ICYMI – Bouie: Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary?

2026/08/03 Leave a comment

Indeed:

…As Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff show in their book “Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed,” an important part of Musk’s vision is to see the world as a compound, where “the horizons of humankind” are shrunk “into the defense of white fertility.” This in turn is tied to a larger effort to liberate humanity from the “woke mind virus” that Musk sees as a self-destructive tendency responsible for the “empathy” that has led Western nations to open their societies to others.

This too is little more than a restatement of themes and ideas found in “The Turner Diaries,” where the titular character believes that whites have been corrupted by a “Jewish-liberal-democratic-egalitarian plague.” Slobodian and Tarnoff observe that these views are also downstream of Musk’s upbringing in South Africa, where apartheid leaders fretted over birthrates and the future of white society.

Musk’s virulent racism and vicious, disturbing views are no secret. He does not hide them. They sit in plain view, easily accessible on the social media website he owns, where he does everything he can to promote similarly far-right and white supremacist ideas.

If there is a question to ask, then, it is this: Why does Musk get a pass? Why do politicians, journalists and commentators treat his far-right racist radicalism as a sideshow rather than the core of his political, ideological and industrial project, seen in everything from his deep support for Donald Trump in the United States and Restore Britain in Britain to his decision to construct a massive pollution-generating data center in predominantly Black Memphis?

Musk spends a large part of his free time fomenting violence and spreading the same hateful ideology that motivated some of the deadliest shootings and attacks ever to happen on American soil. It is that fact, and not the cars he builds or the rockets he launches, that ought to define his place in public life.

Source: Why Do We Tolerate Elon Musk’s Racist Commentary?

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Bhagat: Canada needs South Asian labour, and racism keeps it cheap

2026/06/23 Leave a comment

Think there has been a fair degree of public scrutiny of the government policies that contributed (e.g., international student “puppy farms, Temporary Workers”:

…None of this means that Canadians cannot debate immigration levels, housing pressures or labour policy. No doubt these are legitimate political questions. However, we must all address the problem that arises when economic anxieties are redirected to vulnerable workers themselves. South Asians have become the face of policies they did not create, which allows governments, corporations and social media platforms to elide scrutiny. 

Ali Bhagat is assistant professor and director of the public policy minor at the School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University.

Source: Canada needs South Asian labour, and racism keeps it cheap

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Elkouri: Allégations de racisme au SPVMLe #metoo du racisme, Nicolas: Sinon, nous nous répéterons

2026/06/19 Leave a comment

Valid critique:

…Dans le cas qui nous concerne, devant la gravité des actes racistes allégués ayant mené au démantèlement d’une équipe de patrouilleurs montréalais, le gouvernement caquiste concède que l’on ne parle pas de quelques pommes, mais bien d’un panier pourri au complet. Mais ce qui est inquiétant, c’est que l’on refuse encore obstinément d’examiner le sol contaminé du verger. Pas question de reconnaître la nature systémique du problème, répète-t-on.

Pour rétablir la confiance, on n’aura toutefois pas d’autre choix que de sortir du déni comme on l’a fait dans la foulée du mouvement #moiaussi.

Comment ? Comme Yves Boisvert et Fabrice Vil, je crois qu’une enquête publique indépendante s’impose2, 3. C’est aussi l’avis de Massimiliano Mulone, professeur agrégé de criminologie à l’Université de Montréal et coauteur d’un rapport alarmant sur les interpellations policières et le profilage racial au SPVM dont la seule et unique recommandation a été ignorée.

Les problèmes de discrimination raciale dans les pratiques policières ne sont pas circonscrits à quelques individus ou à un quartier. L’enjeu central, c’est la nature systémique du problème. D’où l’utilité de prendre un pas de recul pour analyser la chose en profondeur….

Source: Allégations de racisme au SPVM Le #metoo du racisme

… In the case that concerns us, given the seriousness of the alleged racist acts that led to the dismantling of a team of Montreal patrolmen, the Caquist government admits that we are not talking about a few apples, but about a complete rotten basket. But what is worrying is that we still stubbornly refuse to examine the contaminated soil of the orchard. There is no question of recognizing the systemic nature of the problem, we repeat.

