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 suffering in silence waiting for help that never comes forcing your smile while nothing gets done

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
HELPLINE: 1(877)977-7894

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ELDERLY COMMUNITY

HELP FAMILIES DISCOVER THEIR HERITAGE

Our helpline offers support to all victims of racial discrimination or hate crimes including the often overlooked and underserved Black multi-racial Canadian community.

Racially motivated crimes targeting the Black-Canadian population remain by far the most common type of hate crime in Canada, at least double the amount of police-reported incidents than any other racial group.

Your heartfelt donation provides helpful resources to those who need them most.

Covid-19 has had a disproportionate financial impact on Black small businesses. Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) funding programs intended to assist Canadian businesses with financial relief had criteria that exempted many Black Canadian entrepreneurs from being approved.

Your kind donation provides helpful resources and opportunities to Black business owners and underserved businesses in your local community.

Harmful stereotypes can lead to Elderly discrimination or ageism. According to the Revera Report on Ageism in 2012, 41% of Seniors felt ignored or treated as invisible. We aim to build stronger relationships with local Seniors and spread awareness about adverse issues that directly impact the Canadian Elderly community.

Your compassionate donation goes towards essential services like free grocery delivery and the purchase of SMART medical devices that assist the elderly in reducing daily burdens caused by a disability and other physical or mental barriers.

The 2021 Canadian Census reported more than 450 ethnic or cultural origins in Canada. The Black population in Canada belongs to over 200 different cultures that speak more than 450 mother tongues. Centuries of crimes against humanity have contributed to the dismantling of identities and forced separation of generations of Black families.

Your generous donation provides helpful resources to Black families who wish to reconnect to 50 – 2,000 years of lost African heritage and rediscover their original ethnic tribe. In addition to connecting families to their lost past through professional DNA testing, we provide additional tools to help underserved Canadian families overcome social and systemic barriers that impede positive mental health or degrade their quality of life.

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What is Discrimination?

Treating someone unfairly by either imposing a burden on them, or denying them a privilege, benefit or opportunity -enjoyed by others, because of their race, citizenship, family status, disability, sex or other personal characteristics.
-canada.ca
of Black people aged 15 years and older reported experiencing at least one form of discrimination in the past 5 years - www.justice.gc.ca
0 %

What is a hate crime?

Crime was motivated because of hate/bias toward the victim’s racial, religious, ethnic or sexual orientation.


– Ministry of the Solicitor General / Correctional Service of Canada

of hate Crimes are against Black people. - www150.statcan.gc.ca
0 %

Did you know?

Hate crimes are among the most under-reported forms of criminality.
– justice.gc.ca

9 out of 10 hate crimes go unreported.

Hate crimes targeting the Black population remains by far the most common type of hate crimes, at least double the amount of police reported incidents than any other racial group.

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What is Discrimination?

Treating someone unfairly by either imposing a burden on them, or denying them a privilege, benefit or opportunity -enjoyed by others, because of their race, citizenship, family status, disability, sex or other personal characteristics.

-Government of Canada

of Canada’s Black population reported experiencing discrimination 5 years prior to the beginning of the pandemic or during the pandemic

 - Statistics Canada (2020)
0 %
of Black people aged 15 years and older reported experiencing at least one form of discrimination in the past 5 years

- Department of Justice (2019)
0 %

Black youth aged 15 to 34 were more likely to report experiencing discrimination compared to adults aged 35 and 54 and 55 and older (73%, 62% and 48%, respectively)

 – Statistics Canada (2020)

What is hate speech?

In common language, “hate speech” refers to offensive discourse targeting a group or an individual based on inherent characteristics (such as race, religion or gender) and that may threaten social peace.

– United Nations

What is a hate crime?

A criminal offence committed against a person or property which is motivated by the suspect/offender’s hate/bias against a racial, religious, ethnic, sexual orientation or disability group.

– Policing Standards Manual, Province of Ontario

There is no such thing as a Hate Crime in the Criminal Code of Canada. There are only three offences in the Code that specifically pertain to hate, they fall under the Hate-Propaganda section and they are as follows:

  • Section 318 – Advocating Genocide.
  • Section 319 (1) – Public Incitement of Hatred.
  • Section 319 (2) – Wilful Promotion of Hatred.

– Peel Regional Police

of hate Crimes are against Black people.
- Statistics Canada (2020)
0 %

Did you know?

Hate crimes are among the most under-reported forms of criminality.

-Department of Justice

In 2009, of the staggering 223,000 incidents, fewer than a quarter of them – or 48,000 – ended up being reported to police.

– CTV News (2021)

Racially motivated crimes targeting the Black-Canadian population remain by far the most common type of hate crime in Canada, at least double the amount of police-reported incidents than any other racial group.

“There are many Black businesses in Canada that are under-banked, or unbanked, and the pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges,”

-Tiffany Callender, CEO of the Federation of African Canadian Economics

Covid-19 has had a disproportionate financial impact on Black small businesses. Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) funding programs intended to assist Canadian businesses with financial relief had criteria that exempted many Black Canadian entrepreneurs from being approved.

-Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce with the support of Pitch Better and the Business Development Bank of Canada

Financial institutions that finance businesses have little understanding of the Black community and the products and services that cater to them. Only 19% of respondents said they trusted banks to do what was right for them and their community.

-African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon (2021)

estimated Black business owners in Canada

-Statistics Canada (2018)
0
are located in Ontario, followed by Quebec (23.3%).

-Statistics Canada (2018)
0 %
of Black businesses are owned by Black men.

-Statistics Canada (2018)
0 %
of Black businesses are owned by Black immigrants.

Half of the Black immigrant owners originate from Nigeria (14.2%) population: 41,415 , Jamaica (12.1%) population: 122,550, Ethiopia (10.5%) population: 30,960 , Haiti (10.2%) population: 92,040 and Somalia (4.7%) population: 25,300.

-Statistics Canada (2018)
0 %
of Canada’s Black population reported experiencing discrimination 5 years prior to the beginning of the pandemic or during the pandemic

 - Statistics Canada (2020)
0 %

342 Black Businesses owners and entrepreneurs from across Canada participated in a survey between March 23, 2021, and April 15, 2021, with the African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon.

44%-50% of black entrepreneurs are unable to pay themselves for their businesses.


-African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon (2021)

of Black entrepreneurs say finding $10,000 to support their business would be challenging. The top expressed barriers for Black entrepreneurs were funding, financing, capital or sales.

-African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon (2021)
0 %
of the Black entrepreneurs generated less than $100,000 in revenue. More than half had less than $50,000 in revenue.

-African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon (2021)
0 %
of unincorporated Canadian businesses owned by Black people have fewer than one employee.

-Statistics Canada (2023)
0 %
of incorporated Black businesses have fewer than five employees.

-Statistics Canada (2023)
0 %
had no access to any external sources of funding to meet their business needs within the last 18 months.

-Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada (2019)
0 %
of possible Canadian entrepreneurs surveyed in 2022 were deterred from starting a business due to fear of failure.

- Statista Research Department (2023)
0 %

Over the last five years (from 2015 to 2019), on average, 101,324 businesses were created every year and 90,151 disappeared. Of the average 90,151 annual closures, 92.0%, 7.5%, and 0.4% were businesses with 1−4, 5−19, and 20−99 employees, respectively.

Canadian businesses that began operations with 1−4 employees. 63.0% were still active after 5 years, 43.7% after 10 years, and 27.0% after 18 years.


Canadian businesses that began operations with a workforce of 20−99 employees. 74.6% were still active after 5 years, 55.3% after 10 years and 36.8% after 18 years.

-Statistics Canada (2022)

of Canadian businesses between 2022 and 2008 lasted more than five years.

-Industry Canada
0 %

 Out of 150,000 new Canadian businesses, only 7,000 businesses filed for bankruptcy between 2008-2009

-Canadian Revenue Agency

of 342 surveyed Black entrepreneurs said their race makes it hard to succeed as an entrepreneur.

-African Canadian Senate Group & Senator Colin Deacon (2021)
0 %
of Black entrepreneurs report that they are either very or somewhat optimistic about the future of their business.

-Canadian Black Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Business Development Bank of Canada (2019)
0 %
of Canadian online shoppers surveyed in 2022 made online purchases from domestic businesses for reasons related to benefitting the local economy and supporting Canadian businesses.

-Statista Research Department (2023)
0 %
of the 353,000 deaths during the first 15 months of the pandemic were Canadians aged 65 and older. Deaths during this period exceeded the expected number.

-Statistics Canada (2021)
0 %
of the 353,000 deaths during the first 15 months of the pandemic were Canadians aged 65 and older. Deaths during this period exceeded the expected number.

-Statistics Canada (2021)
0 %
of Seniors feel ignored or treated as invisible

-Revera Report on Ageism (2012)
0 %
of Canadians associate aging with something negative like not being able to get around easily, losing independence or being alone

-Revera Report on Ageism (2012)
0 %

Top changes suggested by Canadians to combat age discrimination

“Invest in technologies that can help older people live independently.”

We aim to improve the quality of life of Elders by using SMART technology to aid the disadvantaged and disabled.

 “Raise awareness about ageism.”

Discrimination of any form is harmful. Our charitable campaign reaches out to the local community to spread awareness of ageism and request support for our underserved elderly community.

“More funding of health care solutions that address the specific needs of an aging population.”

We emphasize building stronger relationships between our Elderly community and spreading awareness about harmful stereotypes to the 56% younger population that discriminates against them.

“Develop a strategy to better address the needs of our aging society.”

As a community, we work together with families and Elders to prioritize solutions to the many challenges the Elderly population may face.

“Dispel common stereotypes and misconceptions by highlighting the contributions of seniors.”

We emphasize building stronger relationships between our Elderly community and spreading awareness about harmful stereotypes to the 56% younger population that discriminates against them.

“Make cities more age-friendly.”

