out poverty reduction targets, establishes the Market Basket Measure as Canada’s Official Poverty Line, and establishes the National Advisory Council on Poverty) – Employment and Social Development Canada
• Working with provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, and stakeholders to develop a National School Food Policy and to explore how more Canadian children can receive nutritious food at school. This policy would complement other investments that reduce poverty and food insecurity, such as the Canada Child Benefit, Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the newly expanded Canada Workers Benefit – Employment and Social Development Canada
• Implementing the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan – Women and Gender Equality Canada
• Advancing Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan – Employment and Social Development Canada
• the continued implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Declaration Act – led by Justice Canada
• addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls national inquiry recommendations – led by Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
• advancing Indigenous language revitalization – led by Canadian Heritage
• recognizing geographical place names that have origins in Indigenous languages – led by Natural Resources Canada
• Working with provincial and territorial partners to address derogatory and misogynistic geographical place names across the country – Natural Resources Canada
• the Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative – Employment and Social Development Canada
• the Black-led Philanthropic Endowment Fund – Employment and Social Development Canada
• the development of a Federal Action Plan for Black Communities – Employment and Social Development Canada
• Pursuing continued action related to the empowerment of religious minority (faith and belief) communities, including support for the work of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia – Canadian Heritage and Global Affairs Canada
• Deepening understanding and preparing to respond to the government supported legislation requiring the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice – Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Creating opportunities for economic empowerment of diverse communities in the natural resources sector – Natural Resources Canada
• Providing opportunities for an equitable representation of the Canadian population in the scientific community – Natural Resources Canada
• the establishment of an expert advisory committee on ethno-cultural and immigration statistics – Statistics Canada
• the development of analytical portraits of the six major racialized groups in Canada along demographic, economic and social dimensions – Statistics Canada
• an update of the social inclusion framework featuring improved intersectional insights of Social Inclusion Framework data with new indicators and reference years – Statistics Canada
• the development of a conceptual framework on racism and discrimination, defining best practices when researching racism, hate and discrimination – Statistics Canada
• and the Disaggregated Data Action Plan , a whole-of- government approach to strengthen the government’s efforts to address systemic racism and gender gaps, leading to better and more equitable decision-making for all Canadians – Statistics Canada

Indigenous Peoples, members of Black communities, racialized, and religious minority communities must have fair and equitable access to healthcare. This means ensuring quality and culturally safe trauma-informed healthcare services, from any health professional, anywhere they are and any time they need it. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the extent to which adverse health outcomes are driven by the social and structural determinants of health. This included different forms of systemic racism embedded in health systems across Canada. The Government of Canada is committed to addressing this including through new health funding to provinces and territories announced in February 2023. The goal is to improve health care services for Canadians and ensure equal access for equity-deserving groups and individuals. This also includes dedicated funding to address unique challenges Indigenous Peoples face when it comes to fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe health care services, in addition to other funding committed to addressing anti-Indigenous racism including through the Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada’s Health Systems Program as well as a new Indigenous Health Equity Fund.

In the area of housing, both prices and rent have increased dramatically over the past few years. While core housing need impacts one in ten households in Canada, certain households have higher incidences of core housing need including recent refugees and immigrants, racialized groups on housing costs, Indigenous Peoples, youths, seniors, women-led one parent households and other groups prioritized under the National Housing Strategy. Higher shelter costs result in reduced money and resources for other necessities like food and utilities or to save for future emergencies. Limited access to affordable housing and housing security is also linked to lower life satisfaction and poor mental health. Similarly, the treatment of racialized migrant workers and others with precarious immigration status, including those who are members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, as well cases of unequal treatment of Black and other racialized immigration applicants over the course of the pandemic, has brought public attention to systemic racism in the Canadian immigration system. Despite Canada having formally abandoned a race-based immigration selection system, stakeholders and partners across the country are raising the alarm that racial discrimination persists.

The government is taking the following actions to help dismantle systemic barriers in health systems and make them more inclusive:

• Support mental health interventions for underserved populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 – Public Health Agency of Canada
• Continue to support the development and implementation of anti-racism policy and programs for Canada’s health systems including cultural safety training of health professionals, students, management, and leaders of healthcare organizations – Health Canada and Indigenous Services Canada
• Gain a better understanding of health inequalities to improve equity in health care access, quality, experience, and outcomes – Health Canada
• Introduce distinctions-based Indigenous health legislation – Indigenous Services Canada
• Provide community-based funding to generate culturally-relevant knowledge and evidence and deliver programs that address mental health and its determinants for Black Canadians, including anti-Black racism – Public Health Agency of Canada

The following actions are being taken to address systemic racism in the immigration system:

• Identify and address institutional bias and racism in immigration decision-making and risk management, including through the review of advanced analytics and automated systems – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Continue to contribute funding for Immigration and Refugee Legal Aid – Justice Canada
• Provide additional training for Canada Border Services Agency and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada officers – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

The following actions are being taken to address systemic racism in settlement and integration:

• Strengthen culturally relevant integration services – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Integrate an anti-racism lens into the assessment of grants and contributions proposals – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Fund delivery of re/settlement services that promote anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Continue to advance foreign credential recognition programs and policies – Employment and Social Development Canada

The following measures are being taken to address the systemic barriers in infrastructure and housing:

• Address and support people experiencing homelessness within the populations in the most vulnerable situations – Infrastructure Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Continue federal support for emergency housing needs – Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Improve housing outcomes for those in greatest need through a national housing strategy – Infrastructure Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Collaborating with provinces and territories through the Open Forum on Homelessness and through the Federal, Provincial, Territorial Forum on Housing to effectively address the housing and homelessness challenges faced by the populations in the most vulnerable situations — Infrastructure Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Align federal policies and programs to address critical housing and homelessness issues through a socio-economic systems approach – Infrastructure Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• Provision of $500 thousands the establishment of Black Community Technical Housing Resource Centre, which aims to provide assistance, advice, and support to Black-led and Black-serving organizations interested in the field of housing
• Supporting Black-led organizations to build housing for Black Canadians through the National Housing Co-Investment Fund
• Providing Solutions Labs funding and expertise to help solve complex housing problems and develop housing solutions for Black and other racialized communities
• Providing funding through the Shared Equity Mortgage Provider program (SEMP) to help deliver an estimated 200 affordable homes to first-time homeowner Black families in the Greater Toronto Area
• Funding Housing Supply Challenges focused on racialized and equity communities
• Advisory and subject-matter expertise support for FutureBUILDS’ BIPOC Real-Estate Development Incubator

Canada’s justice system must keep all people in Canada, their families, and communities safe while promoting fairness. However, systemic racism in the criminal justice system has resulted in the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, Black people, members of Muslim communities, as well as other historically marginalized communities. Evidence has also pointed to the persistence of racial profiling by law enforcement Footnote 28 and disproportionate surveillance by intelligence agencies Footnote 29 . Moreover, new domestic and global threats to national security, including foreign interference and transnational white-supremacist and hate networks, are emerging and targeting diasporic communities. This highlights the need to ensure that public safety, law enforcement, and intelligence are adequately tailored to address the specific needs of different racialized and religious minority communities in meaningful, culturally responsive ways.

The Government of Canada is committed to addressing this through a variety of initiatives existing and soon-to-come including:

• Addressing systemic anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system – Justice Canada
• Development of an Indigenous Justice Strategy – Justice Canada
• Creation of Canada’s first Black Justice Strategy – Justice Canada
• Enhancing legal support for equity-impacted communities (including but not limited to Impact of Race and Culture Assessments) – Justice Canada
• Review of changes in the criminal justice system and sentencing reforms, and reduce reliance on mandatory minimum penalties – Justice Canada
• Providing legal Services and Supports for Racialized Communities (Justice Partnership and Innovation Fund) – Justice Canada
• Leading the development of an action plan to combat hate – Canadian Heritage
• Working to ensure that law enforcement, security, intelligence, and defence systems operate in a bias-free way – National Defence
• Enhancing law enforcement, security, intelligence, and defence communities’ capacity to address internal racism and discrimination through continuous education, training, tools, and reporting – National Defence
• Developing an RCMP Race-Based Data Collection Framework to address systemic racism and ensure better outcomes for Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities in Canada – Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Work towards integrating a racial equity lens in operations to change attitudes and behaviours – National Defence
• Increase transparency in policy decision-making and processes at National Defence through regular and focused reviews – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and National Defence
• Address racial bias in AI and security-driven algorithms – Public Safety Canada and National Defence
• Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools – Justice Canada
• National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence and the Federal Gender-Based Violence Strategy – Women and Gender Equality Canada

Global awareness on issues of equity and racial justice has increased expectations for collective action, including internationally. At the same time, hostile state and non-state actors are working across borders to use disinformation to engineer a global backlash against anti-racism, human rights, democracy, and diversity. They are also pushing for countries to adopt policies and laws to push back against racial justice and equity initiatives worldwide, including in Canada. Strategic collaborations with multilateral and international agencies as well as our international allies will help generate concrete actions to inform advancement of racial equity and inclusion at home.

The following actions are underway:

• Work through bilateral and multilateral partnerships and mechanisms, such as the United Nations, to support inclusion and respect for diversity to combat antisemitism and address systemic racism in Canada - Global Affairs in collaboration with Canadian Heritage and Employment and Social Development Canada
• Engage with the UN Permanent Forum for People of African Descent to combat global anti-Black racism as well as the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to combat anti-Indigenous racism – Employment and Social Development Canada, Global Affairs Canada and, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
• Develop a Canadian handbook on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and adopt the IHRA definition of antigypsyism/anti-Roma discrimination – Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism
• Develop a Canadian Guide on Islamophobia and addressing the safety and security needs of Muslim communities – Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia

2021 and 2022 witnessed a renewed effort to address systemic racism and discrimination in the federal public service. This effort is centred on a drive to make concrete and long-lasting changes that ensure more equitable, diverse, and inclusive federal public service. Supported by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, departments are striving to increase diversity among senior leaders of the public service and establish a culture of inclusiveness that combats racism and addresses systemic barriers. The Public Service Commission of Canada is working with departments to support a successful implementation of recent changes to the Public Service Employment Act which aims to identify and address bias and barriers in hiring for equity-deserving groups. Furthermore, a review of the Employment Equity Act has been pursued by the Minister of Labour, which applies to the Federal Public Service and other federally regulated organizations.

As well, helping to drive change from within are national groups such as the Visible Minorities Champions and Chairs Community (VMCCC), the Anti-Racism Ambassadors Network (ARAN), and the Community of Federal Visible Minorities (CFVM). Several employee networks, as well as department-specific equity-based groups, are taking action and demonstrating leadership, including the Champions and Chairs Circle for Indigenous Peoples (CCCIP), the Federal Black Employees Caucus (FBEC), the Black Executives Network (BEN), the Network of Asian Federal Employees (NAFE), the Jewish Public Servants Network (JPSN), the Muslim Federal Employees Network (MFEN), the Sikh Public Servants Network (SPSN), the Indigenous Federal Employees Network (IFEN) and the Pride Service Public Network (PSPN).

The Government of Canada is advancing on the following initiatives:

• Several Departments have created or have commitments to create Secretariats or Units to help lead work on advancing anti-racism and anti-discrimination – e.g., Employment and Social Development Canada
• Reviewing people management policy and guidance with an anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion lens, in consultation with employee networks – Privy Council Office, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and National Defence
• Conducting an independent evaluation to identify and provide recommendations to redress Indigenous Services Canada’s internal processes, procedures and practices that contribute to discrimination, as identified by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal – Indigenous Services Canada
• Continuing to drive change to advance anti-racism and equity within the federal public service and federal institutions, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Armed Forces – National Defence
• Monitoring and overseeing progress in anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the core public administration and separate agencies – Privy Council Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, and National Defence
• Supporting the Director of Anti-Racism Implementation (DARI) at the Department of National Defence to examine racism and discrimination within the Defence Team as well as identify and support measures to increase the representation and advancement of Indigenous, Black and racialized Defence Team members throughout the organization – National Defence
• The Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service – Privy Council Office
• The Action Plan for Black Employees in the Public Service – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• The Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• The Self-Identification Modernization Project – Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• The Many Voices One Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation Report Action Plan – Indigenous Services Canada
• Engaging a panel of experts to seek recommendations on the development and implementation of a Restorative Engagement Program through consultation with key networks and stakeholders on how to address systemic issues and affect organizational change – National Defence and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• The GBA Plus Engagement Process – Women and Gender Equality Canada

The Strategy lays out federal action against racism and discrimination in Canada, with a strong focus on driving federal institutions towards results across the four thematic priority areas:

This will be achieved with strengthened accountability, transparent reporting, institutional capacity-building, and investing in community expertise. Working with communities and academia is key to delivering success.

Strategic Objective 1: Set-Up Institutional Systems and Legislative Options to Drive Accountability and Results

• Following the recommendations from many stakeholders across Canada, the government will explore legislative options to enhance federal efforts to eliminate racism, discrimination, and hate.
• The Anti-Racism Framework will be developed to help federal organizations to embed anti-racism considerations across the government, identify systemic barriers, and improve existing and future policies, programs, and services.
• It will offer public servants a rigorous method to understand the impacts of their decisions on populations affected by racism, and design effective initiatives that close the equity gaps affecting Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority communities.
• The Federal Secretariat at Employment and Social Development Canada will work closely with departments and agencies to support and strengthen their capacity to conduct analysis and propose policies, in ways that boost the quality of life of and establish equitable opportunities for diverse populations with lived experience of racism.
• Results will also be achieved through the provision of advice on relevant memorandum to Cabinet by the Privy Council Office and the Federal Secretariat. The Federal Secretariat will also assist individual departments and agencies in addressing barriers to success or negative impact of federal initiatives.
• The government will report publicly on the performance of departments by using reports provided through such mechanisms, tools, and resources, as a new Anti-Racism and Combatting Hate Results Framework developed by Statistics Canada, with support from Canadian Heritage.
• This work will be done in collaboration with communities and academia to develop common indicators and key metrics to measure performance and impact. These tools will enhance accountability, governance, and transparency.
• Information collected will be publicly communicated and provide transparency and accountability regarding the application of anti-racism principles to policy development and delivery, and other business lines.
• Reports will be produced at the program level and flagged when issues are identified, as is currently done. Moreover, an annual Anti-Racism Report Card will track federal performance in this area.
• The Ministerial Advisory Council, supported by Canadian Heritage, will be established comprised of academia, experts, community members and grassroots organizations.
• It will advise the federal Minister on emerging and evolving anti-racism issues. In addition, a new Deputy Minister’s Policy Committee on Anti-Racism will be created to strengthen alignment of key federal anti-racism initiatives across government.
• Canadian Heritage will strengthen accountability measures to drive transparency, building trust with communities, and developing and delivering an Anti-Racism Report Card to demonstrate progress on the implementation.

Strategic Objective 2: Prioritize and support communities as experts in eliminating racism

• Canadian Heritage will modernize its existing anti-racism funding programs to invest more effectively in communities making a difference in combating systemic racism.
• The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism grants and contributions programs will be used, alongside transfer payments, as levers to support communities as change agents, working towards building more inclusive, more equitable, and more prosperous communities for all.
• The grants and contributions process will be redesigned and modernized to simplify the application experience and reduce systemic barriers to success for organizations led by and/or serving Indigenous Peoples, and Black, racialized, and religious minority communities.
• The Federal Secretariat at Employment and Social Development Canada, complemented by outreach to stakeholders on race relations led by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, will continue its strategic community engagement and collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority populations living in Canada.
• This engagement will continue to provide the government with a pipeline of policy recommendations from populations with lived experience of racism. The Federal Secretariat will use the information gathered to identify systemic racial barriers and gaps and emerging challenges.
• The Federal Secretariat will use the information collected to work with departments to develop new initiatives and help them consider the impacts of new and existing policies, services, and identify impacts of programs on Indigenous Peoples, Black, racialized, and religious minority communities. The government will share recommendations from publicly consulted communities in Annual Reports on the performance of the Strategy, through the Federal Secretariat.
• A new online anti-racism portal, built and maintained by the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada, will provide internal and external stakeholders at all levels with access to a wide range of anti-racism tools and resources. The portal will be built incrementally.
• Over time, it will empower community stakeholders, partners, and populations with lived experience of racism to share knowledge, provide recommendations, identify best practices and feedback, as well as access information on federal funding and Governor-in-Council appointment opportunities.
• It will provide access to disaggregated data products as they are released by Statistics Canada. The portal will also help increase transparency regarding the work and results achieved under the Strategy. This will include access to a central repository housing reports on the performance and the impact of the Strategy, as well as video and other content related to specific activities.

Strategic Objective 3: Strengthen relationships between different orders of government, with national and international partners, to drive progress and create positive change in Canada

• Building upon the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Network of Officials Responsible for Multiculturalism, Inclusion, and Anti-Racism (FPTORMIA), Canadian Heritage will establish a new FPT forum at the Ministerial level that serves to enhance collaboration and potential synergies with other orders of governments to address systemic racism, inclusion, equity, and multiculturalism.
• Additionally, engagements with National Indigenous Organizations, regional Indigenous organizations and First Nations band councils will also be pursued. Using existing fora, the focus will be on exploring common areas of interest, sharing information on successful anti-racism initiatives, and identify new areas for collaboration.
• Through its working relationship with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the Federal Secretariat will have an opportunity to engage municipalities to enhance intergovernmental efforts to combat systemic racism, discrimination, and hate.
• This will include focusing on identifying new areas for collaboration, sharing information, and discussing ways to develop common anti-racism indicators. Similar efforts will be pursued with regional Indigenous organizations and First Nations band councils to identify ways to better collaborate in eradicating anti-Indigenous racism across the country.
• Federal departments, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, will work with bilateral and multilateral partners and mechanisms to advance racial equity and inclusion in Canada, including through the protection of human rights and democratic values. Engagements will include, but are not limited to, high-level forums, sharing best practices and research.

The activities funded through the Strategy will be subject to an evaluation conducted by the Evaluation Services Directorate of Canadian Heritage within five years of the launch of the new Strategy. The timing of the evaluation will be approved as part of a future departmental five-year evaluation plan. The evaluation will be planned and conducted in collaboration with federal partners to ensure a whole-government approach. The scope of the evaluation, the issues to be addressed, and additional data collection methods, including the need for a public opinion survey, will be defined later. The scope of the evaluation and the issues will consider risks and the analysis of evidence-based performance data collected annually.

Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028 is about making a better, fairer, more inclusive Canada where everyone can fully participate and thrive.

It highlights the important work that must be taken across government to better reflect the diversity of Canada in every policy, program, system, and organization. We must acknowledge the distinct expertise in communities across the country. We must all work together towards the common goal of eliminating systemic racism.

This approach reflects the feedback and expertise of thousands of people with lived experience of racism and religious discrimination across the country. Their insight is helping us better align the design and delivery of federal initiatives with the goal of eliminating systemic racism and guaranteeing the human rights and wellbeing of populations experiencing racism in Canada. Through the Strategy, new institutional levers are being introduced to enable the government to deliver sustained and transformative change more effectively for populations. The levers, which include new governance, institutional capacity, exploring legislative options, and reporting mechanisms, will help address racial bias in the judicial system, foster economic empowerment and enable greater collaboration with provincial and territorial counterparts. This approach is being delivered jointly and collaboratively with the populations most affected by systemic racism, discrimination, and hate. Ultimately, the Strategy is focused on closing the racial gap and making Canada more inclusive for everyone.

Words matter when it comes to promoting inclusion and eliminating discrimination. The following working definitions enable us to have a common understanding of a word or subject.

In Canada, anti-Asian racism refers to historical and ongoing discrimination, negative stereotyping, and injustice experienced by peoples of Asian descent, based on others’ assumptions about their ethnicity and nationality. Peoples of Asian descent are subjected to specific overt and subtle racist tropes and stereotypes at individual and systemic levels, which lead to their ongoing social, economic, political, and cultural marginalization, disadvantage, and unequal treatment. This includes perceptions of being a “Yellow Peril,” a “Perpetual Foreigner,” a “Model Minority,” “exotic,” or “mystic.” These stereotypes are rooted in Canada’s long history of racist and exclusionary laws, and often mask racism faced by peoples of Asian descent, while erasing their historical contributions to building Canada.

The term Asian encompasses a wide range of identities that the term Asian obscures. While all may experience being “otherized,” specific experiences of anti-Asian racism vary. Some are constantly being perceived to be a threat, some face gendered exotification and violence, some are more likely to be subjected to online hate and racist portrayals in the media, while others face Islamophobia and other forms of religious-based discrimination. Footnote 30

Appendix 2: The Legislative and Policy Context

In 1971, Canada became the first country in the world to adopt an official Multiculturalism Policy, which was later enshrined in law in the Canadian Multiculturalism Act (1988). The Canadian Multiculturalism Act is a cornerstone of our nation’s legal and values-based framework, also complemented by legislation such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982), and the Canadian Human Rights Act (1977). This framework enshrines protections from discrimination, and a commitment to promoting the full participation of people in Canada in the social, political, civic, and economic spheres of society. Increasing political polarization and the rise of racism, discrimination, and hate challenge the realization of these commitments, and it is the duty of the government, and all people in Canada, to uphold these rights and freedoms. Canada is also signatory and party to the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination .

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis have a special constitutional relationship with the Crown. This relationship, including existing Aboriginal and treaty rights, is recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982 . The government recognizes that Indigenous self-government and laws are critical to Canada’s future, and that Indigenous rights and perspectives must be incorporated in all aspects of this relationship. Part of that work relates to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples : a comprehensive international human rights instrument on the rights of Indigenous Peoples that affirms and sets out a broad range of collective and individual rights that constitute the minimum standards to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples and to contribute to their survival, dignity, and well-being. On June 21, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act received Royal Assent and came into force. This Act, through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan , provides a roadmap for the Government of Canada and Indigenous Peoples to work together to implement the Declaration based on lasting reconciliation, healing, and cooperative relations. An important part of this work involves not only implementing the Act but also fulfilling Canada’s commitment to implement the 231 Calls for Justice, presented in the report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Black individuals and communities have been on Canadian soil for over 400 years. Arriving first as explorers with a knowledge of First Nation languages, and then as enslaved people alongside Indigenous Peoples who were brutally exploited by European settlers, Black people have grown to now encompass over 1.6 million people and are actively contributing to fields as varied as science and finance, academia, medicine, and arts, despite confronting the brunt of systemic anti-Black racism. In January of 2018, the Government of Canada announced that it was officially recognizing the International Decade for People of African Descent and committing to advance its objectives, which include recognition, justice, and development. This was, in part, a response to the recommendations from the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, established in 2002, and upon concluding its mission to Canada, exhorted the federal government to do more to combat anti-Black racism. Since 2018, the government has invested hundreds of millions of dollars to address the ways in which systemic anti-Black racism has undermined the rights and freedoms of Black communities, in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, capacity-building, procurement, mental health, justice, and several other areas.

The IHRA is made up of government officials and experts from 35 countries. It is guided by the principles identified in the Stockholm Declaration . Its objectives include:

• supporting Holocaust education, remembrance and research in member countries and around the world
• promoting the development of civil society through an annual grant program
• working in partnership with other international organizations to support these principles and objectives

Canada contributes to and benefits from the IHRA’s work to combat antisemitism and to strengthen, advance, and promote Holocaust education, research, and remembrance. In June 2022, Canada sent a delegation to Stockholm, Sweden to participate in the first in-person plenary meeting since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The head of the Canadian delegation to the IHRA is Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.

In 2015, Canada joined all United Nations Member States in adopting ambitious goals for sustainable development, as outlined in Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development . The 2030 Agenda centres on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encompassing social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Taken together, the SDGs aim to improve the lives of all people, while protecting the planet and bringing about greater prosperity and a more inclusive and just society. The Government of Canada tracks overall progress on the SDGs through the Canadian Indicator Framework, which is a vehicle for Canada to track and report on progress toward each of the SDGs, and identify areas for further action, including in reducing inequality, peace, justice and strong institutions, as well as sustainable cities and communities.

Federal departments and agencies, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, along with the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, and the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia will be key partners in shaping the Federal Eco-System on addressing racism and discrimination in Canada.

Canadian Heritage and Employment and Social Development Canada will provide horizontal leadership and a framework for which departments and agencies can collaborate in a coordinated and coherent manner. Key departments and agencies include Canada Border Services Agency; Canadian Security Intelligence Service; Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada; Department of National Defence; Global Affairs Canada; Health Canada; Indigenous Services Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Justice Canada; Public Health Agency of Canada; Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat; and Statistics Canada. These partners will work with Canadian Heritage to advance work on anti-racism under the five thematic areas to guide action:

• Racism-free, equitable, diverse, accessible, and inclusive federal public service and federal institutions;
• Justice, law enforcement, intelligence, and public safety systems reform;
• Racial equity in immigration, public health, and housing systems;
• Economic, social and cultural empowerment; and
• Racial equity and inclusion internationally and multilaterally.

The CRRF has the mandate to facilitate the development, sharing and application of knowledge and expertise, to contribute to the elimination of racism in Canadian society. CRRF’s origins are in the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement of 1988, after which the National Association of Japanese Canadians contributed $12 million, which was matched by the Government of Canada to create an endowment fund of $24 million to establish the organization. The work of the CRRF is distinct from and complements the federal government’s work under Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028. The Foundation is a Crown corporation, under the portfolio of Canadian Heritage, and operates at arm’s length from government. The CRRF focuses on raising public awareness of the causes and manifestations of racism in Canada. It is a source of information, providing perspective and research data to contribute to the elimination of racism.

CRRF’s key achievements include co-chairing a National Hate Crimes Task Force, organizing anti-racism workshops across Canada, directing more than $2.5 million towards 189 community groups and non-profit organizations through the National Anti-Racism Fund to promote equity and increase public awareness on systemic racism, gathering more than 30 youth leaders from across Canada for the inaugural Anti-Racist Youth Lab, leading research to identify gaps in support services for victims of hate crimes and designing policy recommendations to address those gaps and leading virtual anti-racism workshops across Canada.

It works with all orders of government, the private sector, and civil society and is active in supporting a number of the action pillars identified in the Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024-2028, particularly those under the justice, law enforcement, intelligence, and public safety systems pillar. The CRRF supports continued engagement of Black Canadians from coast to coast by facilitating their participation in delegations to the UN Permanent Forum meetings. Canadian Heritage’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch and the CRRF work together to share application information, program details, ensuring complementarity of funding.

The mandate of the Special Envoy has both an international and a domestic role. Domestically, the Special Envoy provides guidance and advice to advance the federal government’s efforts to combat antisemitism and hatred. She also works with Canadian institutions and stakeholders, promotes public awareness and understanding of Jewish communities in their diverse and intersectional identities in Canada, promotes Holocaust education, remembrance, and research, and encourages the adoption and implementation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Internationally, the Special Envoy is the head of the Canadian delegation to IHRA, a role through which she reinforces Canada’s leading role in combatting antisemitism and hatred abroad. She also works with international partners to strengthen and promote Holocaust education, remembrance, and research worldwide, and advocates for a broader international adoption of the IHRA working definition of antisemitism.

Budget 2022 provided $5.6 million over five years, and $1.2 million ongoing, to support the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism.

The Special Representative has a domestic role and is supported by Canadian Heritage. The mandate of the Special Representative is to combat Islamophobia and promote awareness of the diverse and intersectional identities of Muslims in Canada. The Special Representative will serve as a champion, advisor, expert, and representative to the Canadian government. She will advise relevant ministers, engage diverse stakeholders, promote public awareness and understanding of Muslim communities in Canada, and support efforts, including by the provinces and territories, to inform the development of policies, legislation, programs and resources and tools to fight systemic racism, anti-Muslim hate and Islamophobia.

Budget 2022 provided $5.6 million over five years, with $1.2 million ongoing, to support the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.

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