As the inaugural round of formal public consultations draws to a conclusion and the process of ongoing engagement continues, the Ministerial Committee on Anti-Racism is taking more action to develop the necessary tools to stop racism in Newfoundland and Labrador. The committee includes Ministers of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills; Justice and Public Safety; Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation; and Education.

Ministers are seeking input from residents, community and cultural organizations, employers, educators, researchers, and others on their experiences, and hearing recommendations on stopping all forms of racism including; anti-Indigenous, anti-Black and anti-Asian racism; anti-Semitism; and Islamophobia.

The first summary ‘What We are Hearing’ document is being prepared for public release.

Over the last six months, Ministers met with 35 groups and organizations and received 87 submissions through engageNL until February 28. The Committee also received emails and submissions from organizations and individuals. Further meetings will be held and those discussions will inform more actions. Input continues to be welcomed and encouraged from any member of the public at antiracism@gov.nl.ca.

The Ministerial Committee on Anti-Racism adopted an approach of taking immediate action on issues raised during the consultations. For a sample of actions taken, please see the attached backgrounder.

Ongoing anti-racism actions include:

• Updating curriculum in schools. Culture and diversity are embedded throughout large portions of the K-12 social studies curriculum, with significant focus on the issues of acceptance, understanding, equal rights and the negative impacts of racism, among other related topics. Future curriculum updates will build on these topics with a specific lens of anti-racism; and
• Intercultural competency and trauma-informed training is offered to justice-sector employees to educate and inform staff and improve the interactions of people within the justice system.

Actions to be taken include:

• Reviewing legislative provisions to identify options to counter hate speech in provincial laws;
• Launching an anti-racism and anti-Islamophobia public education campaign, in consultation with cultural organizations and community partners;
• Commencing a provincial program review to identify and remove systemic racism, in partnership with community representatives; and
• An anti-racist education teacher working group is being established and will begin work to identify resources and professional learning opportunities for the incorporation of anti-racist education and textbooks into curriculum.

The Provincial Government has undertaken or is collaborating with Indigenous Governments and Organizations on a series of actions which honour the culture of Indigenous Peoples. These include:

• Establishment of an Anti-Racism Working Group with the Innu Nation. The working group has a mandate to develop concrete measures to ensure elected officials and government employees have an understanding and appreciation of Innu culture, values and history.
• The Provincial Government is advancing a plan to deliver cultural sensitivity training to elected officials and public service employees. This initiative builds on a call from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which called on all levels of government to provide their employees with understanding of the histories of Indigenous peoples.
• We are proceeding with plans to deliver apologies to former students of residential schools, their families, and communities. In collaboration with Indigenous Governments and Organizations, we are exploring ways on the appropriate approach to fulfill this commitment.
• The Innu Nation and Provincial Government announced the commissioners who will conduct the Inquiry into the Treatment, Experiences and Outcomes of Innu in the Child Protection System.

• Symbols of Reconciliation must replace symbols of racism. Therefore, the Provincial Government:
  • Is collaborating with Indigenous Governments and Organizations on placing Indigenous-themed murals in the lobby of Confederation Building;
  • Has commissioned the design, construction and installation of a statue commemorating the Beothuk;
  • Recognized September 30 a Day for Truth and Reconciliation;
  • Changed the Province’s Coat of Arms to remove the word ‘savages and add Labrador to the name of the Province;
  • Changed the name of the Central Newfoundland body of water to Beothuk Lake, and;
  • Renamed the Mary March Museum in Grand Falls-Windsor as the Demasduit Regional Museum, following consultations with Indigenous leaders and the general public.

Quotes
“Our government is deeply opposed to racism in any and all forms. The Ministerial Committee on Anti-Racism maintains constant and regular engagement with community groups and leaders to optimize ongoing actions and planning future action. While all involved don’t always agree in full on solutions and precise paths forward, we appreciate the many spirited discussions and suggestions put forward, always guided by a shared vision that we are action-oriented, with many actions to date and many more to come.” Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills’

“The consultations that we held with many groups and individuals have certainly been educational. The views, observances and life experiences that were shared with me and my fellow Ministers on the Committee have greatly helped me understand the racism that exists in our Province. What we have heard has already resulted in moving forward with changes and our commitment to making further changes is stronger than ever.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation
Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs

– 30 –

Learn more
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL, @OLA_GovNL and @IPGS_GovNL

Like us on Facebook

Media contacts
Jeremy Reynolds
Immigration, Population Growth and Skills
709-729-2377, 709-691-2298
jeremyreynolds@gov.nl.ca

Allan Bock
Labrador Affairs Secretariat
Office of Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation
709-896-7935, 899-6446
allanbock@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Ministerial Committee on Anti-Racism: What We’re Hearing and Action Taken

Date	What We’re Hearing	Action
September 2021	It is a challenge to get resumes reviewed by employers and to be invited for an interview.	One-of-a-kind ‘Job Matching’ initiative for international students and their partners.
December 2021	MCP coverage should continue after graduation for international students.	Extension of MCP coverage for international graduates to cover 90 days post-graduation for an additional 90 days – now ‘best-in-class’ in Canada.
December 2021	Anti-racism activities are distinct from multiculturalism and provincial funding should be made available to support community-based anti-racism activities.	Launch of Settlement and Integration Grants with anti-racism activities as a funding priority.
January 2022	Communities should host events to promote multiculturalism.	Launch of Multiculturalism Grants Call for Proposals.
January 2022	Designate January 29 as “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia”.	Designated January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Islamophobia – marked though statement by MCAR and lighting Confederation Building in green.
February 2022	Public employees should receive more cultural sensitivity training.	Roll out of Intercultural Competency Training for the Public Service.
Ongoing	Consider legislative options to address hate speech within provincial jurisdiction.	The jurisdictional legislative review is ongoing to inform consideration of future amendments to provincial legislation or supporting initiatives to address hate speech.
Ongoing	The Canadian Identities textbook should be removed from the reading list immediately.	The textbook was reviewed by Education staff and work is underway to replace the textbook.  In the interim, a memo was sent to all educators that identified the offensive material in the textbook and provided official direction to not use it.
Ongoing	Adopt texts that have local and anti-racist content and reflect the multiplicity of lived experience of students who are from immigrant, refugee, Black, Indigenous and other racialized communities in NL.	Education is now receiving resources from local publishers, such as Breakwater, representing diverse cultural voices that will be reviewed by staff and review committees. The anti-racist education teacher working group will begin work to identify resources for the incorporation of anti-racist education into curriculum.
Ongoing	Students, teachers and other academic staff should be provided with a remedial course on how to read for racism in textbooks and other teaching materials.	Dr. Paul Banahene Adjei, Interim Dean of the Memorial University School of Social Work, is developing and will deliver a series of professional learning sessions on anti-racism education as it applies to curriculum development to Education staff. NLESD, with Provincial Government funding, is providing a nine-session webinar series for all teachers called “See Us, Learn Us: Teaching about the Black Canadian Experience.” Other related professional learning sessions are under consideration or development.