The Anti-Racism Industry
Gone are the days when members of parliament served their role of involving
citizens in consultations through such vehicles as public hearings and townhalls. In August
2018, AC Nielsen Company of Canada was hired by the Liberal government to implement a
"national anti-racism engagement strategy" and paid $336,474. Public servants have similarly
been displaced. TKB Consulting was hired to conduct "anti-racism and anti-oppression
training" for the relatively small amount of $14,238.00.
Global Affairs Canada hired DiversiPro for an "inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism
initiative," that cost $32,968.88. In September 2021 it also hired QuakeLab Inc. for "diversity,
inclusion, and anti-racism consultant services" valued at $35,821. Jack-Davies Cross-Cultural
Solutions was hired in September 2020 to provide Global Affairs Canada (GAC) with "advice
on institutional changes needed at GAC in the areas of anti-racism and inclusion." It was paid
$39,000.
Boys And Girls Clubs of Canada received $39,846.25 in February 2021 by Employment and
Social Development Canada (ESDC) for a "youth-led mentoring project to address systemic
racism and support increased equity and inclusion of black, Indigenous and people of colour
youth."
Rumina Morris, BSW, RSW, was paid $22,600 by ESDC in October 2021, to serve as an
"anti-racism discussion facilitator to support group learning on an anti-racist, equitable,
diverse and inclusive" basis. Daniel Consulting Group was paid $39,550 in July 2020 to
provide "training to raise awareness" of ESDC staff members "on anti-black racism and the
realities of black serving organizations."
Diversity Trainers Plus Inc was hired in February 2021 for $13,739.51 to conduct workshops
on "unconscious bias and racism" for Environment and Climate Change Canada. The same
agency hired Dr. Farha Shariff in December 2021 for "anti-racism and unconscious bias
session facilitation" paying $33,327.81.
Anima Leadership Inc received $22,600 to provide "training on addressing systemic racism"
in August 2021 for Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Generativ.ca Consultants received
$40,680 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in November 2021 to provide a
"facilitator for listening sessions on systemic racism in the Health Research funding
system."
QMR Staffing Solutions Inc received $222,892 in January 2021 for "Leadership development
services to provide anti-racism coaching, training and advisory services" at Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
The company 12591219 Canada Inc was paid $12,430 in May 2021 to serve as training
consultants for Family Law and Youth Justice Policy Section employees on Anti-racism at the
Department of Justice Canada.
In March 2021, Graybridge Malkam was paid $22,001.98 to serve as a "senior Leadership
Development Consultant to design and facilitate bilingual, virtual educational sessions
regarding racism and allyship" at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
Diversity Trainers Plus Inc was paid $39,550 in December 2020 to provide "the services to
develop an anti-racism/discrimination strategy" at the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission.
Mobile Resource Group Inc was paid $67,619.20 for a contract that began in June 2021 to
conduct an "anti-racism and discrimination review" for the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council of Canada.
The Canadian Human Rights Commission hired Charles C. Smith Consulting for "anti-racism
organizational change consulting services," paying them $36,725.00.
One of the largest private contracts was given to Humanity Agency Ltd in Toronto. On
December 1, 2021 the Department of Canadian Heritage awarded a $2.4 million contract "to
develop, implement, manage, create awareness of, facilitate the exchange of information, and
report on the marketing, programs and content integration" in support a "Public Education and
Awareness Anti-Racism Campaign targeted to non-racialized Canadian middle-aged adults and
non-racialized Canadian adults."
The company was selected through competitive bidding based on "the best overall
proposal."
The first part of the contract valued at $1.2 million was paid for work conducted from
December through to March 2022 and on March 29, the second installment was paid for work
to be carried from April 2022 through to March 2023.
The objective is further detailed: "Generate awareness and serve to operationalize the Federal
Secretariat's work of implementing the community engagement and public awareness
objectives of Building a Foundation: Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy 2019-2022," assigned the
acronym of CARS.
The directive for the campaign states it will "weave together an emotionally compelling
narrative of contemporary Canadian identity and values as antithetical to racism and racial
discrimination." The narrative should be one that "directly supports social cohesion, strength
in diversity and inclusivity." It is to "eventually further strengthen Canada's leadership of
these values on the global stage."
The objective is also described as providing Canadians with "targeted, timely, relevant,
comprehensive and accessible information to educate the public as well as tools and activities
that empower them to combat racism in their communities." Tools such as social media and
other "outreach tactics" are to be used.
The "primary target" of the campaign is "non-racialized Canadian middle-aged adults (age
30-44)" which is further broken down to those living in urban and rural regions, in which
there are "urban and rural racism hotspots." The "secondary target" is 18—29-year-old
"non-racialized urban and rural" Canadians, as well as those aged 45 - 64.
The contract notice explains that the awareness campaign should "increase the level of target
audience knowledge and understanding of:
"- how implicit bias, and current racism and discrimination (both systemic and individual)
impact people in Canada (including the latest revised definitions of racism and related
terms)
"- Canada's history of systemic racism and Indigenous Peoples as well as Black, Asian and
racialized and religious minority communities' long-standing legacy of countering racism and
discrimination."
It is also to raise awareness of the target audience about "specific steps they can take to
address and counter racism as they experience or observe it in their everyday lives (both
systemic and individual). This is expected to "increase the number of target audience members
active in combating racism in their communities through such activities as: speaking out on
discrimination and its impacts; working to dismantle systemic barriers; and decreasing implicit
bias."
This article was published in
Volume 52 Number 7 - July 17, 2022
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2022/Articles/M520077.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca