ARCHIVED – Annual Report on the Operation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act 2007-2008

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Part 2: The Multiculturalism Program

Highlights:

• As in previous years, the Multiculturalism Program continues to undertake public education initiatives, conduct research and policy development, and undertake activities to support civil society and public institutions.
• In February 2008, the Government of Canada celebrated Black History Month by marking the 175th anniversary of the British imperial Act of 1833, which abolished slavery throughout the British Empire.
• Details were finalized for both the Community Historical Recognition Program and the National Historical Recognition Program. The Historical Recognition Programs respond to the Government of Canada’s commitment to recognizing and commemorating the historical experiences of cultural communities affected by immigration restrictions and wartime measures which were applied in Canada, and to educate Canadians in this regard. Further information about Historical Recognition programs is available online at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/programs/historical.asp
• New program priorities for grants and contributions funding were announced for the Multiculturalism Program. Program guidelines are now available online at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/programs/index.asp

Introduction

The Multiculturalism Program promotes an awareness of and aims to address barriers related to ethnicity, race, culture and religion, and aims to remove barriers that prevent the full participation of all Canadians in Canadian society. The Program encourages federal institutions to examine their policies, programs and outreach activities and supports their obligations under the Canadian Multiculturalism Act. The Multiculturalism Program also strengthens partnerships with other levels of government, institutions, individuals and community groups in order to respond to Canada’s changing diversity.

As in previous years, the Multiculturalism Program continues to undertake public education initiatives, conduct research and policy development, and undertake activities to support civil society and public institutions. The remainder of this chapter will describe activities undertaken in 2007-2008 among these four areas.

Public education and promotion

The outreach and promotion activities of the Multiculturalism Program encompass initiatives that raise awareness, understanding and inform public dialogue about multiculturalism and eliminating all forms of racism. In collaboration with public and private partners in the educational sector as well as community groups, the Multiculturalism Program produces and disseminates educational materials and organizes events and activities geared toward combating racism and strengthening crosscultural understanding. It reaches out to youth through activities such as the Racism. Stop It! National video Competition, the Mathieu Da Costa Challenge, and to the general public through culturally diverse initiatives such as Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month and Canada’s participation in the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research. The following section highlights some of the activities carried out in 2007-2008.

Black History Month
Black History Month, celebrated every February, provides an opportunity to discover and recognize the key role played by Canadians of African and Caribbean origin in the history of our country. Canadians across the country are invited to participate in the celebrations and events honouring the contribution of this community to the building of Canada.

In 2008, Black History Month marked the 175th anniversary of the British imperial Act, which abolished slavery throughout the British empire.

In 1793, Governor John Graves Simcoe’s Act on the abolition of slavery was enacted in Upper Canada. This Act was a step towards the total eradication of slavery: for instance, it formally prohibited the introduction of slaves in Upper Canada and allowed the granting of freedom to all slaves aged 25 or over. Upper Canada thus became a haven for runaway slaves. Approximately 30,000 black people took refuge in Canada between 1800 and 1865 through the underground Railroad. The British Imperial Act, which received Royal Assent in 1833 and became law the following year, abolished slavery in all British colonies. In 2008, Black History Month celebrated Canada’s contribution in the fight against slavery.

A number of activities were organized across the country to celebrate this important anniversary. Follow the North Star, a musical and cultural public education presentation, produced in collaboration with Canadian actor and producer Anthony Sherwood, was created specifically to honour the memory of the millions who suffered, and pay tribute to the courage and moral convictions of the Canadian heroes who campaigned for the abolition of slavery. Local showings were held in Halifax, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver. Approximately 1,000 people saw Follow the North Star throughout the country.

The photo exhibit “On The Road North — Black Canada and the Journey to Freedom” was developed by the Parks Canada Agency, in cooperation with the Multiculturalism Program. It showcases people, locations and events that provided an exceptional and lasting contribution to Canadian history, as selected by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, and that are also of significance to Canada’s Black community. The exhibit is hosted by the Virtual Museum of Canada, and can be found at www.virtualmuseum.ca/blackhistory/index.html.

Black History Month was launched on Parliament Hill, in the presence of approximately 300 people, including the Honourable Jason Kenney, former Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity), Members of Parliament, diplomatic representatives, as well as community and institutional leaders. Guests were treated to a presentation of Ebony Road: An African Canadian Journey, a historical play written by Barbary Brockmann, directed by Dale Haward and featuring students from the Fisher Park High School, in Ottawa. The play tells the story of Canadians of African and Caribbean origin in Canada through monologues recited by historical figures such as Mathieu Da Costa, Josiah Henson, John Ware, Viola Desmond and Willie O’Ree.

An educational tour also traveled across Canada, featuring Maryse Legagneur’s film Au nom de la mère et du fils (In the Name of the Mother and the Son). The film depicts the life of a family who moved to Canada from Haiti to raise two sons and paints a portrait of life in the Montreal neighbourhood of Saint-Michel. The film illustrates a quest for hope and freedom and portrays a prejudice affecting young Quebecers of Haitian origin.

