Racism and Prejudice in Canada

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Stereotype

• The idea that all members of a group are the
  same, rather that individuals with differing
  abilities, personalities and values.
• Scottish people are stingy.
• Teenagers are loud and obnoxious.
• Koreans are good at math.
• White men cant jump.
• Blondes are dumb.

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Prejudice

• From the words Pre and Judge.
• In other words, to have an opinion or image
  based on previously held ideas rather than
  knowledge or experience.
• It is when you agree with the stereotypes.

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Discriminate

• To treat a particular group, or member of a
  particular group differently or unfairly. It is
  based on prejudices.
• For centuries women have been stereotypically
  viewed as being less intelligent, or incapable of
  doing things such as say math or science. They
  were to be barefoot and pregnant in the
  kitchen. This prejudicial attitude led to
  discrimination when it came to women of ability
  being allowed to hold down traditional male jobs
  that required math/science. And if they did get
  the job, women were paid less for doing the same
  job.

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Racism

• The mistreatment of people on the basis of race,
  place of origin, or ancestry belief that one
  group of people is inferior or superior to
  another.
• Racism is any action based on stereotypes that
  view all members of a racial, ethnic or cultural
  group as being the same, rather than individuals.

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Racism and Prejudice in Canada
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• Do you think racism is a serious problem in
  Canadian society?

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Historical Examples of Racism in Canada

• The Native Experience
• The African Experience
• The Chinese Experience

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The Native Experience

• Native Canadians are the only non-immigrants in
  Canada but are treated as though they are.
• Europeans imposed their rules and regulations
  onto the natives.
• Created Acts which controlled and restricted the
  Natives freedom to serve the governments
  interests

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Gradual Civilization Act 1857

• Purpose was to make natives English-speaking,
  Christian and farmers.
• Cultural Immersion, so kids removed from homes
  and rewarded those deemed successful.
• Given 50 acres of farm land and tribal and treaty
  rights removed to be more like the white man
  (enfranchised), which was considered the schools
  ultimate goal.
• Is this Cultural Genocide? Ethnocentrism?

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The Indian Act (1876)

• The Canadian government created a form of racism
  that was designed to promote, primarily through
  school and church, forced assimilation (to make
  everyone feel they are the same or are part of,
  to make similar). In short, make the natives
  more European.
• Native social and political institutions were
  systematically destroyed

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The Native Experience

• The Indian Act (1876)
• - a mandate for government administrators to
  control the lives of Natives
• - They could not manage their own reserve lands
  or money and were under the supervision of the
  government
• - could not own their land
• - must ask for permission to develop on the
  land
• - Natives did not have the power to decide
  whether non- natives could reside on their land
• - cannot leave the reserve without permission
  from a government agent

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• I want to get rid of the Indian problem. I do
  not think as a matter of fact, that the country
  ought to continuously protect a class of people
  who are able to stand alone Our objective is to
  continue until there is not a single Indian in
  Canada that has not been absorbed into the body
  politic and there is no Indian question, and no
  Indian Department, that is the whole object of
  this Bill. Dr. Duncan Campbell Scott 1920
• Scott was the head of the Department of Indian
  Affairs from 1913 to 1932.
• Even before Confederation, the Canadian
  government adopted a policy of assimilation. The
  long term goal was to bring the Native peoples
  from their savage and unproductive state and
  force (English style) civilization upon them.
• all native children between the ages of seven and
  fifteen must attend one of Canada's Residential
  Schools.

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Idle No More Movement

• Is a reaction to many of the mistreatments and
  injustices that our native people feel they face.
• It is not a cohesive movement at the moment, but
  a groundswell action that may result in some
  changes by the Harper government.

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The African Experience

• White culture, intellect and morality was
  thought to be much more superior over the black
  race.
• Many arrived in Canada via the underground
  railroad settled in Nova Scotia and Southwestern
  Ontario.
• When free blacks came to Canada, they were
  promised equal land and necessities by the
  British but received none or very little.

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The African Experience

• In 1850, black Canadians experienced restricted
  land ownership and were refused equal education
  not allowed in white schools
• Segregated schools existed in Nova Scotia until
  the 1960s.
• Black Canadians forced to settle in segregated
  communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and
  Ontario
• Africville, NS

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Africville, NS

• Part of the City of Halifax, isolated from the
  rest of the city
• Population of about 400 black Canadians coming
  from 80 different families
• Were law-abiding, tax paying citizens who were
  proud of their community
• Africville area soon became home to many dirty
  industries a prison, disposal pits, a city dump
  and an infectious disease hospital
• The city failed to install sewers, lights, water
  or roads

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Africville, NS

• In 1947, Halifax designated Africville industrial
  land.
• Without consultation with the members of the
  community, between 1964-70 Africville residents
  were given 500 and relocated to public housing,
  some via city dump trucks, and the houses were
  leveled.
• It is fair to state that while this tight knit
  community paid taxes they were treated unfairly
  due to their race.

