COUNCIL: Waterloo councillors issue joint statement about anti-Black racism

WATERLOO — Waterloo’s allwhite council wants you to know it opposes anti-Black racism and aims to root it out.

In a joint statement on Black Lives Matter, council declared Thursday that “the time to end racism against the Black community is now. The change must come from individuals and institutions.”

“Moreover, we must listen to the Black community with an open mind and open heart. We must also commit to doing the learning and unlearning on our own, without the expectation that Black people will do that practical and emotional labour on behalf of us.”

The city statement names George Floyd, who died in the U.S. after telling police he could not breathe with an officer’s knee on his neck. His death has sparked global protests.

It names three other Black people whose deaths have sparked protests; Americans Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna

Taylor, and Canadian Regis Korchinski-Paquet.

Council cited city hall’s internal task force on diversity and inclusion, created in 2018, and pledged “more resources” to develop a community inclusion strategy, fund a community action plan, and support racialized city staff.

Council said: “Beyond getting our own house in order, we are also being asked to dismantle existing systems that have been built on racism and white supremacy and to work toward the creation of new systems that are built on anti-racism, truth and reconciliation, justice, and equitable access to the city. We are ready to engage in that work, too.

“We know we have a lot more work to do to make significant change to eliminate anti-Black racism, and all forms of racism, to further advance diversity and equity in our community and we are committed to this and know it will be an ongoing process.”

The City of Waterloo is the most diverse community in the region with 26 per cent of its population identifying as a visible minority. Its Black population at the time of the 2016 census was almost 2,000 people, about two per cent of the city’s population.

People identifying as Chinese are the largest visible minority in Waterloo, followed by South Asians.