At the Louis Riel School, in Winnipeg, some students who are African refugees were deeply moved by the message of peace conveyed in the movie. As director Maryse Legagneur said, “They mentioned how good it felt for them to see black Canadian role models come to their school with a message of peace. It gave them courage and hope, as they continue to try and integrate in this country and take the place to which they are entitled.” [translation]

Throughout Black History Month, the Multiculturalism Program worked closely with several partners, such as Anthony Sherwood, Karolyn Smardz-Frost, Black History Ottawa, and the Haitian, Caribbean and Afro-Canadian International Documentation and Information Centre. Their involvement helped make the 2008 edition of Black History Month a success.

The Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition
The Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition encourages youth aged 12 to 18 to create a video expressing their thoughts on eliminating racism. In 2007-2008, 1,956 youth participated in the competition resulting in a record 503 video entries from across Canada. Thirty anti-racism workshops were held in partnership with the National Film Board of Canada to promote participation in the nation-wide contest.

Winners were awarded a three-day, all-expenses paid trip to Canada’s Capital Region. The winning schools received a Panasonic Digital Palmcorder Multicam Camcorder, courtesy of Panasonic Canada.

The 10 winning videos were edited into 30-second public service announcements that were broadcast on CBC/Radio-Canada.

The Racism. Stop It! National Video Competition was a success thanks to the collaboration of our partners, CBC/Radio-Canada, Panasonic Canada Inc., Canada Post, the National Film Board of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Civilisation and Les Suites Hotel Ottawa.

Winning videos can be viewed at:
www.march21.gc.ca

Asian Heritage Month
The month of May marks Asian Heritage Month and in acknowledgement of the diversity and the long and rich history of Asian Canadians, the Multiculturalism Program develops a series of activities each year with key cultural groups and other partners such as the Ottawa Asian Heritage Month Society. It provides an opportunity for Canadians across the country to reflect on and celebrate the contributions of Asian-Canadians to the growth and prosperity of Canada.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, and the 50th anniversary of the election of the First Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament, Douglas Jung, a special screening for the general public was held in the National Capital Region showcasing the production, I Am The Canadian Delegate. This documentary, produced and directed by Wesley Lowe, traces the life of Douglas Jung (1924-2002), a decorated World War II veteran, Canada’s first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament and Canada’s delegate to the United Nations. The screening and reception were held at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, Ontario and reached approximately 400 viewers.

The Multiculturalism Program also sponsored eight other film screenings across the country. Events were held in the following locations: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Moncton and Fredericton, New Brunswick; Toronto, Ontario; Brandon and Winnipeg, Manitoba; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The Mathieu Da Costa Challenge — National Writing and Artwork Contest
The Mathieu Da Costa Challenge — National Writing and Artwork Contest provides the opportunity for youth aged 9 to 18 to discover and celebrate the contributions made by Canadians of Aboriginal, African and other backgrounds. In 2007-2008, the Multiculturalism Program received over 1,100 entries from youth across Canada making this year’s competition one of the most successful to date.

The 2008 Challenge was a success thanks to the collaboration of our partners, the Canadian Library Association, the Historica Foundation of Canada and the Parks Canada Agency.

In 2008, the awards ceremony was held in Québec City to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of the founding of the City of Québec; an anniversary that has Canada-wide significance. This celebration showcased 400 years of French civilization in North America, and four centuries of Québec as a meeting place for people of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds. Youth were encouraged to consider using the theme of Québec City’s 400th anniversary in their contest entries. More information can be found at: www.mathieudacosta.gc.ca

Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research
The Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research (ITF) was established in 1998, and consists of representatives of states and numerous non-governmental organizations dedicated to placing the support of political and social leaders behind the need for Holocaust education, remembrance, and research, both nationally and internationally.

In the spring of 2007, Canada decided to seek membership in the ITF and was granted Observer status in June of the same year. The ITF membership process takes place in three stages. The Multiculturalism Program, in conjunction with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) completed a Baseline Study on Holocaust Education, Remembrance and Research in Canada in spring 2008. The Baseline Study is a requirement to move foreword to the next stage of membership, Liaison status.

Information for Canada’s Liaison Baseline Study was provided by institutions across the federal government, provincial and territorial ministries of education and civil society organizations. The intention was to develop a Baseline Study that provides a broad picture of the state of Holocaust education, remembrance and research in Canada.

Canadian involvement in the ITF is a symbol of an ongoing commitment to fighting all heinous acts based on race, religion or ethnicity. In this area, Canada has a robust legal framework as well as a long history of involvement and support for initiatives that raise public awareness and understanding on a range of issues aimed at combating racism, discrimination and hate crimes.

Historical Recognition Programs

The Government of Canada also works to ensure that Canadians have a sense of their Canadian identity through engagement and inclusion initiatives, such as the Historical Recognition Programs.

