International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - Member Statement

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues and the Premier in marking the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21, 2021. This is observed annually on the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid pass laws in 1960.

If ever there was a year, a moment, to mark this day, this is it. In the past year Nova Scotia, North America, and beyond have witnessed an inescapable conversation about racism enter the public realm. Spurred by injustice and tragedy, no one can credibly deny the existence of racial discrimination any longer nor the need to dismantle it.

This year's UN theme is "Youth Standing Up Against Racism." With the powerful work of a new generation of activists and advocates from the African Nova Scotian and Mi'kmaw communities advocating alongside other BIPOC folks, Nova Scotia can no longer look away from the injustices which have formed a part of our narrative for hundreds of years.

There was a time when it might have made sense to ask, "But what can I do?," and that time has passed, particularly for those of us in this Chamber. We must be allies, we must make space for many more BIPOC legislators to join us, and we must stand up, step up, change the laws that enshrine inequality and discrimination, and focus on equity as we move forward together.