Improving anti-racism accountability systems in community safety

Publicly admit and acknowledge the long-lasting impact of colonialism on PADs

Recommendation 1: The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General should lead the way in providing genuine, unequivocal, and public admission and acknowledgment that province-wide police forces, as institutions, have historically been characterized by colonial procedures that have led to discrimination and oppression towards People of African Descents and other minorities. Similar statements should also be expected from police chiefs across the province as a foundational act in restoring trust with the People of African Descent community.

Improving anti-racism accountablitity systems in the justice system

Deepen equity in service delivery by and to PADs

Recommendation 26: The Ministry of Attorney General should provide support to the judicial council and law society for conducting studies to understand, capture, and prioritize concerns and recommendations of judges and lawyers of African descent in terms of these bodies’ capacity in attracting People of African Descent to the profession, and of potential avenues in reforming legal practice and the justice system in BC.

Improving access to legal services

Support PAD-led models and community collaboration

Recommendation 32: The Ministry of Attorney General should provide funding for the Law Society and People of African Descent community organizations to run legal clinics and legal aid programs for People of African Descent, predominantly led and designed by law practitioners of African descent. These programs must be accessible from anywhere within the province and run with an anti-Black racism lens and with a clear legal advocacy strategy. The Black Legal Action Centre in Ontario is a good example of a community legal aid program for the People of African Descent community.

Improving anti-racism accountability systems in K-12 education

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 40: The Ministry of Education must actively design and implement programming to actively inform and engage students/parents on redress mechanisms independent of the education system (e.g. Human Rights Commission). The Anti-racism legislation must consider legislating an independent complaint process for racialized students and their families.

Improving anti-racism accountability systems in K-12 education

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 41: The Ministry of Education must boost access to advocacy services for students/families of African Descent. Such dedicated advocacy services must be backed by strategic policy that emphasizes implementation by teams with the necessary cultural humility and lived experience. This can be mandated either under the Representative for Children and Youth Act or under the pending Anti-racism legislation.

Deepening PAD representation in post-secondary education

Increase the recruitment of PADs

Recommendation 57: The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training must encourage BC’s post-secondary schools to have complaint, recruitment, award, leadership, admission, and promotion committees that have racially and gender diverse membership.

Improving anti-racism accountability systems in housing

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 65: The Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing should ensure that the upcoming Anti-racism Legislation provides clear, reliable and empathetic options for reporting anti-Black racism and discrimination in housing. The legislation should also impose adequate punishments for racist and discriminatory landlords.

Improving anti-racism accountability systems in housing

Implement policy and legislative safeguards for PADs

Recommendation 66: The Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing should explicitly regulate against gentrification and ban practices that pigeonhole People of African Descent and families into living in particular residential zones in BC cities. This should include funding and collaboration with People of African Descent organizations to deepen tenants and landlords’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities. This is particularly crucial for People of African Descent renters to more easily access information on their options in various scenarios and on how to protect their rights.