The Historical Recognition Programs respond to the Government of Canada’s commitment to recognizing and commemorating the historical experiences of cultural communities affected by immigration restrictions and wartime measures which were applied in Canada, and to educate Canadians in this regard. The Government of Canada believes that these programs will help to bring closure to the affected communities who have made significant contributions to the shaping of this country.

Chinese Head Tax
In 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered a full apology to Chinese-Canadians for the Head Tax and expressed deep sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants. The Chinese Immigration Act of 1885 imposed a Head Tax on Chinese newcomers until 1923, after which Canada’s Immigration Act of 1923 effectively banned Chinese immigrants until 1947. Similarly, a Head Tax was imposed on Chinese immigrants to Newfoundland and Labrador from 1906-1949.

The apology was offered in recognition of the stigma and hardship the Head Tax caused the Chinese community to experience and to formally turn the page on an unfortunate period in Canada’s past. Tied to the formal apology, the Government of Canada provides ex-gratia symbolic payments of $20,000 to living Head Tax payers and to persons who were in a conjugal relationship with a now-deceased Head Tax payer.

At the end of March 2008, the Department of Canadian Heritage had received a total of 802 applications (53 applications from Head Tax payers and 749 applications from conjugal partners) and made 646 ex-gratia payments to eligible applicants (46 payments to Head Tax payers and 600 payments to persons who were in a conjugal relationship with now-deceased Head Tax payers), for a total of $12,920,000. The final number of applications and the full amount issued for Chinese Head Tax ex gratia symbolic payments will be available for the 2008-2009 Annual Report.

Community Historical Recognition Program and the National Historical Recognition Program
In 2007-2008, the Government of Canada finalized details for the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP) and the National Historical Recognition Program (NHRP).

The CHRP provides funding for community based projects that allow those communities
affected by wartime measures and immigration restrictions that were applied in Canada to have their experiences acknowledged in a way that is meaningful to them, and to promote their respective contributions to the shaping of Canada. Eligible projects include monuments, commemorative plaques, educational material and exhibits.

The NHRP funds federal initiatives to educate Canadians, particularly youth, about Canada’s history linked to wartime measures and immigration restrictions.

Overall, the CHRP and NHRP will allow the Government of Canada to respond positively to requests of affected cultural communities to make their stories known to their fellow Canadians, contributing to increased cross-cultural understanding and social cohesion within our society.

For more information on Historical Recognition Programs please visit the following website:
www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/programs/historical.asp.

Research and policy development

The Multiculturalism Program continued in 2007-2008 to conduct research and seek policy
partnerships, domestically and internationally, to enrich our understanding of Canadian multiculturalism.

The Research Group is a part of the Multiculturalism Program that provides research products and services for policy and program development. The Group supports evidence based approaches to multiculturalism policy and programming.

The Group’s research cycle extended for two fiscal years, 2006-2008. In 2007-2008, the focus was on dissemination of research and knowledge sharing, as the Group worked with partners in government, academia, and the voluntary sector to disseminate its research products through conferences, events and research seminars and publications.

The following are examples of different activities that were either organized by the Group or in which the group actively participated, in 2007-2008.

The 12th International Metropolis Conference

Melbourne, Australia
The 12th International Metropolis Conference was held in Melbourne, Australia in October 2007. Over 600 delegates from 40 countries attended this conference which provided a forum to foster the exchange of knowledge and encouraged dialogue among researchers, policy-makers and community representatives on multiculturalism and diversity.

As a major partner and stakeholder in the Metropolis Project, the Multiculturalism Program
played a key role in this conference by organizing three workshops. The first workshop focused on methods that could be adopted to measure anti-racism initiatives. The second workshop explored the issue of public responses to affirmations of religious identity. The third session examined issues relating to migration and inclusion of Aboriginal youth.

Notably, the Honourable Jason Kenney, former Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity, delivered a policy address.

Forum on Religious Diversity

Gatineau, Québec
On February 27, 2008 the Research Group, in collaboration with Canadian Heritage, organized a forum entitled Religious Diversity in Canada. The purpose of this event was to showcase research commissioned by the Research Group on religious diversity in Canada, and build on findings in order to generate discussions for policy development.

The full-day event featured three panel discussions that explored key issues related to religion and faith in Canada, and engaged in dialogue to explore realities and to dispel myths surrounding religious minorities in the country. Speakers at the forum included academic researchers, community members and senior departmental officials. More than 100 participants across the federal government attended the forum.

Of interest, a special publication of Canadian Diversity Magazine entitled “Religious Diversity and Canada’s Future” was released by the Association for Canadian Studies in partnership with the Research Group, and was widely distributed at the event.

Support to civil society

The Multiculturalism Program provides financial assistance (grants and contributions) to civil
society through project funding, in order to facilitate and strengthen support for economic, social and cultural integration in Canada. These projects address issues affecting ethnocultural and racial communities with the goal of fostering increased participation in society, while addressing issues such as discrimination and racism. The following are some examples of the initiatives funded by the Multiculturalism Program through grants and contributions funding in 2007-2008. The examples illustrate the program’s efforts to address the specific needs of local communities in a number of diverse regions across Canada.

