On Twitter, on the Straight Dope, basically everywhere when somebody even just suggests Canada may have some problems with racism every Canadian within a 100 mile radius barges in and starts fighting more than they did in World War 2. They claim that while “Canada isn’t perfect” that it’s “Not a fraction as bad as it is in the United States” but then when you give them actual sources from non-white Canadians about how racism is worse in many ways over there because nobody talks about it, they do the usual thing and just bring up police shootings in America as “proof” that Canada doesn’t have a racism problem.
I’m not even saying Canada and the United States are 1:1, but even suggesting Canada can be racist gets even the most white “woke ally” Canadian screaming at you.
I’m Canadian and I certainly admit that we have problems with racism. In fact, from Montreal, here’s proof: Indigenous woman records slurs by hospital staff before her death | Montreal Gazette. This poor aboriginal women was the recipient of racist remarks from nurses at a hospital where she was dying, and she captured it on her phone.
And Halifax has long-standing racism issues, particularly with Blacks.
Personally I tend to think that it’s more of an urban vs rural/non-worldly, or educated vs non-educated pov than Canada vs US.
Not my experience as a Canadian. Most I know, acknowledge the problems quite openly.
Any community near a First Nations Community is actively aware I should think.
But Canadian’s greatest fear is to be lumped in with Americans, so they are always qualifying it’s not, y’know, like ‘down there’. When, in fact, it IS like that, only in a lesser sense as it’s simply a much smaller sample.
You’re hearing a fear of being regarded as ‘Just like the US!’, manifesting as defensiveness, is my guess.
Absolutely! I used to be in the Canadian military and in one of my jobs we had an exchange posting for a USAF captain. He enjoyed his posting (late 1990s) but one thing that bothered him was the impression that we seemed to use “we’ll be just like the Americans” to refer to something going really badly.
I grew up in the prairies and I’m occasionally surprised by people in Toronto who seem only vaguely aware that Native Canadians exist (and who assume that racial discrimination = Black racial discrimination).
This seems to be a personal bugbear of the OP. Canada absolutely has systemic racism which is often pernicious, unrecognized, unjust and widespread - and recently increasing. But also more condemned and acknowledged.
“The most defensive”? No. This has not been my experience. Our Liberal Prime Minister has made these arguments publically. Our previous Conservative Prime Minister also publically apologized for some historic events. Institutions have been slower to acknowledge systemic racism, but some are making slow strides.
I know several Americans, of different ethnicities, who say there is less racism in Canada than many places. I’ve talked to people from many countries about it. I know Mexicans who tell me that “Canadians are not gringoes” compared to some other nations. I think racism in Canada is more subtle and behind the back - not acknowledging, promoting or supporting people rather than insulting them. But that happens too, of course. I’ve had my share of unpleasant experiences too.
My experience is many people, of all ethnicities, have stereotypes about others - some are unhelpful, a few are indefensible.
I do think Canadians going to other places are more likely to try to learn something about the language and culture. That politeness and avoiding conflict is valued (although sometimes is feigned). Canadian schools and neighbourhoods are generally well integrated - and exposure absolutely reduces racism. Toronto is one of the world’s most diverse and international cities. Millions of Canadians are bilingual - learning French, possibly speaking Italian or Chinese at home.
Canadians have been too reluctant to discuss problems. Some countries are much less tolerant than Canada and so sometimes their advice may be perceived less harmoniously.
Gotta say, my Canadian wife and her entire extended family (all except her still resident in Canada) would absolutely insist that there is no racism, or at least very little racism, in Canada, and offer as evidence that they (they themselves and Canadians in general) couldn’t possibly be racist, the diversity of the Canadian population and Canada’s more welcoming (compared to the US) attitude towards immigrants.
They can get pretty defensive about it. That’s just one family, I know.
Certainly there’s no obvious racism in her town, but it’s pretty much the most ethnically homogeneous place I’ve ever been in my life.
I am not convinced that’s a Canadian thing so much as a WHITE PEOPLE thing. Everywhere you go, a shockingly large percentage of white people really think racism isn’t a problem anymore.
The difference is if you ask white Americans if racism is a problem in the United States you’ll at least get 40% of more saying that it is.
White Canadians put up a United front about how racism either isn’t a big deal or a non-committal “we’re making strides”. When you get multiple “big-name” Canadian posters here openly saying it isn’t a problem and nobody seems to call them out, maybe it is a problem.
If only forty percent of Americans believe racism is a problem, that in itself is a problem. Since this is the third thread where you have raised this issue in the last few days, please supply cites and verification for any of your claims.
I watched a documentary some time ago. It was about some kind of genetic issue, and isn’t relevant. But the presenter was of Japanese ethnic background, and a Canadian. I had no idea that Canada did as the US did, and put at least their West Coast Japanese heritage residents in camps during WWII. Nope, no racism there.
This has been widely acknowledged, is taught in every school, and was the subject of a Prime Ministerial apology. Most Canadians would argue it was excessive, even if carried out during wartime against that country. Not a very recent example, is it?
Racist people exist everywhere, but the targets,of the racism are different. And it is NOT a ‘white’ phenomenon. I know some very racist people from India. And the most prevalent racism in my extended family seems to be targeted at the Dutch for some reason.
Canada doesn’t have as much of a problem of racism against Black people, because A) we have comparatively few black people, and B) they tend to not make up an underclass or cause crime. Instead, Canadian racism seems focused more on new immigrants and Native Canadians.
We have ‘systemic racism’, but it is different. We incentivized Native people to stay on reservations where there was no opportunity and no jobs, and then gave them horrific public schools and put them on welfare. Misguided policies that were considered ‘progressive’ at the time, much like the ‘projects’ in the states which were supposed to uplift inner city communities but instead turned into slums and trapped minority kids in failed inner cities with terrible public schools, no role models and no jobs.
Looked it up, Washington Post says 65% say race discrimination is a problem. According to this 60% of Canadians also say systemic racism is a problem but apparently they aren’t on the internet.
The Globe and Mail is considered moderate by Canadian standards. (All Canadian political parties are moderate by international standards.). They agree systemic racism is under appreciated here.
Asuka, we’re 17 posts into this thread, including several by you, and you haven’t actually explained what you’re talking about. Your theory appeared to start out being that Canadians do not believe there is racism in Canada. Now you seem to be maybe saying Canadians on the SDMB don’t believe there is racism in Canada. Could you please provide some evidence or references for what it is you’re talking about?