Canadian Constitution Act of 1982

To what extent was Pierre Trudeau’s vision of a “just society” actually achieved in Canada in (and since) the 1970s? Canada is a just society because of the changes to women's legal rights, ethnic minority human rights, and multiculturalism.

Immigration policies have been under fire for their racist under- or overtones. As Rees states, "Canadian immigration policy has historically always been determined by racial preferences." Institutionalized racism is a problem in Canada, in spite of the many official policies and programs designed to manufacture an equitable society. For example, Canada's Human Rights Commission and Employment Equity Act are both admirable but "Canada fails to fully implement" their guidelines (Song). Racial profiling is also a problem in the Canadian law enforcement and immigration sector. One study shows that Canadian residents who are African or black receive "harsher treatment" than white residents, and are also "overrepresented in police statistics of charges and arrests," (Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants).

For example, racialized nurses in Canada may experience multiple forms of everyday racism in their working lives, including instances of tokenism, bullying or invisibility, excessive monitoring, lack of recognition, and verbal put-downs because of race and ethnicity (Das Gupta 2009; Estachio and Saidy-Khan 2014). The micro-racism in the nursing workplace also intersects other negative identity markers such as race, gender, class, and ability to amplify the exclusions or invalidations. Clearly, then, a contradiction is in play: Individuals may be equal before the law in terms of equal opportunities, yet still be slighted or excluded if their identities and realities are misrecognized or discredited through the racialized tone of everyday rhetoric (see Levey 2013). Formal citizenship rights may be real, but they must be exercised in everyday contexts neither constructed to reflect minority realities nor designed to Canadian Ethnic Studies/Études ethniques au Canada advance their interests (Fleras

There has been a significant body of literature which has attested to the veracity of the argument that black Canadians are victimized via racial profiling. For example, the Commission of Systemic Racism in the Ontario Criminal Justice System found that the majority of black respondents surveyed had been treated unfairly by the Canadian criminal justice system (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p.133-134). Furthermore, Canadian research studies have consistently revealed that blacks are more likely to come into negative police contact compared to Caucasians (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p. 135). Alarmingly, suspected black offenders are also more likely to be shot and experience use of force by Canadian law enforcement personnel than their white counterparts (Wortley and Owusu-Bempah, 2011, p. 138).

This paper will explore the act of racial profiling and the constitutional rights it infringes upon, as that leads to a number of psychological and social damages within Canadian society. Today public and police encounters can be harmful and stressful events that are largely experienced by minority groups. As a multicultural nation, Canada is supposed to preserve its core values, such as freedom from discrimination, but this is not always the case. According to The Racial Profiling Debate In Canada, “In the criminological literature, racial profiling is said to exist when the members of certain racial or ethnic groups become

Canadian workplaces today seem to be a fairly diverse place, with a blend of many religions, ethnicities, and genders present. However, although people preach affirmative action and melting pots in current times, many inequality and power issues still abound. One strikingly noticeable example is gender discrimination. Women in the workforce face many challenges like smaller wages, harassment, male privilege in hiring or promotions, and lack of support when pregnant or raising children. One half of the planet is women, and it can be assumed the same for Canada, but they still face judgment at work because they lack the authority to dispute against big corporations or even their male supervisor. It cannot be argued that

In the eyes of a Canadian, the notion of human rights has evolved drastically over time. Change is ignited when someone feels as though they are being treated unfairly and action is taken to reverse this oppressive environment. There has been a historical pattern of unjust and inhuman acts towards perceived racially inferior groups in Canadian history during the 20th century. The uprising of Black Civil Rights was a crucial step towards an equal and just society; despite Canada’s influence in the fight against the Nazis’ repressive actions in WW2, the fight for racial

It has been a long and hard journey in Canada to attain gender equality between men and women. Today, most people are unaware of the discrimination in workplaces, schools, and everyday life. Due to the Famous Five who lead the Persons Case that stated women as official persons, and many heroic individuals who lead the Women’s Suffrage Movement, women now have more opportunities than ever before. The Canadian Labour Movement has helped improve many citizens’ careers including those of women, protecting them from discrimination, violence, and harassment at work. Saskatchewan feminism has followed a similar path to Canada concerning women’s rights, most often categorized into three influential periods of time. The gender pay gap is the difference of money that men and women make, that is a crucial example of gender inequality. Gender stereotypes have limited the ability of men and women, judging them with false ideas through the media. All of these have played a major part of women’s rights and gender equality today.

