Black on the Ballot: Most Black Canadians taking part in politics face discrimination, study says

Most Black Canadians participating in politics face discrimination and barriers to getting involved in government, according to a recent study. 

Erin Tolley, who is a Canada Research Chair in Gender, Race and Inclusive Politics and associate professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, is the author of Black on the Ballot: What Black Canadians Told Us About Running for and Serving in Elected Office.

Her study involved a first-ever national survey of Black Canadians in politics and archival research to produce the most comprehensive account of their inclusion in Canadian politics, she said.

"There really is not a lot of research on Black Canadians in politics," Tolley said. "Historically, political scientists have not thought about race in Canada. We tend to think race is a construct more useful in the United States."

One of the key findings of Tolley's work was how many Black Canadians experience negative reactions when entering politics. 

Among the 95 people who responded to the survey, 67 said they had experienced discrimination while in office or running for office. More than half of these people said they were discriminated against while out in public or at their office. 

These experiences can influence how long Black Canadians stay in politics, Tolley said. 

Study reflects African Nova Scotians' experiences

Virginia Hinch received racist emails while running for Halifax regional council in last fall's municipal election.

Hinch, who was elected councillor for Halifax Peninsula North, shared one of the emails on social media during her campaign but said she has since moved on from the experience.

"I'm going to take what he said with a grain of salt because, again, I reached out to meet with this person and there was nothing since then. So I'm not worried about that anymore," she said in a recent interview.

Wanda Thomas Bernard became the first African Nova Scotian woman in the Canadian Senate when she was appointed in 2016. 

Thomas Bernard, a longtime social worker, educator and activist, said she experienced both overt and subtle racism when she arrived in Ottawa.

She said on one occasion she was the only person forced to show her identification while on a shuttle that takes senators to the upper chamber.

'Critical hope'

After Thomas Bernard spoke in the Senate for the first time, she said several senators approached her to congratulate her on how well she spoke. 

"I'm thinking that feels like a microaggression, like I'm a professor, why shouldn't I speak well?" she said.

Both Thomas Bernard and Hinch are participating in a panel discussion about the experience of Black Nova Scotia women in politics on Friday at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia in Cherry Brook.

Hinch said Bernard was one of the first people she spoke to when considering entering politics and her guidance proved invaluable.

Bernard said a big part of her role has been mentoring other Black politicians across the country. She said simply having someone who looks like them in office can have a positive effect.

"I believe it gives people critical hope. I believe that it's a form of encouragement. I believe that it helps people to believe in themselves," she said. 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.