First ministers couldn’t agree on condemning systemic racism in declaration: PM

By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a first ministers’ declaration condemning racism didn’t mention systemic discrimination because not all the premiers would agree.

The statement released Thursday says firmly that all 14 first ministers oppose racism and will drive the governments they lead to fight it.

Trudeau acknowledged it doesn’t mention “systemic” because there wasn’t a consensus on using the term.

The letter doesn’t talk about more subtle forms of discrimination, in which members of some groups are denied opportunities because of the way systems or programs are designed, without overt expressions of bigotry.

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Trudeau wouldn’t identify, however, which provinces objected to using the term systemic.

Public officials such as RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki and Quebec Premier Francois Legault have said publicly that they want to root out racism but have rejected the idea that their institutions have discriminatory features built in.

Lucki later reversed herself.

Trudeau says he thinks the gap in the statement indicates how much work needs to be done to fight systemic racism.

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