What’s Up at City Hall – Ellen’s Motion on Ending Racial Discrimination
Ellen has put forth a motion addressing racism and discrimination that will be discussed at the regular council meeting on Tuesday, March 2 at 2 p.m. If you wish to speak to this motion, send an email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca and then the city clerk will let you know when you will speak.
MOTION
Canadian Coalition of Municipalities against Racism and Discrimination
WHEREAS:
- The City of Vancouver of Vancouver is one of the most diverse cities in Canada a majority of whom are “visible” minorities or aboriginal;
- The City’s Multicultural Relations Policy recognises the importance of all residents being able to conduct their daily lives free from evidence of prejudice on the part of their fellow residents and public servants;
- Addressing the social ill of racism and discrimination is necessary to achieve institutional completeness which is the groundwork for achieving a multicultural society;
- The exclusion of and making invisible diverse communities that represent the ethnic composition of Vancouver today, was clearly manifest at the opening of the Olympic ceremony which speaks to the urgent need to have greater diversity represented at both structural and decision making levels in our Canadian institutions;
- More work needs to be done to expose systemic and systematic racism which continue to have a adverse effects on minorities in the context of marginalization, alienation and has depoliticized minorities;
- March 21, 2010 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Vancouver:
- Express our strong and ongoing commitment to champion equity and respect for all people through the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities against Racism and Discrimination, the endorsement of the Ten Common Commitments Against Racism and Discrimination (See Appendix A) and our municipality’s own unique plan of action;
- Acknowledge that racism and discrimination in Vancouver continues to divide communities, threaten democratic and participatory citizenship and entrench and aggravate inequalities within society;
- Welcome the ongoing role of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO in the work of the Canadian Coalition and of UNESCO in the international coalition and the regional coalitions;
- Call upon municipal governments, in partnership with local, municipal, provincial and pan-Canadian organizations, to invest in efforts and recommendations set forth by the Coalition;
- Further call upon the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to make a strong and ongoing commitment to support the work of the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination and to reiterate its call to its members in the Member’s Advisory issued March 19, 2009 to join the Coalition.
- That this motion be forwarded to the City of Vancouver Multicultural Committee and the EEO to recommend a plan of action to address these serious concerns.
Appendix A
Ten Common Commitments and Sample Actions against Racism and Discrimination
Municipalities are urged to develop their own plan of action in keeping with ten Common Commitments addressing three areas of municipal responsibility:
- The municipality as a guardian of the public interest
1. Increase vigilance against systemic and individual racism and discrimination
2. Monitor racism and discrimination in the community more broadly as well as municipal actions taken to address racism and discrimination
3. Inform and support individuals who experience racism and discrimination
4. Support policing services in their efforts to be exemplary institutions in combating racism and discrimination.
- The municipality as an organization in the fulfillment of human rights
5. Provide equal opportunities as a municipal employer, service provider and contractor.
6. Support measures to promote equity in the labour market.
7. Support measures to challenge racism and discrimination and promote diversity and equal opportunity in housing.
- The municipality as a community sharing responsibility for respecting and promoting human rights and diversity
8. Involve citizens by giving them a voice in anti-racism initiatives and decision-making.
9. Support measures to challenge racism and discrimination and promote diversity and equal opportunity in the education sector and in other forms of learning.
10. Promote respect, understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity and the inclusion of Aboriginal and racialised communities into the cultural fabric of the municipality.
By joining the Coalition, a municipality commits to:
- Endorse 10 Common Commitments.
- Develop or adapt a Plan of Action against Racism.
- Make the 10 Common Commitments and the municipality’s unique Plan of Action an integral part of the municipality’s vision, strategies and policies.
- Cooperate with other organizations and jurisdictions including governments, institutions and civil society.
- Set its priorities, actions and timelines to achieve its Plan.
- Allocate resources to achieve its Plan.
- Exchange expertise with others.
- Share best practices.
- Report publicly on an annual basis on actions undertaken in implementing the 10 Common Commitments and its Plan of Action against racism.
More information on the ten common commitments can be found in the CMARD booklet .
Tags: Council agenda, discrimination, racism
