The last couple of days have been dominated by the images of a brown/black face Justin Trudeau, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. This issue has surfaced on the campaign trail and has caused “outrage” in some quarters. We all know stories of doctors driving taxi, engineers scrubbing washrooms, indigenous communities drinking water unfit to flush a toilet in a country as rich as Canada. These unfortunate outrageous stuffs for some reasons does not cause outrage in those quarters that care so much about brown and black face Canadians.
The reason is that the outrage you’ve seen this week is nothing else but fake empathy which does not provide any solution to the problems that brown and black people truly face in Canada. Outrage has now become a political weapon. Most brown and black people we have shared their comments below don’t think this is a big deal as they know there are more serious issues to not only be outrage about but take action than this fake empathy.
We have been looking at all the policy proposal in all the press release put out by all the political parties, none has put forth any policy proposals to address the basic problems that brown and black face Canadians face, as well as, indigenous communities. Instead of outrage and apologies, we challenge next week to use this brown/black face issue as a catalyst to come up with policy solutions for the fundamental problems facing brown/black/indigenous communities in Canada.
A group of women told the Alberta Refugee Health Coalition that because they have so many kids, their doctors don’t want to see them any more except they are on birth control. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
Edmontonians who have faced racism and discrimination are tired of telling their stories with no action to follow from politicians. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
Edmonton Councilors said at an event, they heard lots of stories from Al-Rashid Mosque “that my mum say will curl your hair”. Some women say they don’t want to go to grocery anymore because of the racial attacks that it attracts. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
Only people with titles and those of European descent get selected on important committees, boards, and important powerful positions. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
We used to be told that indigenous people have issues, don’t go close to them, but today realized that it’s all false. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
As a city, we have failed to build genuine long term relationships, connections, shared history, and experiences with minority groups facing racism and discrimination. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
There is still prevalence of cadding, endemic lack of inclusion in engagement processes, and a rise in racial incidences in Edmonton.
Stories on racism and discrimination generate empathy but not the much needed systemic change. No outrage from those who claim to have empathy for brown and black people, no media coverage!
These select direct quotes from the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee Funding Strategy was shared by the four speakers, and councilors present at the Community and Public Services Committee hearing on August 21, 2019, at the Edmonton River Valley Room.
We know other stories of doctors driving taxi and engineers scrubbing washrooms, indigenous communities not having clean water in a country so rich, but all these does not cause outrage because this is nothing else but fake empathy which does not provide any solutions to the problems that brown and black face people face but used as a political weapon. Most brown and black people don’t think this is a big deal as they know there are more serious issues to worry about by this fake empathy.
Justin Trudeau and all those who care so much about brown and black Canadians have the best opportunity to show leadership in the areas listed above in dire need for outrage. What do you think?
Prashar Anil I don’t think it is any racist act. Please don’t misuse racist issue. It has already done great damage to Canada.
Harkirat Teja Was he really acting racist? I think he was just wearing a costume for a theme party, and decided to go a bit overboard. We are all well aware, after his India trip with his cabinet, how fond he is of wearing costumes and how he likes to go gaga about them. Gist is, I am not sure if his act of wearing this costume can be termed as racist.
Nancy KellyChris Hollingworth I agree with you. I can’t stand him but I don’t think this was intended to be racist.
Elijah Grisdale I dont get it? In this photo, how is he being racist? Wearing a particular style or type of clothing or a costume, no matter its cultural origin, is not racist.
Corina Morin Hollingworth Is this racist? Cultural appropriation? “Costuming” a race. Racial or Class Superiority? Unprofessional? Ridicule? An example of past attitudes looked at through present day “lenses” of what’s considered appropriate today? These are some questions this picture provokes. Would he get the same treatment if it was a picture of an “everyday” teacher, who is not a famous son of a celebrity royal type family of Canadian politics? It definitely makes you rethink about equal standards and actions of people voted into the highest level of public office? Is an apology enough? If he were wearing Native American regalia as a “costume”, would the public care? Or any other culture? Makes it time for reflecting on our societies values and real discussion needs to happen about it.
Chris HollingworthVarinder Bhullar so is Bill 101 and 22. I actually grew up in Quebec. I know all about racism. The separatists hated us English. Are we going to stop selling Alladin costumes, Native American ones. How about Black Panther? Shouldn’t he just be called panther so we don’t offend black people? I’m not going to eat ethnic food anymore- don’t want to offend anyone.
Kimberly Douglas I’m not highly political nor am I partisan but I’m voting LIBERALS. I would love to support my black brother in Ontario and his new party but no vote SPLITTING this time around too much at stake and I will be door knocking every chance I get with them.