Quebec Soccer Federation

Montréal, Québec
The Quebec Soccer Federation, in partnership with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), launched an awareness campaign called “Non au racisme sur mon terrain” (“no to racism on my turf”) during the U-20 World Cup, held in Canada in 2007, inviting its 175,000 members and 18 regional associations to take a stand against racism and discrimination.

Officials made a clear statement against racism, and young players all over the province took action by signing a personal declaration by which they committed to report any act of racism they may witness, and see to it that sanctions are subsequently applied. The Quebec Soccer Federation presented the most significant messages on FIFA Day, on July 15, 2007, at Montréal’s Olympic Stadium. These messages were integrated in a brochure distributed across the Quebec Soccer Federation, and a thematic workshop on intercultural relations was held for members, coaches, referees and volunteers to make sure this commitment towards providing racism-free environments to play soccer would not end with the campaign. The Multiculturalism Program contributed $24,000 in funding for this initiative.

Francophone immigration in Atlantic Canada

Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Many francophone minority communities have recently adopted immigration strategies as a means to address population decline and to generate economic development opportunities. In 2007-2008, two projects were undertaken in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island that focused on the integration of newcomers in francophone minority communities.

The Comité de sensibilisation interculturelle, a parent-teacher committee from Prince Edward Island, developed a French-language educational booklet with assistance from the Multiculturalism Program ($12,000) which focuses on diversity and racism. The resource is comprised of three small booklets which have been assessed by educational professionals as age appropriate and potentially very effective for younger students and interested parents living in a Canadian rural environment to learn about diversity and inclusion, and to appreciate differences.

The Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse undertook a three-month initiative aimed at increasing the cultural competency of members of francophone minority communities in Nova Scotia. This was achieved through multiple activities such as the consolidation of key partnerships, the assessment of the community’s needs, the establishment of an inventory of available resources on multiculturalism, and the development of a community action plan. The Multiculturalism Program contributed $20,000 to this initiative.

It is expected that both projects will result in increasing awareness of diversity and racism, promoting cross-cultural understanding among rural francophone communities, and improving their knowledge and ability to counter intolerant or discriminatory behaviours. Overall, these programs will aim to contribute to a better integration of francophone newcomers and to improve the vitality of francophone minority communities.

Thompson Citizenship Council Inc.: “Strengthening Leadership & Youth Empowerment”

Thompson, Manitoba
The Thompson Citizenship Council is a volunteer organization located in Thompson, Manitoba. It is dedicated to promoting multiculturalism, race relations and human rights education in northern Manitoba. It has promoted positive race relations movements at both local and provincial levels for the last 15 years.

Thompson is a small northern mining city and Census data shows the city is becoming increasingly multi-ethnic. Between 2001 and 2006, the visible minority population increased by almost 70 percent, while the Aboriginal population increased by 16.9 percent. Ethnoracial communities constituted 37 percent of Thompson’s population in 2001 and grew to 41.5 percent by 2006.

Since 2001, the Thompson Citizenship Council documented incidents and expressions of racism towards Aboriginal people and visible minorities in Thompson, including racialized language and slurs, name-calling, fights and bullying.

The Strengthening Leadership & Youth Empowerment project aimed to address the impact of racism on Aboriginal People and ethnocultural minorities in the schools and the community in and around Thompson. It was co-funded by the Province of Manitoba and received $31,000 from the Multiculturalism Program over one year. The project’s goal was to increase cross cultural collaboration on concrete and effective actions to combat racism and to empower students, teachers and the community to effectively address racist behaviours by providing locally relevant anti-racism resources.

The Council developed and delivered 18 interactive, locally relevant workshops as a means to engage youth, community members and local educational institutions. The workshops took place in elementary and secondary schools, local universities and the community as a whole. Approximately 400 participants engaged in learning about diversity and racism, and gained practical skills to help identify strategies to address racism and promote inter-cultural understanding. Workshop participants and community partners collaborated with the Thompson Citizenship Council to organize events around March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

In the future, the Thompson Citizenship Council plans to promote the workshop as a best practice and use it in the community with new students, educators, parents and community partners. It will present the outcomes of this project as a success story and increase public dialogue about racism as a current social issue.

Involve Youth

Toronto, Ontario
Involve Youth is a three-year community action and institutional development initiative by the City of Toronto to address civic engagement and access to decision-making by African-Canadian and other minority youth in public life. The Multiculturalism Program contributed $136,098 to this initiative, which began in April 2007. The initiative aims to engage four of Toronto’s most impoverished neighbourhoods: Steeles-L’Amoureaux; Eglinton-East-Kennedy Park; Jamestown; and Lawrence Heights. These neighbourhoods exhibit on average, 26% more poverty, 19% more immigrants, and 42% more racial minority residents than in the city as a whole (2001 Census — Statistics Canada).