We accept volunteers who are passionate about supporting our elderly community. Donations go towards services like grocery delivery and the purchase of SMART medical devices that assist the elderly in reducing daily burdens caused by a disability and other physical or mental barriers.

I have great respect for the past. If you don’t know where you’ve come from, you don’t know where you’re going. I have respect for the past, but I’m a person of the moment. I’m here, and I do my best to be completely centered at the place I’m at, then I go forward to the next place.

-Maya Angelou

In the 1996 Census, Statistics Canada started to collect information on “visible minorities.”

Data from North America

Ms Williams traced the voyages of 334 people transported and sold through New Orleans between 1825 and 1848.

of slaves in these records were transported with no family at all.

-The Economist
0 %

All told, a staggering 88% suffered separation from their immediate family.

-The Economist

Families that did get shipped as a group were unlikely to remain intact after sale. Of slaves who travelled with relatives, a further 65% were split up, either partly or entirely, once they reached New Orleans.

-The Economist

About a third of these people are under the age of 18. The average age in this sample is only 19 years. This may be an overestimate: children were sometimes falsely described as older to meet the minimum age required for transporting.

-The Economist

The transatlantic slave trade transported between 10 million and 12 million enslaved Black Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas from the 16th to the 19th century.

-Britannica

Peering Into the Past

Canada's role in separating Black families

people of African and Indigenous descent were enslaved between the mid-17th century and 1834 in the British and French colonies that became Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.

-Historian Marcel Trudel
0
enslaved black people, 2,683 Indigenous, and 59 unknown origin. Revealed in unpublished archival records of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

-Historian Marcel Trudel
0

After 1750, the number of Indigenous slaves brought into French Canada began to decline.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia

After 1783, tens of thousands of Loyalists migrated to Canada, bringing a further 1,000 enslaved Black people to Nova Scotia.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia

The Slavery Abolition Act came into effect on 1 August 1834, abolishing slavery throughout the British Empire, including British North America. The Act made enslavement officially illegal in every province and freed the last remaining enslaved people in Canada.

– The Canadian Encyclopedia

When slavery was abolished in British colonies in 1834, Black slaves far outnumbered Indigenous slaves.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia

Black freedom seekers entered Canada through the Underground Railroad during the last decades of enslavement in the US. Between 1850 and 1860.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia
0 +

The Underground Railroad operated until the 13th amendment to the US constitution banned enslavement in 1865.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia

Black freedom seekers reached the Province of Canada (1841-1867, now known as Ontario and Quebec)

-The Canadian Encyclopedia
0 +

A federation of colonies in British North America – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Ontario – joined together to become the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867. Between then and 1999, six more provinces and three territories joined Confederation.

-The Canadian Encyclopedia

Many enslaved people adopted their own last names before emancipation in order to evade capture or to establish their own family connections independent of their enslavers. When enslaved Blacks gained their freedom from enslavement, they also gained the freedom to name themselves and their children.

-Notable Kentucky African Americans Database

How DNA Tests Are Helping Black Canadian Families Rediscover Lost Ancestry

According to the 2021 census by Statistics Canada, there are approximately 1,547,870 Black Canadians living in Canada.

By 2036, racialized people will account for an estimated 48% of Ontario’s population.

-Province of Ontario

of Canada's racialized population come from the following three groups: South Asian (1,924,635), Chinese (1,577,060) and Black (1,198,545).

- Statistics Canada, 2016 Census
0 %

More than 450 ethnic or cultural origins were reported in the 2021 Canadian Census. The Black population in Canada comes from over 200 ethnic or cultural origins, and with more than 450 mother tongues. English (58.9%) and French (21.6%) topped the list.

-Statistics Canada

Blacks (40.2%) are the third most likely visible minority group to form mixed unions, led by Latin Americans (48.2%) and Japanese ( 78.7% ).

– National Household Survey (2011)

Mixed unions accounted for 4.6% of all married or common-law couples in Canada

– National Household Survey (2011)

“It has just been amazing to find that this is family that has been disconnected in many cases for over 150 years, and yet when I reconnect with them, it feels like family…”

– Pamela Bailey

Pamela Bailey, middle, has been able to connect with relatives on her great-great-grandmother’s side. (Submitted by Pamela Bailey)

Read CBC news article about ‘Texas woman whose family was separated by slavery traces roots to Nova Scotia’

Did you know?

There are African DNA tests that help people of African descent trace their ancestral roots.

African Ancestry analyzes over 700,000 areas of DNA to determine ancestral regions broken down from the 72 modern African countries of origin.

The company will compare your DNA to a large African database and trace your lineage(s) to present-day Africa and the original ethnic tribe. You can trace your paternal and maternal lineages to approximately 50 – 2,000 years ago.

An African DNA test can be taken even if you are only part African. Having another ethnicity, such as European or Native American does not exclude you from the opportunity.

Best of all, your privacy is respected. African Ancestry destroys 100% of your DNA samples and won’t sell or share your genetic info.

BLACK IDENTITY FOUNDATION sources DNA kits from African Ancestry.