Committee: Social Cultural Humanitarian
Topic: Racism
Country: Dominion of Canada
Delegate: Lydia Glashouwer, Forest Hills Northern High School
Racism has been a topic that has been brought up many times throughout the history of the United Nations, as it is an issue that has been globally prominent since the beginning of recorded history. In the past 200 years racism and xenophobia has decreased throughout the world, but there are still many places (like southeast asain, african, and middle eastern countries) that experience the negative effects of racism. In 1978 and 1983 there were world conferences held in Geneva where racism was addressed. Then in 1993, at the world conference on human rights, there was a call for “the speedy and comprehensive elimination of all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance” This led to the World confrence against racism that was held in Durban, Soth Africa, in 2001.
Canada has a rocky history with racism. When the country was first being developed the natives and asian immigrants were heavily discriminated against. Then during the period of time where the United States was heavily populated by slaves, those be would slaves would try to escape to Canada, in response, in 1911 there was an order proposed to prohibit the immigration of anyone belonging to the “negro race.” During World War two, Japanese Canadians were put into internment camps, and in 1988 the government provided 300 million dollars in compensation. Although it is clear that Canada has had a rocky history with racism, it also has done much to help prevent and recompense for it. Many organizations have been formed to fight for equal rights, including The Black Coalition of Quebec, which is a group that was formed to protect human rights. Along with that there is also The Chinese Canadian National Council, which promotes equality and social participations. Then there is The Ka Ni Kanichihk, which is an aborigional human sources organization. Finally, there is The Urban Alliance on Race Relations that helps support a multi-ethnic environment in urban centers. All these organizations work to help recompense for the racism in Canada’s history.
Canada believes itself to be a hub for diversity and inclusion, and hope to set an example on these matters for the rest of the world to follow. In the past few years, Canada has been doing a lot to combat all the racism taking place. From October 2018, to March 2019, input was gathered from Canadians, especially from those that experience racism and discrimiantion. This input was taken into account, and is going to be used in the up and coming project Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy. This plan is a $45 million process that will last from 2019-2022, it will try to combat racism and discrimination throught the country. There are three guiding principles to the plan, Demonstrating Federal Leadership, Empower Communities, and Building Awareness/Changing Attitudes. To help combat racism, an Anti-Racist Secretariet will be established, along with that, Indigenious people and their communities will be supported, and awareness of the histoircal roots of racism will be increased.
Works Cited
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AN OVERVIEW A Canada for All Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism.
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“Opinion | Trudeau Survived. Now Stop Pretending Canada Is a Diverse Paradise.” The New York Times, 23 Oct. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/10/23/opinion/trudeau-canada-election-racism.html. Accessed 15 Nov. 2019.
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Sundberg, Ulrika. “Durban : The Third World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.” Revue Internationale de Droit Pénal, vol. 73, no. 1, 2002, p. 301, 10.3917/ridp.073.0301. Accessed 7 Apr. 2019.
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Wilson, Kory, and Jane Henderson. First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers Published by: Social Policy City of Vancouver Vancouver.ca Project Coordination: Social Policy.
- Lydia Glashouwer