Minority youth have played an important role in substantiating the need for this Involve Youth initiative. Their recommendations have been featured in a number of consultation reports and surveys, such as the Toronto Youth Survey, 2005 and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s Youth Strategy, 2005. Approximately 30 Caribbean and Somali youth who co-developed and participated in the Jamestown Youth Engagement Project, the proto-type model of Involve Youth, reiterated the importance of such initiatives during their December 2005 wrap-up session. A common message that emerged from the various surveys and focus groups over the last three years was that young people want opportunities to be involved and to affect change in their local communities.

The Involve Youth project works with local youth and agencies to create neighbourhood-based youth engagement mechanisms that will support minority youth to develop leadership skills to meaningfully participate in local decision making and to connect neighbourhood-specific youth concerns, solutions and initiatives to City Hall. Through the Involve Youth project, youth are supported in order to facilitate the development of the skills, confidence, strategies and knowledge to contribute to public life.

The project is implemented through skill-building and institutional learning field trips where youth are brought together to develop their confidence and skill-set. They are engaged in intergenerational collaboration and dialogue and encouraged to build positive relationships and connections with local adults and community agencies. This initiative also encourages youth-led actions, where activities are designed and delivered in order to allow youth to put into practice the skills and knowledge they are acquiring and to contribute to community building.

Currently in its second year, the project has firmly established youth groups in three of the
four neighbourhoods. The project reports that “skill development activities have assisted young people to develop important decisionmaking and problem-solving skills, develop meaningful relationships within their groups, and bolster self-esteem. These benefits are known to protect youth against risk-taking behaviours that can have a negative impact on their lives. In this phase, youth have begun recognizing and nurturing their strengths, interests and abilities and have become increasingly motivated to become involved in activities at a local level.” Currently 70-100 youth are directly engaged in the activities.

Through their engagement in this program, it is expected that youth will make significant contributions to the well-being of their communities. The supporting institutions will also have the benefit of direct access to new perspectives from significant African-Canadian and other minority constituencies, and communities will benefit through the establishment of sustainable youth advisory groups whose perspectives will contribute to a wide range of meaningful consultative and decision-making processes.

Eliminating Racism through Social Inclusion in Central Alberta

Central Alberta Diversity Association
In 2008 the Central Alberta Diversity Association successfully completed a project entitled, Eliminating Racism through Social Inclusion in Central Alberta. The initiative was awarded $183,105 by the Multiculturalism Program and was implemented over three consecutive fiscal years (2005-2008). The project made a strong impact in the rapidly diversifying community of Red Deer and surrounding area, where both immigration and the presence of temporary foreign workers are steadily rising.

The Central Alberta Diversity Association’s initiative included workplace diversity training, a diversity awareness campaign in schools and in the community, and a video contest on Racial Harmony. The project also included the development of a diversity assessment tool and workplace facilitators’ guide to help Red Deer workplaces become more inclusive. The tools were piloted in two workplaces, notably the City of Red Deer and Family Services of Central Alberta.

In its diversity awareness campaign the Central Alberta Diversity Association reached 7,500 people and gave 200 workshops to heighten awareness about discrimination and share strategies about how to address it. For March 21, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Central Alberta Diversity Association partnered with local schools where over 11,000 people participated in projects including multicultural celebrations, cultural drumming circles and group discussions about diversity. Teachers reacted positively to this project, and remarked that young students were not yet aware of the significance of March 21.

During each of the three years, the Central Alberta Diversity Association produced five special public service announcement videos originating from a contest on Racial Harmony. The winning videos were shown widely on local television; sending out positive messages created by Red Deer youth.

The Central Alberta Diversity Association reported that although there appears to be some resistance, especially to embracing diversity in the workplace, Red Deer and surrounding communities are eager to learn more about the creation of an inclusive community. Through the project, the association saw that its strength as an organization was as a community resource and a partner in schools, workplaces and institutions as they continue to adjust to an increasingly diverse population and seek to make Central Alberta a welcoming community.

Support to public institutions

The Multiculturalism Program assists public institutions by supporting projects that replace barriers to access and participation with policies and practices that are inclusive and sustainable. The following are several examples of projects supported by the Multiculturalism Program in 2007-2008.

United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC) — A Sense of Belonging

The objective of this project was to promote diversity and combat racism. In order to engage both minority and majority groups, the project involved local communities, youth, Elders, community leaders, organizations, governments, institutions and the media.

This project was a follow-up to two previous United Nations Association of Canada (UNAC) projects, both of which received funding from the Multiculturalism Program. These two projects brought together youth and community leaders from different communities (Yellowknife, Kamloops, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Kingston, Montreal, Sackville/Moncton, and St John’s) to identify barriers to create a more cohesive community. Based on the two previous UNAC projects, challenges that emerged through consultations included stereotyping, religious diversity, inter-generational challenges, the lack of awareness and understanding of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, violence and racial profiling, and the lack of civic participation of ethnocultural communities, including youth.

