The Canadian Race Relations Foundation is Canada's leading agency
dedicated to the elimination of racism and all forms of racial discrimination in Canadian society.
CRRF Welcomes Kimberly Bennett
Kimberly Bennett has been an advocacy & communications expert in the international development and humanitarian sector-- particularly in the Global South, for the last 14 years. She has shared her expertise with international organizations such as CARE International, the International Rescue Committee, the Norwegian Refugee Council and the United Nations World Food Programme in nine countries spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Kimberly is passionate about amplifying the voices of marginalized populations-- primarily women, children and minority groups, for the purpose of an improved society and meaningful policy change.
The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is excited to announce the CRRF COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION FUND (CMF), a fund program providing grants from $5,000-$20,000 for anti-racism projects across the country.
Click read more for more information.
CRRF 2020 Annual Public Meeting
During this year's meeting, our new Executive Director Mohammed Hashim took the time to outline the achievements of this past year.
Click read more for the meeting summary.
CRRF Welcomes Stephanie Xu
Stephanie Xu is a recent MSc graduate from the London School of Economics and Political Science. With a communications and conflict studies background, her previous work and research has focused on the visual representation of marginalized communities and their rightful agency.
She looks forward to joining the CRRF in carrying forth anti-racism efforts, especially towards issues of anti-Asian racism.
RFP: Organisational Risk Assessment and Risk Registry Matrix
The CRRF Board of Directors recognise the importance of having strong and appropriate organisational, strategic and managerial structures in place to enable program expansion and goal achievement. Both, the strategic planning process and risk management are a central part of this. In September 2020 Executive Committee of the Board of Directors approved to send out Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage a consultant(s) to conduct a risk assessment & to develop CRRF’s Risk Registry Matrix. The process aims to provide a better understanding of the strength and sustainability of the existing structure.
Cross Canada Conversation - A National Perspective
The focus of the discussions were on challenges faced, best practices, and recommendations for new or improved policies at the national level. We were also interested in the way in which organizations engaged in research and advocacy on behalf of their communities.
24th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Act
Today, 24 years later, the pain of racism and discrimination are felt by many across the nation. We see a rise in anti-black racism, anti-Asian sentiment, Islamophobia, antisemitism, religious discrimination, in an ever more polarized world. Equally, Indigenous communities are increasingly facing discrimination and much more is needed to achieve the promise of reconciliation.
The Canadian Race Relations Foundation welcomes Mohammed Hashim as its new Executive Director
Network of Anti-Racism Organizations
Join the growing list of organizations involved in anti-racism efforts across Canada in our new Anti-Racism Organization database. Following a review for completeness, your organization’s information will be available to any visitor to CRRF’s website. Thank you for working with CRRF in building this database.
CRRF Anti-Racism Workshop
CRRF Anti-Racism Workshop seeks to build on the achievements of the Canada Beyond 150 initiative and an updated bibliographic search capacity. Our goal is to develop capacity for equity, offering a safe space for discussion and conversation about equity, race, and human rights, while simultaneously helping participants navigate differences, diversity, power relationships and conflict.
Racism in Canada Leads to Inequitable Health and Social Outcomes
Looking at Hate Crime Statistics in Canada
Click read more on this analysis by CRRF.
CRRF Webinar: Recognizing Slavery's Legacy of Racism in the Time of COVID-19
To mark August 23 as a day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, Chiamaka and Natasha discuss this shameful legacy and focus on how COVID-19 has exacerbated the social, political, economic and health conditions that are linked to structural racism, thereby causing people of African descent to suffer disproportionately.
Click read more for the event recording.
Systemic Anti-Black Racism in Canada Must be Remedied: Urgent Changes Needed to Help Black Canadians Thrive
The CRRF strongly endorses ON Human Rights Commission 2nd Interim Report on Racial profiling and racial discrimination by Toronto Police Service
Call For Papers - Systemic Racism in Canada
Anti-Black Racism - Now is the Time to Act
2020-2023 Strategic Direction
The consultation and ensuing Board conversations resulted in revised statements for the Foundation’s vision, mission and values. Three (3) new strategic directions were also identified as focus areas for the 2020-2013 Strategic Plan, including the Foundation’s priorities for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
Click below to read more.
