Toronto cancels history, again: The irony and injustice of renaming Yonge-Dundas Square to Sankofa Square
Introduction In 2022, Torontonians renamed Ryerson University to Toronto Metropolitan University, “to address the legacy of Egerton Ryerson.”1 Rather than remember him as the founder of Ontario’s system of “free” public schools and libraries, Ryerson was “cancelled” for his suggestions regarding the curriculum for the Indian residential schools that were then being proposed. However, the […]
A Right to Unequal Treatment: In Canada, some people are more equal than others
Introduction Many Canadians believe that they have similar constitutional rights as Americans. In some cases, they do. People in both countries, for instance, have a right against self-incrimination.1 But Americans have constitutional rights that Canadians do not. They have the right to bear arms.2 They have more robust freedom of speech. They have the right […]
Poverty and Race in Canada: Facts about Race, Discrimination, and the Poor
Introduction Drawing a link between poverty and discrimination is common in Canadian policymaking. The federal government’s anti-racism strategy states that anti-black racism is a cause of high black poverty rates in Canada,1 and its anti-poverty strategy mentions racism as a reason why people from visible minority groups experience poverty. The federal anti-poverty strategy therefore proposes […]
Six months after October 7th: An analysis of terror attack responses by Canada’s religious groups
Introduction On October 7, 2023, terrorists affiliated with Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza launched a series of coordinated attacks in southern Israel, killing 1,139 innocent civilians and taking some 250 more hostage.1 At least eight Canadians were killed in the onslaught,2 which was the bloodiest attack in Israel’s history and the worst […]
Read the Toronto District School Board’s “Challenging Oppression” guide for yourself—and our critique
The Toronto District School Board recently sent a “teaching resource” to TDSB staff. The 40-page document is entitled “Facilitating Critical Conversations: A Teaching Resource for Challenging Oppression in Toronto District School Board Classrooms.” Here are four excerpts that illustrate the school board’s claim of racism in schools: The problem with the TDSB document: Its assumptions […]
What DEI research concludes about diversity training: it is divisive, counter-productive, and unnecessary
Introduction In July 2023, public school principal Richard Bilkszto killed himself. When announcing his death, Bilkszto’s lawyer traced his deteriorating mental health and ultimate demise to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) workshops his school board required him to attend.1 Recordings show that he was harassed and humiliated by the DEI trainer for questioning one of […]
Conspiracies: When are they likely true—or false?
Introduction Humans love to hear stories about secret plots and cover-ups. They intrigue us, shock us, confirm our deepest fears and beliefs, nourish our sense of moral outrage, give us antagonists to blame, and inspire us to “speak truth to power.” They are also quite frequently false, even when they claim to be based on […]
Systemic racism claims in Canada: A fact-based analysis
Introduction In December 2021, Canada’s prime minister handed out 38 mandate letters to each of his federal cabinet ministers. Each one included a statement about “profound systemic inequities and disparities that remain present in the core fabric of our society, including our core institutions.”1 This same sentiment was incorporated in the federal government’s 2019-2022 “anti-racism […]