With increasing diversity in Canada and the move to encourage immigration in smaller centres, it is becoming more important to help smaller communities develop the capacity to deal with diversity. Unlike larger urban centres such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, smaller centres do not have the same resources, structures and expertise to address issues related to racial discrimination and systemic barriers preventing full access to services and programs.

Goals for the 2007-2008 project involved selecting a steering committee in each city responsible for implementing the identified action plans, organizing a ‘champions training meeting,’ providing a workshop on media, articulating needs, facilitating shared information and best practices, supporting the steering committees in yearly regional planning meetings with local key partners, and creating public education materials.

Through this project, UNAC brought together a national network of community leaders engaged and committed to promoting diversity and combating racism. It helped schools create mechanisms, such as meetings and school newsletters to provide information and resources to help youth address discrimination associated with their ethnocultural background. Furthermore, UNAC produced promotional materials to foster public education and engagement, and promote the project’s key messages, such as articles addressing current issues and concerns with regards to diversity and anti-racism, brochures, community information sheets, Public Service Announcements, a media kit, and a community ethnocultural and faith-based media directory.

UNAC also produced a quarterly newsletter to inform the public and stakeholders about the progress of the project. Briefing papers with in-depth information and analysis on processes and findings were also made available. The organization delivered educational workshops to foster mutual respect and to inform participants about contemporary forms of prejudice, discrimination and racism.

African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative (ABCCI ) — “Forging Ahead for a Better Tomorrow through Community Partnership”

The African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative is a non-profit ad-hoc committee with members from Continental African, Caribbean African, North American African, and Francophone-African communities in Manitoba. It was formed in 2005 for the purpose of building effective working relationships among Winnipeg’s Black communities, to define their shared concerns and develop strategies and solutions most appropriate to their circumstances.

Winnipeg’s Black population is growing at more than nine times the rate of the city’s population as a whole, and forms Winnipeg’s third largest visible minority segment. In 2006, Winnipeg was home to 92 percent of Manitoba’s Black population. This population is diverse in terms of ethnic origins and language. Due to this rapid rate of increase, gaps exist in access to settlement and community services, advanced education, training and employment. Poverty intersects all priority areas and Black newcomers are over-represented in low-income levels. Black youth are especially vulnerable to negative impacts of service gaps, which in turn, limit their ability to integrate successfully into Canadian society.

One of the objectives during this period was to connect leadership of culturally diverse Black community organizations with one another and with relevant stakeholders. Initiatives actively engaged community leaders with stakeholders in an environment of collaboration, cooperation and sharing of ideas within and outside the African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative community, and increased awareness of community service gaps on the part of all stakeholders.

Another objective was to develop feasible action plans around five key areas: youth, seniors, community services, political participation, and cultural expression. During Black History Month, the African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative delivered a conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba that saw 200 community participants as well as representation from institutional and agency stakeholders. This initiative served as a first formal step towards securing institutional commitment to work with the communities and take action in each of the five areas, and produced a preliminary framework for action.

The African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative’s Steering Committee has also succeeded in working together for three years and has identified clear areas of consensus regarding concerns shared by all member organizations and the communities they represent. This is an on-going success story, building on a Canadian Heritage multi-year community outreach strategy. The Multiculturalism Program contributed $21,400 to these initiatives in order to provide assistance in achieving these goals.

The African, Black and Caribbean Communities Initiative continues to work on a framework for collaboration with ethnocultural communities dealing with similar issues. The objective is to develop a mechanism to share resources and success stories, so as to ensure a ripple effect where many more community members will benefit from the project activities. A long term outcome includes an increased service, particularly to Black and newcomer families, correlated with reduced gang activity and increased education and employment.

Towards an Inclusive Society: a Capacity Building Initiative for Ethnocultural Organizations

Towards an Inclusive Society: a Capacity Building Initiative for Ethnocultural Organizations encouraged new partnerships between mainstream service providers in Edmonton and local ethnocultural organizations.

Over a three year period, ending March 31, 2008, a total of 19 ethnocultural community animators were trained to organize and deliver leadership programs in their first language to 119 leaders from 63 ethnocultural organizations. The project also provided seed grants to develop 14 small Community Action Projects, which allowed recipients of the leadership training to put into practice their newfound skills. The leaders from the ethnocultural organizations connected with 18 federal, provincial, municipal and non-profit funding organizations. Through these connections fostering intercultural and institutional dialogue, funding partners were exposed to the challenges faced by ethnocultural organizations and communities when trying to access resources.

At the community and regional level, the project resulted in three major developments within the Edmonton City Council: 1) the development of an Immigrant Policy Framework for the City of Edmonton (a first for any municipality in Canada); 2) the adoption of the project’s grant application form and criteria in reviewing proposals for the City’s Multicultural Grants program; and 3) increasing resource allocation, including doubling the funding and hiring more staff for the Emerging Immigrant and Refugee Communities Grant program provided by the City of Edmonton. This project also resulted in another foundational success: bringing together various ethnocultural communities that would otherwise traditionally not have had the opportunity to engage in productive and positive dialogue.

