Multiculturalism and diversity are often seen as hallmarks of Canadian society. But this notion of the cultural mosaic can mask the reality that racism and discrimination still occurs within Canada on an individual and systemic level, and risks overlooking the colonial history of this country and the damage that history still causes today.

A recent survey of youth across Canada found that over half of Canadian youth had witnessed acts of racism at school. In BC, 14% of youth surveyed in the most recent McCreary Centre survey said they had experienced racial discrimination within the last year. On a more local level, a Victoria Foundation survey from 2020 found that over 70% of respondents  in Victoria who identified as Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Colour (IBPOC) experienced racism on a regular basis over the five years preceding the survey.

These numbers are a reminder that racism exists in our schools and communities, and demands continued attention to affect positive change. And anti-racism efforts mean more than just shining a light on what is not working, but also taking active steps to combat racism on the individual and systemic levels, and proactively trying to build inclusive and equitable spaces.

Combatting racism is important for so many reasons. One such important reason is the detrimental impact that experiences of racism have on well-being. The graph above highlights that feelings of stress and despair almost doubled in prevalence when young people had experienced a racist incident in the past month.

Other findings from the same report by the McCreary Centre Society indicated that students who had been discriminated against in the past year were less likely to rate their mental health as good or excellent, feel happy most or all the time in the past month, feel their life was going well, or usually feel good about themselves.

Anti-racism work in Canada necessarily involves understanding the impacts of colonization on Indigenous people, and actively working towards Reconciliation. Jo Chrona is an educational consultant, speaker and author who has written about reconciliation and education. Chrona sees Reconciliation as “the process of the work of every Canadian, individually, and collectively, personally and professionally, to understand the truths of Canada’s collective past, how these truths affect our lives today, how we can address the legacies of the past, and create changes to the present to move forward.” Chrona describes this process as an ongoing journey, and one that education systems must play a major role in facilitating.

To support that journey, Chrona outlines some important questions to ask ourselves, such as: 

-What are the stories you are telling about how this country came to be?
-How well do you know the Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?

As well as some helpful action steps we can take:

-Examine the education resources available from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation    
-Support the development of welcoming spaces in schools for Indigenous families.
-Ensure local Indigenous peoples and cultures are reflected in schools and school district physical spaces.

And Chrona also links to some helpful resources to learn more, such as the Truth and Reconciliation’s Calls to Action. Read more questions and action steps at the link below.

Jo Chrona also presents the work of becoming anti-racist as a continual journey, with a goal of moving beyond the "fear zone" of denying or avoiding; into the learning zone of acknowledgement, understanding, and seeking out education; and then into the growth zone of tangible actions that confront racist attitudes or actions, make space for BIPOC people, and move reconciliation forward in personal and professional contexts. Where would you place yourself on the diagram above? How might you move toward the growth zone?

This site compiles both local and online mental health and wellness resources for families and educators, and is updated monthly with new resources.