To restore confidence, however, we will have no choice but to get out of denial as we did in the wake of the #moiaussi movement.

How? Like Yves Boisvert and Fabrice Vil, I believe that an independent public inquiry is necessary2, 3. This is also the opinion of Massimiliano Mulone, associate professor of criminology at the University of Montreal and co-author of an alarming report on police arrests and racial profiling at the SPVM whose one and only recommendation was ignored.

The problems of racial discrimination in police practices are not limited to a few individuals or a neighborhood. The central issue is the systemic nature of the problem. Hence the usefulness of taking a step back to analyze the thing in depth….

Nicolas | Sinon, nous nous répéterons

…Ce que moi-même et bien des gens qui s’y connaissent un peu voudrions voir, c’est une enquête publique sur le racisme systémique dans la police, un moratoire sur les interpellations et une révision en profondeur du règlement municipal, question d’éliminer les autres « poignées » sur lesquels les policiers pourraient se rabattre pour continuer à harceler indûment les citoyens de nos communautés.

On verra si on préfère les « solutions » qui n’en sont pas, et qui n’ont jamais fonctionné, mais qui donnent l’impression d’avoir « fait quelque chose » après une « onde de choc ». Si c’est le cas, dans quelques années, le Québec sera à nouveau « surpris » qu’il subsiste du racisme dans les corps policiers et que les droits de la personne de citoyens soient bafoués.

Alors, nous nous répéterons. Poze.

Source: Chronique | Sinon, nous nous répéterons

What I myself and many people who know a little about it would like to see is a public inquiry into systemic racism in the police, a moratorium on arrests and a thorough revision of the municipal by-law, a matter of eliminating the other “handles” on which the police could fall back to continue to unduly harass the citizens of our communities.

We will see if we prefer “solutions” that are not, and that have never worked, but that give the impression of having “done something” after a “shock wave”. If this is the case, in a few years, Quebec will again be “surprised” that racism remains in police forces and that citizens’ human rights are flouted.

So, we will repeat ourselves. Poza.

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Studying racial and ethnic health inequality in Canada: What we need to get right

2026/05/13 Leave a comment

Good reminder that Canadian history, context and policies are different. Now if we could only stop using US terminology like BIPOC….:

…Canada is not the U.S.

Canada’s social policies are distinct from American policies. To begin with, the racial and ethnic makeup of the populations differ. Canada, for example, has a smaller Black population and a larger Asian population than the U.S.. These differences reflect broader historical and institutional contexts that shape how racial and ethnic inequalities are structured in each country.

At the same time, Indigenous Peoples are more central to health inequality in Canada. This is because Canada has a relatively high percentage of Indigenous Peoples compared to the U.S. and many other more economically developed nations. The health of Indigenous Peoples is shaped by a long history of colonialism and ongoing structural disadvantage.

Immigrant population also differs. About one-quarter of Canada’s population is foreign-born, compared to about one in seven in the U.S. Canada’s selective immigration system means many immigrants arrive with relatively high levels of education and good health. This contributes to patterns like “the healthy immigrant effect.” 

Research has shown that Canada exhibits the healthy immigrant effect, in which newly arrived immigrants tend to have better health than the Canadian-born population, though this advantage often declines over time with longer residence. Inequality does not line up neatly with race.

Policy matters too. Canada promotes multiculturalism, while the U.S. emphasizes assimilation into a single national culture. Canada has universal health care, which reduces financial barriers to basic care. 

But this coverage is partial. Services such as prescription drugs, dental care and mental-health support are not fully covered and often depend on employment benefits or where people live. Since health care is organized at the provincial level, access and quality also vary across regions. These gaps shape who gets timely care and who falls through the cracks….

A Canadian approach

Studying racial and ethnic health inequality in Canada requires a distinctly Canadian approach. The population, data and policy context differ from those in the U.S., and these differences shape both how inequalities emerge and how they should be studied.

