The BC Government has formed a new committee to tackle systemic racism.
Called the Provincial Committee on Anti-Racism, it aims to remove systemic barriers for those in the province trying to access government programs and services.
Attorney General Niki Sharma says undoing the legacy of racism is more important now than ever.
“The work of this committee will impact all of government’s programs and services going forward,” said Sharma.
The province says the committee comes after the Anti-Racism Act was introduced in April last year.
The Act looks to take on systemic racism through data collection and the lived experiences of Indigenous and racialized communities.
10 advocates make up the committee, which is chaired by Hasan Alam, a lawyer with the BC General Employees’ Union.
Along with removing systemic barriers, the committee will also work on developing anti-racism training standards for public bodies, providing input on public education about anti-racism, and engaging with community members on implementing the act.
The committee held their first meeting in Vancouver on Wednesday and Thursday this week and they aim to continue meeting throughout the year.
–Files by Hussam Elghussein, My Cowichan Valley Now
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