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Africville

• BEFORE

AFTER
The town of Africville, 1965
Africville Monument, 2000
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Canadas Early Bias Keeping Canada White and
Christian

• In general, Canada in the first half of 1900s was
  very selective about who they let in, despite the
  fact they needed more people to work in
  agriculture
• If they couldnt get Brits or Western Europeans,
  they preferred farmers from Eastern Europe.
• There were exclusion laws tried to keep out
  Chinese, Japanese, Indians (India). These are
  countries with huge native populations.

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The Chinese Experience

• Arrived in British Columbia in the 1850s
• Recruited to build the Canadian Pacific Railway
• Were given the hardest and most dangerous jobs
  more Chinese victims than white
• Were paid ¼ to ½ less than whites
• Anti-Chinese Bill in 1885 to limit Chinese
  immigration (railway was built)
• In the USA it was even illegal for a white to
  marry a Chinese person (changed in the 1940s).

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Chinese Experience cont

• Chinese Head Tax of 50 per person, in 1900
  100, and 1903 to 500 (two years wages).
• Too expensive to bring family, so usually males
  came and sent money back to support family.
  Created a bachelor society for Chinese in
  Canada
• 1923 Canada passes the Chinese Exclusion Act and
  in the next 14 years only 50 Chinese immigrants
  were permitted to enter.

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These Experiences

• Provide a backdrop to help illustrate the
  different forms of racism found in our society
  today.

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3 Forms of Racism

• Cultural Ethnocentric
• Institutional
• Individual

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Cultural Racism

• Ethnocentric belief that ones culture and
  beliefs are better than others.
• we and they mentality where ones own racial
  group is considered to be better than other
  groups
• When the Europeans encountered Native North
  Americans it was inconceivable to them that
  natives were their equals. As well, it was
  believed that non-Europeans would want to be like
  themsuperior.

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Institutional Racism

• The process by which organizational practices and
  procedures are used to either directly or
  indirectly discriminate against others
• Rules, procedures, rewards and practices that
  have the intent or effect of excluding others
• Examples include differential admission policy
  of Jewish students at McGill, black individuals
  were regularly excluded from entry into theatres
  and restaurants.

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Institutional Racism

• Laws and practices that segregated minorities,
  especially blacks, from equal participation in
  Canadian society until the 1960s

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Individual Racism

• The attitude, belief or opinion that ones own
  racial group has superior values and customs
• Personal attacks on others who are perceived as
  culturally or biologically inferior
• Racial violence against individuals by groups
  with deep racial beliefs, such as the White Aryan
  Notion Movement and the Skinheads found in many
  Canadian cities
• Polite racism

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Skinheads

• This group believes that the white race is
  superior and are prepared to transform society
  along white supremacy lines.
• Believe White is right!

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Racist Beliefs Today

• Henry (1978)
• First to measure racist attitudes in Canada
• 16 of whites are considered extremely racist,
• 35 are somewhat racist
• Focus Canada Survey (1998)
• 7-20 are strongly racist
• 13 of Canadians would exclude non-white groups
  from immigrating
• 7 would not vote for a black political candidate

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How do Racial Minorities Feel?

• Toronto in 1992
• 80 of Black, 63 of Chinese and 62 of
  East-Indian Canadians felt that they had
  experienced racial prejudice towards them.
• 73 of Blacks, 48 of Chinese and 47 of
  East-Indian Canadians felt they had been racially
  discriminated against in obtaining a job

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Ipsos-Reid Survey 2005

• 1 in 6 Canadians say they have been the victim of
  racism.
• Approximately one in ten (7 or 1,680,000
  Canadian adults) would not welcome people from
  another race as next-door neighbours.
• 13 (3,120,000 Canadians) would never marry or
  have a relationship with someone of another race.
• 15 (3,360,000 Canadians) say skin colour makes
  a difference in their workplace.

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• In 2005 which group did Canadians feel are the
  most likely to be targeted in their community
  with racist acts?
• Muslims/Arabs

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• Sodo you think racism is a serious problem in
  Canadian society?

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Individual Racism Polite???

• Most racism in Canada is considered to be
  polite racism
• no racist comments are shared openly with
  others, derogatory comments instead are made in
  private
• Attempt to disguise a dislike of others through a
  non-prejudicial appearance
• Evident when turned down for jobs, promotions or
  accommodations told job is full when its not
• More sophisticated racism but serves the same
  purpose to control, exploit and exclude others

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Polite Racism? Are we Really a Mosaic Country?