It is expected that through such partnerships mainstream service providers and ethnocultural communities will create effective change by developing inclusive policies and programs in Edmonton.

The Multiculturalism Program also encourages and assists in the implementation of multicultural initiatives within federal institutions.

Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism (CAPAR)

Released on March 21, 2005, A Canada for All: Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism (CAPAR) is a horizontal, coordinated approach to address issues of racism and discrimination. It represented a concerted effort across twenty departments and agencies to advance inclusiveness through over 40 existing programs and initiatives. It also included new initiatives at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and the Department of Justice Canada. The Multiculturalism Program is responsible for coordinating and facilitating the reporting, accountability, performance measurement and information sharing among the participating institutions.

Building on the momentum reported in the 2006-2007 Annual Report, the numerous departmental initiatives underway continue to achieve results in a number of key areas: workplace discrimination, youth integration, hate crime reporting, race-based issues in the justice system, and institutional change within public institutions to remove systemic barriers.

Department of Citizenship and Immigration
The Nationally Standardized Data Collection on Hate-motivated Crime Initiative, a joint initiative undertaken in 2007-2008 by Canadian Heritage and Statistics Canada’s Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, has continued its efforts to promote and increase standardized reporting and monitoring of hate crimes by Canada’s police forces. This is achieved through the training of police services on data collection methods, improving the understanding of hate-motivated crime and the response of the justice system, and enabling better monitoring of the impact of societal and legislative changes on hate crimes.

In 2007-2008, the Incident-Based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, which measures the incidence of crime in Canadian society and its characteristics, underwent a conversion to update software. The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics provided training to police services across Canada. In total, 170 police and record management officers were trained. The purpose of the survey was to obtain a more comprehensive representation of police reported hate crime in Canada.

Another initiative entitled the Inclusive Institutions Initiative provided matching funds to federal institutions to develop tools for building federal internal capacity that is free of systemic barriers and responds to cultural diversity.

In 2007-2008, the Correctional Service of Canada initiated the creation of a new section, called the Ethnocultural Services Section, to work with ethno-cultural communities and offenders from diverse cultural backgrounds. Community and other organizations engaged in social and anti-racism services have shown interest in working with the Ethnocultural Services Section.

The Atlantic Region Office and Aboriginal and Diversity Initiatives of the National Parole Board, with the financial support of the Inclusive Institutions Initiative, are also implementing various initiatives to ensure that its mandate and operations reflect Canada’s ethno-cultural diversity, most notably the development of a training tool for Board Members and Hearing Officers, as well as a glossary and handbook for interpreters assisting at parole hearings for Aboriginal and Diversity Initiatives.

Health Canada has developed measures promoting healthy eating among specific ethnocultural communities, including ensuring that healthy eating information, available via Canada’s Food Guide and the “My Food Guide” on-line tool, is accessible in ten languages other than English and French.

Finally, research has been conducted on behalf of Canadian Heritage and 14 federal partner departments to identify gaps and barriers to ethno-cultural/racial communities in dealing with the Government of Canada. The findings of this research will be shared with the partners and will provide guidance and recommendations on how federal institutions can address systemic and institutional barriers effectively.

While these projects were underway in 2007-2008 at the Department of Canadian Heritage, the work of these initiatives will continue at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) for future reporting periods, following the transfer on October 30, 2008 of the Multiculturalism Program to CIC.

The Welcoming Communities Initiative (WCI) is the Department of Citizenship and Immigration’s (CIC) contribution to the Government of Canada’s larger effort to leverage the benefits of Canada’s diversity by reducing discriminatory barriers. The objective of the Welcoming Communities Initiative is to promote the strengthened participation of new immigrants in civil society and foster more inclusive and welcoming communities for new immigrants.

A broad range of stakeholders are involved in this initiative, including newcomers to Canada, local communities, settlement workers, volunteers, youth, school boards, and police services. Partners of the Initiative include CIC regional offices, provinces and territories, national service agencies, local service providers, municipalities, researchers and volunteers.

Funding is allocated to regions and provinces to support ongoing anti-racism activities, such as awareness-raising, outreach, direct services, and tools and resource development.

In 2007-2008, a number of new projects were funded. One of these projects was developed to address the specific needs for information, training, and resources for new police recruits coming from a diverse cultural background, as well as current policing staff of the Hamilton Police Service. The project’s goals included facilitating an understanding of cultural differences, bridging communication processes, promoting policing as a career of choice for members of Hamilton’s diverse communities, and facilitating their full integration into the Police Services. As part of this project, 32 sessions were conducted, involving the participation of 640 police officers.

The Welcoming Communities Initiative national and local projects funded in 2007-2008 have included a number of community-based conferences, focus groups, workshops, roundtable discussion, and committees. The Rural Community Awareness Project addressed issues of racism and prejudice especially in rural centers in Central Alberta through a variety of workshops, reaching over 2,000 local community groups, schools and individuals within the public at large.

