Paul’s treatment exposes Green Party’s mud pit of institutional toxicity
OTTAWA—The “Conservatives in tree pose” are not respecting their chakras. Instead, they’re a mud pit of institutional toxicity. In October 2020, the Green Party elected Canada’s first Black and first Jewish female leader, which was a shot in the arm of the paltry representation in decision-making roles across the country. As I have written before, […]
Hill security racial profiling complaint highlights need for training, systemic change, say Senators, former MP
The Parliamentary Protective Service needs frequent and mandatory sensitivity training, says one Senator following NDP MP Mumilaaq Qaqqaq’s powerful farewell speech, in which the Nunavut MP revealed feeling unsafe while on the Hill and targeted by its security. “There’s a strong need for more training around issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion as strategies to […]
On Wednesdays, we wear reconciliation
OTTAWA—It seems like Annamie Paul was right about this government when she accused Justin Trudeau of being a fake feminist and a fake ally. As if on cue, the Trudeau government continues to prove that while it pretends to be Dr. Melfi, it’s really Livia Soprano. On June 24, news that Cowessess First Nation discovered […]
Immigration and racism on the pitch at Euro 2020
OTTAWA—It’s Euro 2020 and frankly, it’s a welcome reprieve from Canada’s existential crisis brought about by weeks of racial tragedies. Sports, in addition to pop culture and fashion, are accessible ways to contextualize the greater societal and political issues, and European football is no different. Conversations around immigration and racism play out on the pitch, […]
No more Black suffering on display: expose racist banking to public scrutiny and bring in home-grown ROSCAs
A story that aired in late April on The National outlined how Ottawa painter and construction worker Kensha Spaulding was told by his TD Bank for many years that his money would be subject to a hold. But the Black self-employed painter needed access to his money to do his work. This kind of discretionary […]
Workplace racism ‘amplified’ for Black Canadians, entrepreneurs, new reports find
New data on the experiences of Black Canadians and entrepreneurs suggests the workplace is the “epicentre” of racism and discrimination, highlighting the urgent need to boost representation and better provide mentorship opportunities, say experts and Parliamentarians. Over the last several weeks, there have been two reports released that dive into such sentiments. Framed as the […]
A colour-blind society? Get your vision checked
OTTAWA—May 25 was the one-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. How much our world has changed, how much it’s stayed the same. Floyd’s death was, what Texans call, “a coming to Jesus moment” for Turtle Island. It removed the veil of denial of police violence on the bodies of Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic […]
Speak no evil, see no evil: The importance of talking ‘politics’ at work
OTTAWA—The old adage that one shouldn’t talk politics at work is yet another measure of professionalism that shapes company culture and can leave the most educated employees ignorant of the context of the world around them. Nearly a year after organizations wrote their pithy Black Lives Matter statements, many struggle with talking about racism with […]
Time to address the age of #MeToo in First Nations organizations
OTTAWA—Once upon a time, not so long ago, First Nations and many Indigenous societies governed with balance—men and women, including Two Spirits, equally shared the roles of leadership to serve a community. It wasn’t perfect. No governance structure is perfect. Then came the Canadian government, overly influenced by the church and paternalism which created the […]
Suffering from PTSD should not be a literal ‘get out of jail free’ card
OTTAWA—Last week, yet another disturbing story surfaced regarding the military and sexual misconduct. A retired Special Forces major told the CBC that he felt betrayed when senior military leaders provided glowing character references to the fellow soldier who was convicted of sexually assaulting his wife. The incident occurred in 2017 following the conviction of Major […]