• Decima Research, October 1993
• - 1200 respondents
• - 75 rejected the concept that Canada is a
  cultural mosaic
• - 72 believed that different racial and ethnic
  groups should adapt to Canadian society
• - 41 think that Canada lets too many people
  from different cultures and races into
  Canada

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Prejudice Defined

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines prejudice as
  preconceived judgment or negative opinion formed
  without just grounds
• In other words, prejudice is a negative attitude
  that we carry toward individuals or groups of
  people

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Patterns of Prejudice Discrimination by Robert
Merton
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Theoretical PerspectivesDifferential
Association Conflict

• Differential Association by Edwin Sutherland
  also known as The Learning Theory
• Basic Propositions of the theory
• (i) Criminal/deviant behaviour is learned
  through the process of social interaction with
  those individuals the person has intimate
  relationships with (no one is born a criminal)
• (ii) Through social interaction, the individual
  also learns motives (excuses and justifications)
  about their deviant behaviours, attitudes, and
  techniques (however simple or complex)

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Differential Association Contd

• (iii) A person becomes a deviant because he or
  she has excessive associations with deviant
  groups and limited associations with non-deviant
  groups
• (iv) The process of learning deviant behaviour is
  the same as the process by which non-deviant
  behaviour is learned

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Differential Association Contd

• (v) Associations with deviant and non-deviant
  groups vary in
• Priority when in life these associations occur
• Intensity how meaningful associations are to
  individual
• Duration how long the associations last
• Frequency how often the associations occur

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• Prejudice (Pre-judge)
• To have an opinion or image based on previously
  held ideas rather than knowledge or experience.
• Discriminate
• To treat a particular group, or member of a
  particular group differently or unfairly. It is
  based on prejudices.

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Differential Association Contd

• Children learn racism and learn to hate members
  of ethnic groups (no one is born with racial
  attitudes)
• In regards to the reading from Tanner Skinheads
  and the Politics of Race the learning theory can
  be applied to explain the deviant ways of the
  Skinhead youth
• Mark Hamm argues that Skinheads are the products
  of white, working class families who grow up
  conforming to the dominant achievement ethic and
  are successful in school

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Differential Association Contd

• These youth learn to be racist and discriminatory
  from the people they choose to associate with
• The fact that these youth grew up in good,
  working class families does not make them immune
  to becoming deviants
• Though the family is considered to be a primary
  agent in the socialization process, some
  individuals may be more heavily influenced by
  their peers

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Differential Association Contd

• The same can be said about the reading in our
  text Why do they hate us? What to do. by Fareed
  Zakaria
• The reading is about Arab resistance to U.S.
  policies through the use of terrorism
• Terrorism can be looked at as being a learned
  behaviour
• Sutherland would argue that Terrorists learn
  their criminal behaviour from people they
  associate with and are influenced by
• In general, it can be argued that racism and
  prejudice are learned behaviours that are the
  result of negative associations in ones life (be
  it family, friends, etc.)

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Criticisms of Differential Association Theory

• 1. Theory cannot explain all complex processes
  involved in criminal behaviour (some individuals
  commit crimes without learning practices)
• 2. Perspective ignores personality or
  psychological traits
• 3. Many techniques learned by criminals are
  learned by legitimate means
• 4. Emphasis is on socialization does not
  explain why criminal or deviant behaviour was
  there in the first place i.e.) why did person
  start hanging around deviants?

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Conflict Theory

• Relevant Propositions of Conflict Theory
• Power is the most important explanatory variable
• - use power to maintain ones position at
  the expense of others is the fundamental
  cause of social problems such as racism
• Groups that have clashing interests compete with
  each other, therefore producing winners and
  losers
• - conflicts benefit the winners at the expense
  of the losers

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Power is the most important explanatory variable

• - use power to maintain ones position at the
  expense of others is the fundamental cause of
  social problems such as racism
• - The Indian Act, Africville

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Groups that have clashing interests compete with
each other, therefore producing winners and losers

• - conflicts benefit the winners at the expense
  of the losers
• - The winners interests and beliefs are
  strengthen while the losers beliefs are abused
• - American History X example

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Raising Awareness
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Raising Awareness

• Since 1966, March 21st has been recognized as the
  International Day for the Elimination of Racial
  Discrimination by the United Nations
• Initiated in response for the need to increase
  awareness of the harmful effects of racism
• Canadian youth have spoken out theres no room
  for racism in their lives
• Youth are the voice of the future

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2003 Winner of Racism. Stop it! National Video
Competition

• Why Do You Tease Me?Southview Community School
  Medicine Hat, AB
• Students across the country are challenged to
  create a one-minute video that expresses their
  feelings about racism

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Discussion Questions

• Is racist behaviour considered deviant in all
  situations?

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Discussion Questions

• Is racist behaviour considered deviant in all
  situations?
• Is affirmative action reverse discrimination or
  an unfair advantage to members of minority
  groups?

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Discussion Questions

• Is racist behaviour considered deviant in all
  situations?
• Is affirmative action reverse discrimination or
  an unfair advantage to members of minority
  groups?
• Will events like Racism. Stop it! And other
  awareness programs be able to erase racism in our
  society? Why or why not?