Racial Profiling can be described as an individual being suspected of a crime solely on the grounds of their race or ethnicity. Racial Profiling goes against the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom, and takes away an individual rights. Racial profiling is wrong and ineffective. It affects both the community and it misshapes the democracy of our country. Racial profiling is caused by stereotyping certain minority groups. Racial profiling targets innocent people who are wrongfully accused because of stereotyping, while those who have commited the crime may face no consequnces because of inadequate searches. Victims who sufer from racial profiling have their rights stripped, causing them to question their freedom in a democratic country. Racial profiling has affected many people of colour in Canada. Rangings from African Americans to muslims and people of Arab decent and even Canada’s very own aboriginal people. Racial profiling in its lowest form tends to cause overpolicing or under policing of certain communities. Racial Profiling has been a serious issue in Canada for years. Racial profiling not only lead to imprisonment, it can sometimes even lead to death all because of stereotyping. This paper will discuss, what are the effects of racial profiling within minorities? How this leads to crime?

Discrimination is a big topic it can be blatantly out of discussion but it is important to stress that people of all race, gender and sex, religion or even sexual orientation. In Canada specifically has done some reasonable set of legal protections to prevent Canadians from being discriminated against but sometimes it is not that easy and things turn out of people’s control and will. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a section of the Canadian Constitution that makes it illegal for the government of Canada, and the provincial government to pass laws that either plainly discriminate against certain Canadians on the basis of their identity. Place an unfair burden on one group over another. The Supreme Court of Canada routinely overturns laws they perceive to be discriminatory on the grounds of Charter protections. Canada’s legislation called the Canadian Human Rights Act that prevents private entities, such as employers, landlords, schools, and stores from discriminating against clients or customers on the basis of identity. Discrimination cases of these sorts are decided by a government known as the Human Rights Tribunal that has the power to issue fines and or other corrective actions. The various provincial governments have their own human rights laws.

In this essay, I would like to explain the racial policing with the issue of discrimination and racism towards marginalized and the black people. The article describes the risk assessment strategies and legislative responses of policing to reduce racial policing. The article explains the racial policing through racialization and Canada is a country who receives immigrants from a different culture, ethnic, race, and color (Wortley and Akwasi 2011). Every year a large number of immigrants settle in Canada. Those who migrate from one country to Canada may face several challenges such as language barrier, discrimination, racism, and racial policing.

These first readings brought a lot of questioning on my part, and I must say, doubt (both of existing theories and of myself) and confusion. The discussion between Dr. Wanda and her student (Bernard and Butler, 2014) was very informative, and an eye-opener for me. As the other texts also pointed out, being a white female, I have lived my whole life with privileges that I have always thought were the “normal” way of life (Schiraldi, 2013; Hunn, Harley, Elliott & Canfield, 2015). I have not had to deal with the various forms of oppression that other groups have, based on their religion, culture, ethnicity, etc. I did not think that racism in Canada was as much of an issue as it still is, likely because I, myself, have never felt I was discriminated against due to the color of my skin. Schiraldi said it best: “Those who have power may often stereotype and perceive homogeneity because their perceptions are rarely challenged by those not in power” (2013, p. 3)

The pressure placed upon multicultural often leads to questioning of its value and usefulness in building the Canadian nation. there have been far too many questionable call of ethics on behalf of the government in regardless to who has taken, or not been able to take up for role in the country. Historically we see this negative connotation follow distinct groups of people. Notably: Aboriginal with residential schools (thought interesting because they are now seen as founding peoples, yet the last residential school was only closed in the early 90s), the Chinese head tax, Japanese intermittent camps, the turning away of Jewish individuals during WWII. It becomes difficult to see how some of those “marginalized or minority” groups in Canada are able to find themselves, even today, in an inclusive, equal and democratic society when multiculturalism in public discourse often hold onto old or stereotypical understandings. It continues to act as an ongoing point of contention because of the lack of historical knowledge Canadians have, as well as the increasing lack of engagement day-to-day contemporary politics and national happenings. It acts as an ignorance, that ultimately has consequences on the nations moral as well as its multicultural policies. In order to progress as a society and nation, it becomes increasingly difficult to build the foundation on old understandings and not re-contextualize group and national identities in a 21st century context (Leung 1-2). Leung notes

Racial discrimination in the workplace has been a persistent theme in Canada’s history as well as present-day times. The occurrence of actions and attitudes that impose a sense of one being less equal than another on the basis of one’s race in Canada’s workplace inhibits both our nation’s ability to move forward as well as strengthen unification within our country. The belief in a more egalitarian society, where one’s race and ethnic background have little to no impact on employees (or potential employees) standings within the job market, would seemingly be reinforced by the majority of Canadians, who consistently show support for Canada’s multicultural identity. Couple that with the noticeable strides Canada has made in the past several

In addition to the pervious studies conducted in Canada, Discrimination or “Good” Good Policing? The Racial Profiling Debate In Canada. Canadian cities law enforcement officers in Toronto, Montréal and Halifax only seem to be targeting African American drivers, stopping and searching their car, and questioning them for simply driving while black. Researchers conducted a longitude study that started in the year 1995 and ended in 2000, recent issues relating to racial profiling in Toronto in the African American community have reached a boiling. Studies consistently show that African Americans are once again the main targets and overly looked at when it comes to suspicious activities, consistently searched to see if they are in possession