The B.C. Government is currently inviting the province to help shape B.C.’s new anti-racism data legislation, so government can better identify existing gaps and create a more inclusive, equitable province.
The public engagement will run from now until Nov. 30, 2021, as the government looks to be informed on how to collect data in a way that is reflective of the needs and experiences of Indigenous, Black and people of colour (IBPOC) communities.
As part of the consultation, B.C. residents are being invited to share stories in an effort to illuminate recurring themes and issues, using the online tool SenseMaker.
“This engagement will help shed more light on the experiences of people using government services in B.C., so that we can break down these barriers they’re facing, identify gaps and deliver better supports. It will also ensure that our approach to collecting data meets the needs of IBPOC communities and does not exacerbate existing systemic issues,” said Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives.
Singh also says she will meet with IBPOC community groups for more targeted feedback in the fall with a focused effort to meet with individuals who may have also experienced discrimination for other reasons, such as their gender, sexual orientation, faith or ability.
As part of the engagement as well, grants will be made available for eligible community organizations and groups wishing to host their own engagement sessions with their community members.
“Black, Indigenous and racialized communities have been advocating for collection of disaggregated data for a long time, so we need to give them resources and follow their lead,” Singh said. “It’s important that we hear from communities to get this right, so the data collected helps us fight racism and isn’t used to further perpetuate stereotypes and misconceptions.”
The government says this new legislation is intended to enable the consistent collection, use and disclosure of demographic data to identify the impact of systemic racism on groups.
Access to the public engagement can be found online here: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/antiracism/data
CHEK News
