Ex-CSIS officer alleges wrongful dismissal, says he faced ‘blatant homophobia’ during 25-year career
A former intelligence officer alleges that he was wrongfully dismissed from the agency over his sexual orientation, saying that decades of serving in a toxic workplace has taken a debilitating toll on his mental health. Steven Hould, 52, an ex-field operations officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, claimed that the agency refused to accommodate […]
Independent MP Caesar-Chavannes says her job is to represent ‘disenfranchised,’ not to make others feel comfortable in House
There’s no such thing as cultural neutrality in politics, says an Indigenous advocate. But for many Canadians, diversity across other dimensions can be more meaningful than their race, says a former Harper-era aide. Some 150 attendees came out for a wide-ranging conversation around race and politics in Canada at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa […]
Journalists inherit ‘institutional blindspots’ that cloud coverage of race in politics, says media expert
Increasing the diversity of newsrooms isn’t a cure-all for improving political coverage of racialized people, says a media expert, who argues that journalists often end up inheriting the institutional blindspots of the outlets they work for. “Even journalists of colour sometimes will produce coverage that differentiates and treats white and racialized subjects differently,” said Erin […]
#LivingWhileBlack: High stakes on basketball court, school campus, or Parliament Hill
OTTAWA—There is a virulent strain of anti-Black racism spreading through the “I don’t see colour” racial Canadian landscape. Anti-Black racism is distinct and stubborn and it flares up every so often—only the Canadian response is a half-assed topical treatment, rather than a cure. On June 13, the Toronto Raptors ended a 26-year drought by bringing […]
Want more diversity in politics? Start by looking at political parties
The 2015 federal election saw a record number of women, Indigenous peoples, and racialized Canadians elected to the House of Commons. When he selected his ministry, Justin Trudeau lauded it as “a cabinet that looks like Canada.” These gains are notable, but they should not be taken for granted. There are still representational gaps: women, […]
There’s a gaping hole in our democracy
Canada was once the envy of the world with our legislation on multiculturalism, tolerance, and ethnic fairness. But our democracy, indeed all our democratic institutions, have failed us because, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said,” our House of Commons, the heart of our democracy, should look more like the composition of Canadian society”— including more […]
Race and Politics
In the push for women’s empowerment, rural women can’t be left behind
Globally, the momentum for gender equality and justice is growing. Nowhere was this more evident than at the Women Deliver conference, where more than 8,000 leaders, advocates, and experts from around the world gathered in Vancouver from June 3 to 6 to fight for women’s empowerment. Canada is building on and advancing this greater global […]
Scheer’s speech on diversity doesn’t match his actions
During a speech on immigration last week, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said that bigots, extremists, and racists aren’t welcome in his party. Yet, when he had the opportunity to take decisive action against bigotry within his own caucus, he did not live up to his words. In responding to Alberta MP Michael Cooper’s hostile and […]
Where is the outrage?
Those of us who are monitoring hate groups in Canada could hardly believe our eyes. Last week, a 2018 report titled, “White Supremacy, Hate Groups, and Racism in the Canadian Armed Forces,” written by Canadian Military Police Criminal Intelligence Section was made public through the Access to Information Act. It raises serious concerns but you […]
