Premier’s denial of systemic racism adds to hurt

It’s time for all to recognize what has long been obvious to minorities

Even if our premier can’t see it, systemic racism is alive and well in Quebec, make no mistake about it. Ask any visible or religious minority, a person of colour, or someone with a “foreign-sounding” name, and they can tell you it’s as plain as day.

From disproportionate unemployment rates among people of colour, to established racial profiling by the SPVM, to people of colour being paid a fraction of their white colleagues — these things are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to systemic racism in our province. There is also the passing of laws that marginalize religious minorities (Bill 21), and the treatment of Indigenous people, as called out in the Viens commission report last year.

Listening to Premier François Legault’s comments that systemic racism does not exist in Quebec earlier this week gave me the same sickening feeling I experienced when he denied the existence of Islamophobia in Quebec two days after the anniversary of the Quebec City shooting. He later tried to nuance his remarks, but the damage was done.

The ease and speed with which those unaffected by a societal affliction like racism can disavow its existence can make your head spin, yet it’s not news to anyone who has lived that experience. Legault, a privileged middle-aged white man, weighing in and claiming that systemic racism does not exist reminds me of white, male senators in Alabama overwhelmingly passing anti-abortion legislation

The black community has dealt with enough. This is not their burden to shoulder.

there last year whose impact would be most felt by black women. Sorry, but Legault either lacks insight into the lived reality of minorities in Quebec, or is wilfully ignoring carefully conducted studies and reports. The situation is only exacerbated by the lack of diversity in the National Assembly. Only a handful of the 125 MNAS are non-white.

Many of us have spent the past week grieving the killing of unarmed George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. I do not really want to be speaking about systemic racism now. I just want to mourn alongside the black community, but I also feel a responsibility to help amplify their voices, as do many others, judging from the way social media has been buzzing with people searching for creative ways to amplify black voices and support the black community.

The reality is that I cannot merely ignore comments that add insult to injury. We all need to stop and consider the impact our premier’s words will have. Black, Arab or Indigenous individuals are already much more likely to be targeted by the police here in our city. The power of a government leader, denying that something exists, hurts those regularly afflicted by this, while empowering and encouraging the racists and discriminatory elements that already exist in our society.

The time has come for us to raise our collective voice and recognize what has been going on before our eyes. There is a reason that the heinous killing of an American black man is sending out ripples being felt the world over.

The black community has dealt with enough. This is not their burden to shoulder. This is not the time for them to have to speak up and denounce the denial of systemic racism in Quebec yet again. This is the time for the rest of us to speak up. This is the time for the rest of us to learn how to become better allies.

Merely ignoring the matter will not make it go away; instead, the hurt felt by the black community will further permeate into the fabric of our society. The callous killing of George Floyd reminded us all that the treatment of black people in society is not a black issue, but a human issue. Each and every one of us has a responsibility to do better.