PEOPLE are encouraged to share their thoughts through an online questionnaire about how government can best address systemic racism, the Ministry of Attorney General announced on Monday.
The information gathered will help inform new legislation that will hold government accountable for addressing systemic racism within its programs and services, and to provide supports for those who have been negatively impacted.
The legislation, being co-developed with Indigenous Peoples and set to be introduced in 2024, builds on the historic Anti-Racism Data Act. The act aims to identify the gaps and barriers Indigenous and racialized people face when accessing public services through voluntary data collection.
The new legislation will require government to address systemic racism uncovered through the act. This could include requiring government to change laws and revise its policies and programs to ensure that Indigenous and racialized people are better represented in the system.
In addition to the anti-racism questionnaire, racialized, intersectional, 2SLGBTQIA+ and faith-based community organizations, and Indigenous governments are invited to apply for grants to conduct their own engagement sessions on the legislation.
Successful grant recipients can receive up to $5,000 to pay for expenses, such as equipment rentals, communications materials and honorariums. Applications for community grants will be accepted until June 23 at 5 p.m. (Pacific time).
The anti-racism legislation is one part of the Province’s cross-government work to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities to dismantle systemic racism and build a better, more inclusive province.
Other actions being taken to make B.C. a safer and more inclusive place for everyone include:
* reinstating the B.C. human rights commissioner;
* implementing the K-12 Anti-Racism Action Plan to equip students, teachers and parents with resources to identify and respond to racism and discrimination;
* investing more than $48.5 million in Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Museum in Vancouver’s Chinatown;
* advancing work to establish B.C.’s first Filipino Cultural Centre and a first-of-its kind South Asian museum;
* supporting the BC Human Rights Tribunal; and
* implementing the Anti-Racism Data Act to identify gaps and barriers in public services.
Learn More:
The questionnaire is available in 15 languages and will remain open until September 30: https://feedback.engage.gov.
To learn more about the community grants, visit:Â https://engage.gov.bc.ca/
For more information about what to do if you see or are the victim of hate crime, visit:Â https://www.resiliencebc.ca/