In June 2007, the Province of British Columbia announced WelcomeBC, a strategic framework
for settlement and multiculturalism programs and services. The framework is designed to address both the settlement and integration needs of immigrants and the capacity of communities to become welcoming and inclusive. under this broader framework, Welcoming Communities Initiative projects are strategically coordinated to benefit from the British Columbia Anti-Racism and Multiculturalism Program (BCAMP).

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
The Racism-Free Workplace Strategy, the labour strategy initiated by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, continues to develop the tools, guidelines, and educational materials required to facilitate the integration of skilled individuals, particularly Aboriginal peoples and members of visible minorities, into fair, equitable, and inclusive workplaces. Complementing these measures, partnerships continue to be built with and between the different government departments and agencies, community and labour organizations, and the private sector. Through these partnerships, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada aims to raise awareness of the Racism-Free Workplace Strategy and its scope, impacts, and benefits, while engaging its partners in the process of change to remove barriers to opportunity faced by employees in the workplace.

In 2007-2008, new partnerships were developed with the Canada Race Relations Foundation and the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services (ACSESS). The project with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation aims to develop a mentoring, training, and coaching program for regional Racism Prevention Officers. Providing anti-racism tools and resources to human resource professionals in the private sector is the objective of the partnership with ACSESS.

An ongoing project under the Racism-Free Workplace Strategy has been to provide employers with the resources required to resolve internal labour conflicts related to discrimination, with the aim of reducing race-based incidents in the workplace. Further details of this project are provided in Part 3 of this report.

Department of Justice Canada
The work undertaken by the Department of Justice to implement the key objectives of Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism (CAPAR) is focused on three initiatives: Race-Based Issues in the Justice System, Interventions for Victims and Perpetrators of Hate Crimes, and Countering Internet-Based Hate Crimes, which constitute the Department’s strategy to sustain the principle of equality before the law.

The Department of Justice undertook and completed a formative evaluation of its component of CAPAR in 2007-2008. The evaluation focused on departmental activities funded through CAPAR from its implementation in 2005-2006 to the end of the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The objectives of the evaluation included examining, assessing, and reporting on early results and progress of the Department’s component of CAPAR to demonstrate clearly its achievements.

One of the primary undertakings of the Department in 2007-2008 has involved examining and supporting initiatives designed to combat the proliferation of hate propaganda on the Internet. The Center for Research-Action on Race Relations received funding from the Department of Justice to organize a National Stakeholders Meeting on Combating Hate on the Internet, which brought together 43 selected participants from community organizations to discuss potential solutions to hate crimes perpetrated via the Internet.

The way forward

The Multiculturalism Program made great strides in 2007-2008: launching new program priorities for Multiculturalism Program funding, reaching out to Canadians through educational and promotional events, and finalizing an approach for the Community Historical Recognition Program and the National Historical Recognition Program.

Since the end of this reporting period, the Multiculturalism Program has focused its efforts on applying the following program priorities for grants and contributions funding, that were announced in February 2008:

1. Supporting economic, social, and cultural integration of new Canadians and cultural communities;

The Multiculturalism Program assists new Canadians and cultural communities to gain knowledge and skills for integration, and provides opportunities to work in partnership towards identifying and resolving issues affecting them. The Program works to improve the ability of public institutions to respond to, and integrate, ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious diversity by assisting in the identification and removal of barriers to equitable access.

2. Facilitating programs such as mentorship, volunteerism, leadership, and civic education among at-risk cultural youth;

Cultural at-risk youth are assisted in gaining self-confidence, knowledge, and skills for participation and civic engagement (volunteerism), by identifying root causes of cultural marginalization, detachment and radicalization. The Multiculturalism Program provides opportunities for youth through partnerships with their peers, adults, and community leaders as well as through mentorship initiatives, to gain practical learning experience and develop the skills necessary to contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of their communities.

3. Promoting inter-cultural understanding and Canadian values (democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law) through community initiatives, with the objective of addressing issues of cultural social exclusion (parallel communities) and radicalization.

Interaction between different communities is fostered and the Multiculturalism Program supports cross-sector collaboration in community-based projects to build and shape an inclusive and respectful society. The Program facilitates collective community initiatives and responses to combat ethnic, racial, cultural and religious conflicts and hate-motivated activities, and supports community-based initiatives designed to facilitate inter-faith dialogue. The Multiculturalism Program also encourages activities aimed at reaching society at large to facilitate inter-cultural understanding and address the cultural social exclusion of some communities, and increase awareness and understanding of racism and discrimination in an effort to reduce or eliminate factors contributing to exclusion, disenchantment, and radicalization.

In the coming year, the Multiculturalism Program will focus its efforts on enhancing partnerships and engagement internationally and domestically to combat racism and unjust discrimination, recognizing and commemorating the historical experiences of cultural communities, sharing information with federal, provincial and territorial partners, increasing the use of social networking technologies to engage youth, and supporting federal institutions in their implementation of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act by developing tools to help measure gaps and progress.

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