B.C. anti-racism legislation to collect data to help shape change

B.C. is taking additional steps to “dismantle systemic racism and discrimination” in the province.

Unveiling new legislation, the Anti-Racism Data Act, Monday, the B.C. government admits it’s no quick fix, but rather a long-term plan that starts with getting detailed data over the next year.

“Our province is shaped by diversity with people from all over the world choosing to come to B.C. to build a better life. But for too long, systemic racism and the long-lasting effects of colonialism have unfairly held people back when it comes to education, job opportunities, housing, and more,” said Premier John Horgan.

Join Premier John Horgan, Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, and others, for an announcement about new legislation to address systemic racism in BC. https://t.co/XiHF2MVym3

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) May 2, 2022

The bottom line from the province is this: You cannot address what you cannot see. When it comes to race and government services, B.C.’s data is lacking.

The province says the act is the “first of its kind in Canada to be co-developed with Indigenous Peoples.”

Starting November 2022, what is essentially a provincial census will be sent out for people to fill out online or by phone. The survey is aimed at collecting more information on ethnicity, ancestry, and religion.

The plan is to take the data gathered and match it up with the data that already exists within government services. The province plans to release the findings a year from now.

British Columbians will not be required to share information if they don’t want to. Services will not be withheld.

“The tabling of this important legislation represents an enormous moment of opportunity, a promise that the government is making … to Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, and, in fact, all British Columbians,” said June Francis, an associate professor at SFU who focuses on inclusive resilient solutions in governance and policies.

“For far too long, communities have not received equitable access and treatment in government services, whether it’s in housing, employment, education, I know that from my own field, social services.”

Francis, who is also the chair of the board of Hogan’s Alley Society, says data legislation provides the province with an opportunity to shine light on the issue and come up with meaningful solutions to tackle it.

Act to address racism ‘long overdue’

The first goal of the new act is to identify gaps in provincial systems, services, and programs. The initial focus will be on core services like health care, income assistance, education, and corrections.

All data collection will be bound by new provincial legislation created in consultation with Indigenous and other racialized communities.

“It is long overdue to finally move beyond institutionalized denialism and publicly commit to addressing anti-Indigenous racism in British Columbia, using the tools that are necessary such as data collection, information sharing, and public reporting,” said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

“If accurate data is not collected, then First Nations people are often not believed when we describe the impact of racism and discrimination against First Nations. This new legislation will bring needed changes to support respectful and ethical approaches to data collection, data standards, and consistency in reporting and addressing how First Nations access or receive necessary supports and services in British Columbia.”

Parl Secretary @RachnaSinghNDP is heading up the work on this project which began with talking with indigenous and other racialized communities about how to proceed. @DrJuneFrancis1 saying the process is a model to be followed.#bcpoli @CityNewsVAN

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) May 2, 2022

Chief Lydia Hwitsum, political executive of the First Nations Summit, says Indigenous people have, for far too long, been disproportionately affected by systemic racism in various systems and institutions, saying a lack of data is to blame for making the issue invisible.

“This legislation will enable enhanced collection, analysis, and utilization of data in a way that honours our rights to data sovereignty. Nothing about us without us. We see this legislation as a beginning to addressing the larger Office of the Premier Ministry of Attorney General systemic racism issues and problems that exist within our society,” Hwitsum said.

Data is the right place to start, says sociologist

Addressing racism, discrimination, and unequal access starts first with measuring the issues, according to Elizabeth Hirsh, an associate professor of sociology with UBC.

She supports the province’s new legislation, calling it a “monumental opportunity.”

“We need disaggregated data on race and ethnicity in order to track access to various government services, as well as opportunities and to track our progress,” Hirsh said.

“Having data and having data collected over time enables the province to identify where we are now, where we’d like to go, and to track how well we are meeting those goals. So that is one opportunity for moving forward over time data is crucial. So not just collecting one off, but also following up and having data that enables us to look at progress over time.”

However, she says it can sometimes be challenging to get disaggregated data by race, as trust can be an issue in some communities.

“Without trust, there’s obviously the concern that it’s going to be used to target individuals, to target communities, to police in areas where you have information that racialized communities are there. I think that fear is very well-placed and that more work, more trust must be established in order to get to a place where that sort of data collection process is perceived by racialized communities and Indigenous communities as a way to make improvements in policing. I think we’re just not there yet. But perhaps this is the direction we could go.”

She adds accountability and transparency are also crucial to meaningful change.

“The data collection effort and the data analysis effort has to be careful and thoughtful, and attentive to issues of stigma and privacy,” she warned.

“Moving ahead with lots of transparency, lots of consultation will hopefully ensure that issues of privacy and stigma are minimized.”

B.C. spent several months last year engaging the public to come up with the framework for the new legislation. From September 2021 to March 2022, the province worked with community organizations to hear from Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities about how to collect and use race-based data in a safe way that will make a difference in work to target racism.

Overall, the province says the Anti-Racism Data Act is based on responses from more than 13,000 people in B.C.

Rachna Singh, the parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, notes this is just the beginning, adding “the conversation doesn’t end once the legislation is introduced.”

The act includes safeguards and measures to protect information collected. As part of the legislation, government bodies will have to follow guidelines before any statistics are shared.

There have been several high-level examples of racism in B.C. over the past few years — both within the community, as well as in systems that are supposed to support British Columbians.

Last year, the B.C. Human Rights Commissioner began looking into what it described as a “disturbing surge of hate” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several surveys conducted over the course of the health crisis have also found there’s been a rise in anti-Asian sentiment.

Related articles: 

• B.C. promises change on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

• Racism review finds ‘widespread, insidious problem’ in B.C. health care system

• Advocates say reforms ‘don’t work,’ unimpressed by B.C. policing recommendations

In 2020, a months-long review into Indigenous-specific racism found there was evidence of widespread prejudice and discrimination in B.C.’s health-care system, as well as a lack of cultural safety. That came after allegations surfaced that a racist guessing game had been played by emergency room doctors and nurses called “Price is Right,” whereby health-care workers would guess the blood-alcohol levels of patients, particularly Indigenous people.

By the end of November 2021, however, a progress report on a plan to address anti-Indigenous racism in B.C.’s health-care system found First Nations patients continued to disproportionately die as a result of the impacts of racism and the two ongoing public-health emergencies.

More recently, an all-party committee found clear, hard evidence of systemic racism in B.C. policing. Those behind the report are calling for changes to how police handle calls dealing with mental health and addictions.

With files from Martin MacMahon