This means moving beyond broad categories, improving race-based data, and using more meaningful and diverse measures of health. It also requires closer attention to context, including Indigenous and rural settings, as well as Canada’s social, immigration and health policy landscape.

To effectively address health disparities, research needs to be grounded in Canada’s realities, not simply adapted from models developed elsewhere.

Source: Studying racial and ethnic health inequality in Canada: What we need to get right

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Black women say they’re at risk due to unequal health care. The Ford government is being urged to act

2026/05/08 Leave a comment

Of note:

…At Queen’s Park on Wednesday, the Black Women’s Institute of Health pushed for urgent action on equity for Black women’s health, based on these experiences, shared by women in a report completed by the institute. The report, “Voices UnHeard,” was based on the findings of a first-of-its-kind national survey that focused on the experiences of Black women and girls and health care.

“There’s nothing in this report that I would say I haven’t lived or experienced,” said Kearie Daniel, who spearheaded the report and is the executive director of Black Women’s Institute for Health.

“This is the first time ever that we had anyone survey Black women across this country to this extent in a cohesive way,” Daniel said.

Researchers say there’s a lack of data about the experiences of Black women and girls in Canada when accessing health-care — that’s why a report like this is desperately needed. A health system ill-equipped to provide a basic standard of care for a community group that already disproportionately faces higher rates of certain chronic illnesses and medical conditions could lead to worse health outcomes and higher mortality.

The briefing Wednesday “was part of taking the report from just a report into action,” Daniel said.

The “Voices UnHeard” report was published in November. The report served as an anchor for the policy and legislative moves Daniel is advocating for at Queen’s Park.

The briefing followed Tuesday’s tabling by the NDP of the Black Health Equity and Accountability Act, 2026 (Bill 115), which Daniel says aligns with many of the 70 recommendations in the report….

…At Queen’s Park on Wednesday, the Black Women’s Institute of Health pushed for urgent action on equity for Black women’s health, based on these experiences, shared by women in a report completed by the institute. The report, “Voices UnHeard,” was based on the findings of a first-of-its-kind national survey that focused on the experiences of Black women and girls and health care.

“There’s nothing in this report that I would say I haven’t lived or experienced,” said Kearie Daniel, who spearheaded the report and is the executive director of Black Women’s Institute for Health.

“This is the first time ever that we had anyone survey Black women across this country to this extent in a cohesive way,” Daniel said.

Researchers say there’s a lack of data about the experiences of Black women and girls in Canada when accessing health-care — that’s why a report like this is desperately needed. A health system ill-equipped to provide a basic standard of care for a community group that already disproportionately faces higher rates of certain chronic illnesses and medical conditions could lead to worse health outcomes and higher mortality.

The briefing Wednesday “was part of taking the report from just a report into action,” Daniel said.

The “Voices UnHeard” report was published in November. The report served as an anchor for the policy and legislative moves Daniel is advocating for at Queen’s Park.

The briefing followed Tuesday’s tabling by the NDP of the Black Health Equity and Accountability Act, 2026 (Bill 115), which Daniel says aligns with many of the 70 recommendations in the report….

Source: Black women say they’re at risk due to unequal health care. The Ford government is being urged to act

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Black staff at Global Affairs allege systemic racism

2025/10/23 Leave a comment

More raising the profile of the case arguing systemic racism and discrimination through specific examples and complaints:

Current and former Global Affairs Canada employees who are Black say the department doesn’t take their complaints about racism seriously.

“I was representing Canada but Canada did not represent me,” said Madina Iltireh, who spent more than 20 years working on the administration of foreign aid programs.

She spoke Wednesday on Parliament Hill at a news conference held by the Coalition Against Workplace Discrimination. The coalition includes the Black Class Action Secretariat, which is mounting legal challenges claiming systemic racism and discrimination in the public service.

The group is appealing a broader case involving the entire public service. It estimates the Federal Court of Appeal will take a year to rule on the case.