Race Relations in Canada 2019
In the spirit of improving Canadian race relations the CRRF annouces the release of a ground-breaking new survey.
Full report and data tables now available: Race Relations in Canada Survey 2019
COVID-19 Notice
We do this by bringing people together and providing educational resources and events for the public. For this reason, the emergence of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic concerns us very deeply and we are also doing our part in slowing the spread of the virus.
Canada 55/150: Protecting our Musqueam ancestors
Raising my children in a multicultural city like Richmond, BC, I never really had to explain racism to them, until the day they clearly witnessed that First Nations people are not treated the same as other Canadians.
Musqueam territory encompasses most of what is now Metro Vancouver. Before contact with the Indian Act Reserve system, the nation had approximately 30 villages throughout the region. The village site of c̓əsnaʔəm had been deemed a National Historic Site by the federal government in the early 1900s, because of the significance of artifacts dating back 2,000 years and hundreds of bodies still buried on the site.
In January of 2012, a Musqueam band member discovered that the village site of c̓əsnaʔəm was being destroyed by backhoes. Upon further investigation, it was learned that a development permit had been issued by the Province of BC to erect condos on the site, which would include underground parking, completely desecrating their ancestors buried there.
Tragically, the digging had already unearthed two adult and two infant remains, and an undetermined number of bones that had been disgracefully placed in rubber totes on the property.
The entire community of Musqueam rose up to take a stand and occupied the site for 200 days. Having been asked by community members to speak on behalf of the occupation, I stood at the site every day, but also felt a pull to be there, as the remains unearthed resembled my own family unit.
I was also the media spokesperson throughout the many actions, which included visiting the non-native cemetery owned by the City of Vancouver. I held up mock ‘rezoning’ and ‘development permit’ signage to indicate to other passersby that their loved ones would never be disturbed for the sake of city development. Other actions included boarding buses to the legislature at the Capital, and holding a rally in front of the Premier’s office and downtown Vancouver.
Unfortunately, having not obtained any response from government, the community took a drastic measure – shutting down the Arthur Laing Bridge during rush hour, a major traffic artery between Vancouver International Airport, and commuters’ access to the city.
Throughout this period, I missed a great deal of time with my children, loss of a full-time job and other irreparable life disruptions. It was a very long, arduous haul. But victory would be ours in the end.
In November of 2012, the final of many permits issued by the Province had been allowed to expire. The title holders on the property finally allowed Musqueam to replace their ancestors back in the ground and hold a sacred ceremony to return them to rest.
As a result of this experience, I have become a social activist on many fronts. Now having a stronger bond with other First Nations throughout Canada who take a stand to right wrongs against their nations, I speak out for families of murdered and missing indigenous women, giving a voice and presence to environmental injustices, and affordable housing issues. Finally, because of the huge community support from so many groups in and around Vancouver, I am now speaking out for other groups facing discrimination, including welcoming refugees to my traditional territory.
Video: Protecting Musqueam burial ground
Other videos
APTN National News: Battle between BC and Musqueam over desecration of burial site escalating
APTN National News: Musqueam First Nation wins Marpole victory
I am now speaking out for other groups facing discrimination, including welcoming refugees to my traditional territory.
Cecilia during a media scrum
Having been asked by community members to speak on behalf of the occupation, I stood at the site every day, but also felt a pull to be there, as the remains unearthed resembled my own family unit.
Resources
“As a wife and mother of two, Richmond resident Cecilia Point never pictured herself as an activist. But when news broke in January that human remains had been discovered at a condominium construction site in south Vancouver, the Musqueam band member says she felt spurred to action.” – Andrea Woo, Globe & Mail August, 2012
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Last modified2017-06-19