Today marks Emancipation Day in Canada. On this date 189 years ago, the Slavery Abolition Act, an Act of British Parliament, came into effect officially abolishing slavery in most of the British Empire, including what is now Canada.
Emancipation Day is the opportunity to remind ourselves of our history, but also to recognize that anti-Black racism is still entrenched in our institutions, organizations and communities today, and that our history is linked to the systemic racism that Black Canadians still experience today.
More and more initiatives are being put in place to ensure that our profession is inclusive for everyone, and that it reflects the diversity of our country, but more needs to be done. According to the Department of Justice Canada’s Research and Statistics Division, Black people are still overrepresented in Canada's criminal justice system as both victims and people accused or convicted of crime. They also report being less confident in the criminal justice system. We need to redouble our anti-racism efforts as lawyers, and to call out racism and to stand up against it. The fight for justice and for inclusivity is not over.