Black Community Resource Centre calls to address discrimination in Quebec

The Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC) in Montreal is calling to end racial discrimination in Quebec after a study conducted by McGill University found that the majority of Black Quebecers have faced racial discrimination.

The research found that 60 per cent of Black individuals have faced racial discrimination. Of those, 25 per cent of English speakers have faced language-based discrimination.

 “It’s the fight against the system,” said Nora Demnati, prison lawyer. “We really need to empower our communities and know what are those issues within those communities so we can actually serve the person we’re trying to help.”

It is believed that more discrimination happens in the healthcare industry, as 50 per cent of Black Quebecers have reported dissatisfaction, which is backed by a report from INSPQ (Institut national de santé publique du Québec).

The dissatisfaction is caused in part by access to mental healthcare.

“When it comes to employment, when it comes to when you shop, when it comes to relationships, people have these stereotypes that are being nurtured by the media that keeps us away from certain possibilities, opportunities, and it also causes mental strain on a lot of individuals,” said Sven Telemaque, social entrepreneur.

Additionally, it is believed that Black patients are 22 per cent less likely to receive pain medications while they are at a hospital.

Racial discrimination is not limited to healthcare. It is still reported over 100 times a year, in matters involving police within the province.

“Because prison in general doesn’t interest a lot of people, right? But as soon as you start understanding that crime is more than just crime, and it’s like life stories of broken people coming from very difficult environment, most of the time, you start to understand that crime is much more and you need to look at all of those different aspects that our society is failing,” said Demnati.

Research has found that Black and Indigenous individuals are stopped more often in the street by police. Notable numbers include a Black individual being 4.2 times more likely to be stopped than a white individual.

“Broken crayons to color, no matter what happens to us, no matter how it happens,” said Telemaque. “We are greater than our experiences. We are greater than the things that we go through. We just have to make the right decisions.”

BCRC adds that legislative changes like Bill 96 will cause more complications.

They held a forum on Saturday aimed at addressing discrimination, navigating the justice system, mental health supports, and more.

“The different speakers that are talking about their experience, they’ll be able to just put all of that together and keep on doing the work, because to be quite honest, we have enough research, we have enough documentation that shows us that there’s a problem, but we just, I just like to see more action,” said Telemaque.

“There’s a very touching and heartbreaking story behind those people and those actions that we call crimes. And when you start getting interested in those stories, you really understand that our society has a role in raising those people we call criminals,” said Demnati.