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July 20, 2021 durhamcitizen.ca 7

Ontario bolstering supports for African Canadian

and Black Children and Youth in Care

New annual funding to combat anti-Black racism within the child welfare system

HAMILTON — The Ontario program for child welfare leaders intervention is a key component of
government is investing $800,000 Aunties and Uncles, a unique Ontario’s child welfare redesign
annually in One Vision, One Voice, initiative offering Black and strategy. This includes investing in
a community-led initiative with a African Canadian youth in care a initiatives to better ser ve
focus on anti-Black racism. The Black mentor, or an “auntie or Indigenous, Black, racialized and
project supports the delivery of uncle,” who can provide a sense of LGBTQ2S children and youth.
culturally appropriate services to cultural self-identity “We commend the government for
address the disproportionate An African Canadian service recognizing the damaging impact
re p re s e n t a t i o n o f A f r i c a n delivery model to help children’s of the overrepresentation of
Canadian and Black children and aid societies support Black and African Canadians in the child
youth in the child welfare system, African Canadian children, youth welfare system,” said Nicole
as well as significant disparities and families Bonnie, Chief Executive Officer of
they face compared to other A mentoring program for African the Ontario Association of
groups. Canadian child welfare staff to Children’s Aid Societies. “This
“One Vision, One Voice gives advance to senior level positions, funding will help support the
African Canadian and Black and dismantling of anti-Black racism
children and youth in care a much Multiple youth symposiums for as it requires consistent, urgent
s t ro n ge r vo i ce ,” s a i d Ja n e African Canadian and Black Youth and focused attention. The One
McKenna, Associate Minister of in Care and symposiums for all- Vision One Voice practice
Children and Women’s Issues. Black staff. frameworks will provide societies
“Ensuring Black families have “This important work being done with the tools to embed culturally practices, engage communities, of Toronto account for five times
access to culturally appropriate by the child welfare sector will relevant supports to help examine and reinvent a system that ensures their representation in the city’s
supports when they are needed is provide Black children and youth systemic issues related to anti- Black children, youth and families overall population.
essential as we redesign child with the supports they need to Black racism, policies and in the community, and in care, have Ontario funds a broader range of
welfare in Ontario and work to achieve their full potential,” said practices that create disparate access to services that will support, other supports for Ontario’s Black
build a better, more inclusive Dr. Merilee Fullerton, Minister of outcomes for Black families.” promote and enhance their overall communities. Through the
system.” Children, Community and Social “We recognize that Black and health and well-being.” Ontario Black Youth Action Plan,
The purpose of the One Vision One Services. “These new supports will racialized children and families are African Canadian and Black the government is increasing
Voice project is to support the build on the incredible work of overrepresented in the child children, youth and families have opportunities for Black children,
delivery of safe and suitable community organizations through welfare system, including at our experienced discrimination in the youth and families through a suite
services for African Canadian and the enhanced Ontario Black Youth agency,” said Bryan Shone, child welfare system and face of services and supports, including
Black children, youth and families Action Plan.” Executive Director from the disproportionately poor outcomes a youth mentorship program,
to improve outcomes in Ontario’s Providing high quality, culturally C h i l d re n’s A i d S o c i e t y o f a s a re s u l t . T h e y a re a l s o career development and training
child welfare system. Some appropriate and responsive Hamilton. “One Vision One Voice overrepresented in the system. For and parenting supports, in target
significant achievements include: community-based services with a continues to provide us with an instance, Black children and youth communities across the province.
An anti-Black racism training focus on prevention and early opportunity to adjust our in care at the Children’s Aid Society