On Wednesday, the coalition cited three Global Affairs Canada staff who say their complaints were rejected by internal panels before being upheld by the courts or outside commissions, without compensation….

Source: Black staff at Global Affairs allege systemic racism

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Quebec turns down federal funding for addressing systemic racism in justice system

2025/09/03 2 Comments

Willful blindness:

The Quebec government has turned down federal funding aimed at combatting systemic racism in the criminal justice system, saying it doesn’t agree with the program’s approach.

The federal government first offered $6.64-million in funding to provinces and territories in 2021 to improve fairness in the courts. Spread out over five years, the money was aimed at addressing the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system by promoting the use of race and cultural assessments before sentencing. 

These assessments – known as Impact of Race and Culture Assessments, or IRCAs – analyze how a convicted person’s experience of systemic racism contributed to their criminal charges.

While most provinces have accepted the federal funding aimed at supporting defendants or to cover the costs of assessments through their legal aid programs, Quebec has been opposed to providing this type of support.

“We are not party to any funding agreement involving Impact of Race and Culture Assessments, as Quebec doesn’t subscribe to the approach on which the funding program is based, namely systemic racism,” Marie-Hélène Mercier, a spokesperson for Quebec’s Justice Department, told The Canadian Press in an e-mail….

Source: Quebec turns down federal funding for addressing systemic racism in justice system

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Air Canada says she was being ‘loud, demanding and unruly.’ She says she was being stereotyped. Here’s what the human rights tribunal heard

2025/08/06 2 Comments

Will be interesting to see how the Tribunal rules. Incident dates from 2018 and don’t know whether the delay is normal for the Tribunal. As a business class passenger, she would have access to shorter check-in and boarding lines. As an DEI academic and activist, Francis would likely be more aware and sensitive to perceived discrimination and stereotypes:

It’s not an uncommon scene at any busy airport: A passenger needs help and approaches an airline agent who may come across as rude.

But what happened to a Jamaican Canadian at Vancouver International Airport on March 1, 2018 — as described last week over a five-day hearing at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal — has highlighted the stark contrast in how a Black woman and airline staff viewed their encounter seven years ago.

The case of alleged discrimination for “Flying while Black” will test how far the Canadian Human Rights Act can go in awarding damages to air travellers for discrimination. Claims against carriers are governed by the Montreal Convention, an international pact that’s a standard liability regime for death and injury, damage or loss of baggage and flight delay only.

Business-class passenger June Francis had had her knees replaced six months before a trip to Toronto. She approached an Air Canada check-in agent for help amid an exceptionally long lineup, the tribunal heard.

She testified that the agent cut her off before she could request an accommodation, yelled at her and told her to “get in line.” Unsuccessful in getting the agent’s name or identification number, she took photos of the agent with her cellphone for identification so she could complain to Air Canada.

Francis, who is five-foot-10, was described as “loud,” “demanding” and “unruly,” the tribunal heard from Air Canada. A supervisor and security guard were dispatched and demanded that Francis delete the photos, or else she would be refused boarding.

Francis testified that the supervisor said to her, “I can see why you are a problem. You do not take directions. I can see why you were treated that way.” 

“It was a very demeaning comment,” Francis said. “It suggested that I needed directions from people to know how to behave.”

The now 70-year-old woman — a Simon Fraser University business professor and a King Charles III Coronation Medal recipient for her anti-racism work — said she felt afraid when she saw the airport security guard.

“I was shaken,” she testified. “I had done nothing wrong. I am a Black woman … I know what has happened from my community when law enforcement arrives.”

On the witness stand, the agent, later identified as Betty Liao, described Francis as rude and aggressive, but denied yelling at her to get in line or that the complainant ever mentioned her physical needs. She also testified she did not remember if Francis asked for her name or identification number to file a complaint, or if she refused. 

Liao did remember telling Francis to stop taking photos of her, and told the tribunal she felt unsafe. “This is too intimidating,” testified Liao, who is five feet tall. “And I have no right to say no?”

