Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Black communities continue to live with the effects of prejudice, discrimination, and hatred—from unconscious bias to anti-Black hate crimes and violence. This has its origins in Canada’s history of colonialism, slavery, and segregation. Despite decades of work by Black communities to reduce the injustices affecting Black people, little has changed, and inequalities continue to exist in Canada.

The murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, US, on May 25, 2020, by a Minneapolis police officer galvanized mass international protests against anti-Black racism, systemic discrimination and police brutality. Similar devastating incidents have also occurred in Canada.

Canada’s Black Justice Strategy (the Strategy) will be the federal government’s response to address anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination that has led to the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system, including as victims of crime. The Strategy will aim to help ensure that Black people have access to equal treatment before and under the law in Canada.

The Strategy is being developed in consultation with Black communities across Canada, including an external Steering Group of experts and leaders. This work ensures that the Strategy reflects the diversity of experiences and regional realities of Black people in Canada, as well as different intersectionalities, such as ethnic or cultural origin, religion, gender, age, language, disability, sexual orientation, and multiracial heritage .

At the international level, the Strategy will help respond to the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent (UNDPAD 2015-2024)’s call to action, which recognizes the barriers experienced by Black people, including in the criminal justice system, and urges reform and modernization of justice systems across the world.

Legend

Completed

Current phase

Yet to occur

Current status

Completed

Establishment of Steering Group

Completed

Consultations with Black communities

Completed

Report from the external Steering Group

Current phase

Development and release of the Government Response

Yet to occur

Implementation of Canada's Black Justice Strategy

Publications

Read the history-making report of the external Steering Group and other publications informing the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

External Steering Group

Meet the external Steering Group that provided strategic advice to the Government of Canada on the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Consultations and Engagements

Learn about the consultations and engagements that occurred between September and October 2023 as part of the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Next steps

Overview of the different phases and next steps for the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about the development of Canada’s Black Justice Strategy

Additional information and resources

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