Read Diversity Online, June 5, 2020, here https://bit.ly/2XBuUE7
“No Justice No Peace,” Black Lives Matter George Floyd Protest took place at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on June 5, 2020 with over 15,000 people coming out to show their support amidst the Coronavirus restrictions.
“…we found that Canada’s history of enslavement, racial segregation, and marginalization, has had a deleterious impact on people of African descent…” Mr. Sunga of UN Working Group to Canada.
Well, before I go to the UN report, last week, I shared how to manage police power when it’s in your face, or in the short term, so as to prevent an escalation of the situation and produce another George Floyd situation or to a lesser extent, a Jean-Claude’s situation. Now, how do we get long to medium term lasting change that will have positive impacts on crying miserable poor BLACK communities in Canada?
The world has heard and taken notice of the racism and injustice in the US post-carded by the public murder of an unarmed BLACK man on the streets of the US city of Minneapolis, in front of a crowd who tried to stop it while other officers watch helplessly. From the history of the civil rights movement, after the protests, there is a change in legislation and policy to make the change long lasting. This is the reason why BLACKS in the US are somewhat free today, why they can vote, why they can go to the same schools or restaurants or can serve in the same Armed Forces.
The African Americans have come a long way, imagine people who were taken to America against their wills in chains, to moving up to top jobs in the country. Well, there is still a long way to go but there is HOPE! This has come at the cost of blood, sweat, and tears through protests, leading to July 26, 1948, when President Harry Truman issued an Executive Order to end segregation in the Armed Services through August 6, 1965, when President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now is the turn for police and justice reforms, and once again, the world is watching.
BLACK minority communities in UK, Canada, and across the world have also been making their own racism and discrimination cases. Being strategic is a must to push for legislation and policies to effect lasting change. President Obama says you cannot do great things by yourself. That piece of wisdom direct communities to engage and connect with other communities, allies, partners, and those who share this moral goal, and even further engage or open the door to be engaged by those they despise and criticize or even blame for their problems. This is a game of politics and nothing more or less and must be treated as such with a goal in mind. Working with the major players like law enforcement, politicians, community leaders, other minority and indigenous communities, and those who support justice and humanity is crucial. It might be a time to not only support politicians who support this goal, but also put forward candidates into political races to fight for this goal.
In 2016, a UN Working Group investigating race issues in Canada questioned Canada on the existence of an Action Plan Against Racism and the collection of race-based disaggregated data, systemic racism in immigration law and policy, racial discrimination in employment, and anti-Black racism in criminal justice, child welfare, and in the area of education. This week, at the press conference, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked if the recommendations of the committee were implemented but you can guess little to nothing.
“There is clear evidence that racial profiling is endemic in the strategies and practices used by law enforcement,” said Ricardo Sunga, who was the head the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, in a news release issued following its official visit to Canada. “Arbitrary use of ‘carding’ or street checks disproportionately affects people of African descent,” he added. “In our conversation with African Canadians, we found that Canada’s history of enslavement, racial segregation, and marginalization, has had a deleterious impact on people of African descent which must be addressed in partnership with African Canadian communities,” Mr. Sunga stressed.
The City of Edmonton has suspended its racism advisory council, so too is the Alberta Government. Alberta Government even went further to suspend racism grants to organizations in these dire moments. The former Alberta Human Rights Commissioner says the body is outdated and not fit for purpose, with backlog of racism complaints higher than Mount Everest.
This George Floyd incident has exposed three kinds of people; those who calls it as they see it, those who are not confident to take a stand, and decide to stay quiet, and those who sees it but chooses to make excuses. These kinds of people have been created because of the climate of racism which brings fear and people are scared of blow backs if they speak out. However, the world has changed a lot as most of the protests are let by young BLACK people, supported by young WHITE people, some of whom have been able to help their WHITE parents to see the racial injustice.
The question of the week is: What can you do to help?
Welcome to Diversity Online for June 5, 2020!
“No Justice No Peace,” Black Lives Matter George Floyd Protest took place at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton on June 5, 2020 with over 15K people coming out to show their support amidst the Coronavirus restrictions.
Read Diversity Online here https://bit.ly/2XBuUE7