In laying out the complaint at the hearing, Francis’s lawyer Sujit Choudhry said this is the first case of flying while Black to reach a full hearing before the tribunal.

“Professor Francis, a grandmother, (then) 62-year-old, recovering from a knee surgery, posed no threat,” he told the tribunal….

Source: Air Canada says she was being ‘loud, demanding and unruly.’ She says she was being stereotyped. Here’s what the human rights tribunal heard



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StatsCan: The role of social connections in mitigating the harms associated with discrimination, 2023/2024

2025/07/11 Leave a comment

Makes intuitive sense that social connections mitigate impacts of discrimination:

In 2023/2024, 45% of all racialized Canadians reported experiencing discrimination over the previous five years. While discrimination has been related to negative mental and physical health, lower levels of life satisfaction and reduced hopefulness about the future, these outcomes become less pronounced when victims of discriminatory acts have strong personal support networks.

Among racialized Canadians who reported experiencing discrimination in the previous five years, one-third (33%) reported having a high level of life satisfaction (scoring 8 or higher on a 10-point scale). This proportion increased to 47% among victims with strong family connections and to 49% for those with strong friend connections. Mental health outcomes and future outlook also fared better when victims had personal support networks.

These results are based on the new study released today, “Softening the blow of discrimination: The role of social connections in mitigating the harms associated with racism and discrimination,” which used the Survey Series on People and their Communities to look at the role of family and friends in mitigating the harms associated with discrimination among racialized Canadians. The study also examined how family and friend relationships can influence discrimination victims’ perceptions of other Canadians and broader Canadian society.

Source: Study: The role of social connections in mitigating the harms associated with discrimination, 2023/2024

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Steep rise in hate toward South Asians in Canada documented through social media posts

2025/06/27 Leave a comment

Disturbing:

Canada has seen a steep rise in hate toward South Asians on social media in recent years, with a large spike occurring during the recent federal election — especially aimed at former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, according to a new report.

The report, titled “The Rise of Anti-South Asian Hate in Canada” and published by the U.K.-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, used the social media monitoring tool Brandwatch to analyze posts that mention Canadian cities and regions and South Asians on X.

Between May and December 2023, they found 1,163 posts containing explicitly hateful keywords toward South Asians. During the same period in 2024, that number rose to 16,884 — an increase of more than 1,350 per cent.

A new report by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue finds a huge increase in racist posts in 2024, notably in the lead-up to the federal election.

Canada has seen a steep rise in hate toward South Asians on social media in recent years, with a large spike occurring during the recent federal election — especially aimed at former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, according to a new report.

The report, titled “The Rise of Anti-South Asian Hate in Canada” and published by the U.K.-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue, used the social media monitoring tool Brandwatch to analyze posts that mention Canadian cities and regions and South Asians on X.

Between May and December 2023, they found 1,163 posts containing explicitly hateful keywords toward South Asians. During the same period in 2024, that number rose to 16,884 — an increase of more than 1,350 per cent.

The report says Canada has been singled out as a cautionary tale — in the eyes of far-right influencers and extremists globally — of how immigration policies can lead to an “invasion” of South Asian migrants.

Steven Rai, an analyst at ISD who focuses on domestic extremism, pointed to the American-based X account EndWokeness, which has 3.7 million followers, as one that has made numerous posts about South Asians in Canada “overtaking society.”

“Canada is held up by a lot of racists as the example of what happens to a country when it’s supposedly overrun with South Asians,” Rai said.

“Domestic extremists within Canada are promoting that stereotype and that gets picked up by people all around the world.”

The ISD notes that hate isn’t confined to the online sphere. Between 2019 and 2023, police-reported hate crimes against South Asians in Canada increased by more than 200 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.

The ISD defines domestic extremism as a belief system grounded in racial or cultural supremacy, as well as misogyny, based on a perceived threat from out-groups, which can be pursued through violent or non-violent means….

Source: Steep rise in hate toward South Asians in Canada documented through social media posts

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