Muslim council issues recommendations ahead

of national Islamophobia summit this week

A national strategy to fight anti- expect tangible change to take C h a g ge r s a i d Mo n d ay t h e
Muslim hate across society is one of place at all levels of government.” government will work directly with
61 recommendations released Of the 61 recommendations, Al- organizations like the council and
Monday by the National Council of “ Azem highlighted one calling on takes it recommendations
Canadian Muslims ahead of a The reality is that attacks on the attorney general to intervene in seriously.
summit on Islamophobia to be racialized minorities, whether it’s all challenges to Quebec's "I can tell you that our government
held later this week. secularism law, known as Bill 21. hears the Muslim community loud
The organization hosted events on attacks on Muslims, Indigenous The law, adopted in June 2019, and clear, that more action needs to
Monday in cities that have folks, Black people, Sikhs, Jewish, prohibits public sector workers be taken to protect Muslim
experienced crimes targeting it implicates all of us who are deemed to be in positions communities against hate and
Muslims in recent years, including of authority, including teachers, d i s c r i m i n a t i o n f u e l e d b y
Quebec City, the Greater Toronto as Canadians, police officers and judges, from Islamophobia," said press secretary
Area, Edmonton and London, - Mustafa Farooq wearing religious symbols at work. Aidan Strickland. "We take all
Ont., where last month four It makes pre-emptive use of the recommendations seriously, and
members of a family were killed Charter of Rights and Freedoms' will remain committed to listening
while out for a walk. It used the notwithstanding clause, which to the communities with lived
e v e n t s t o u n v e i l i t s 6 1 service and the wider Canadian the prohibition of white shields legislation from court experiences to inform our actions
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f o r society. The group suggested supremacist rallies. challenges over violations of to create a diverse and consciously
policymakers ahead of Thursday's Ottawa create a special envoy to In Quebec City, the announcement fundamental rights. more inclusive Canada for all."
national summit, a virtual event. deal with Islamophobia and to took place outside the Islamic A l - A z e m s a i d t h e l a w Calls for the Islamophobia summit
Mustafa Farooq, chief executive investigate alleged profiling within Cultural Centre, the site of a deadly disproportionately affects Muslim came after Madiha Salman, 44, her
officer of the NCCM, told reporters the Canada Revenue Agency and shooting in January 2017 that left women as well as Jews and Sikhs. “If husband, Salman Afzaal, 46, their
in southwestern Ontario the national security agencies, Farooq six men dead and others seriously I wanted to move to Quebec and 15-year-old daughter Yumna
recommendations target every said. injured. "The reality is Canada has work for the office of the Crown, (I) Salman and Afzaal's 74-year-old
level of government and were Other recommendations consist of suffered more mass killings in the would be forced to choose between mother, Talat Afzaal, were run
compiled following consultations amending the Criminal Code to past five years than any other either practising my faith or my down by a driver in London, Ont.,
with members of the Muslim include specific penalties and country in the G7,” Farooq said. profession, (so) I feel particularly in June. The couple's nine-year-old
community across the country. dedicated prosecutors for hate “This cannot be allowed to strong about Bill 21, a law that in son, Fayez, was seriously injured in
“We need to see action and we need crimes involving assault, threats, continue.” the year 2021, polices and regulates the attack.
to see it now,” Farooq said. mischief and murder. The group Nusaiba Al-Azem, second vice- women’s attire, religious freedom “Real change is the true and only
“Governments attending the also wants the government to no chair of the London Muslim and our freedom of expression," m e a s u r e o f s u c c e s s a n d
summit must know that we want longer require the attorney Mosque, said the summit shouldn't she said. accountability of this summit," Al-
more than their attendance, we general's consent before hate- be seen by politicians as a one-off. “The reality is that attacks on Azem said. "So that we can all
want to see their commitment to based and genocide cases are “As we stand here a few days before racialized minorities, whether it’s collectively ensure that no other
timelines.” prosecuted. the summit to take place, we want attacks on Muslims, Indigenous community will ever have to open
M o r e t h a n h a l f o f t h e F o r p r o v i n c e s , t h e to use this opportunity to remind folks, Black folks, Sikh folks, Jewish its doors to tens of thousands of
recommendations are directed re co m m e n d a t i o n s i n c l u d e our elected officials that this folks, it implicates all of us as mourners like we did here in
toward the federal government and teaching about Islamophobia in summit is not, should not and Canadians,” Farooq said. London on June 8."
include the creation of a strategy to schools, an accountability system cannot be the end,” Al-Azem said. A spokeswoman for Diversity and Sidhartha Banerjee,
fight Islamophobia within the civil for police hate-crimes units and “It's simply a means from which we Inclusion Minister Bardish The Canadian Press